Tejal possesses a Bachelor of Science from Mumbai University, a degree in software engineering and a diploma in Public Health from the Public Health Foundation of India with a focus on Women and Children. After a pit stop in Indian Oil in software management she joined PUKAR as a youth fellow. In addition to co-authoring six papers in International journals, she presented her research on immunization and coding and mapping slum communities at the National Institute of Health Summit, Washington DC in 2012. In addition to her serious contribution to Mythology of Mumbai project over 7 long, years, now Tejal oversees all the field related activities of projects conducted under the vertical of Gender. Her special interests are in long term case studies.

When Vishal joined as Barefoot Researchers in PUKAR’s Flagship program of Youth Fellowship in 2014, he chose a very unusual topic for his research.  “Kamathipura, The Name, Fame and Fortune”.  His research on this most unfortunate community of Prostitutes in Mumbai’s Red-Light Area gave Vishal’s basic nature of care, empathy and sense of justice a great platform. Armed with an extensive experience in paraprofessional counselling Vishal worked with patients suffering from TB, HIV and Leprosy. He always worked with and worked for some of the most neglected and excluded people of his city. It is this proclivity for the poor and the excluded that makes Vishal an outstanding mentor and facilitator for the younger and marginalized youth. Vishal aspires to impart leaderships skills in himself as well as the youth he mentors.