Dr. Shaw is professor in the Graduate School of Media and Governance in Keio University in Japan. Earlier, he was the Executive Director of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), a decade-long research program co-sponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU). Previously, he served as a Professor in the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies of Kyoto University. His expertise includes disaster governance, community-based disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, urban risk management, and disaster and environmental education. He is the Chair of the United Nations Science Technology Advisory Group (STAG) for disaster risk reduction. Professor Shaw has published more than 45 books and over 300 academic papers and book chapters. More about him @ www.rajibshaw.org. He is also developing an interest in photography.

Ranit Chatterjee is a PhD in Environmental Management from Kyoto University, Japan. Trained as an Architect, Ranit did his masters in Disaster Management from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. His work focuses mainly on disaster management while spanning across architecture and heritage, governance, private sector and ecosystem services. He has worked previously with the UN agencies, national and local Governments in Asia and India in particular, local communities, private businesses and NGOs. In addition, he has been involved with National Institute of Disaster Management in training of engineers and architects. Ranit is a recipient of  IRDR young scientist fellowship and CEM member of IUCN. He has authored several academic publications and reports on the topic of Disaster Management. He is an amateur photographer with a few publications in National Geographic

A trained Mathematician from St. Stephen’s College (Delhi University), Ambika is the silver medal holder during her Masters in Disaster Management at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. She has a wide experience in undertaking diverse DRM-related capacity development activities for varied stakeholders (including government departments, private organisations, academic institutions, NGOs, CBOs, and communities) across regional, national and sub-national levels. These activities include conducting training programmes, training of trainers’ programmes, designing short-term certificate courses, research studies, developing knowledge and outreach products, mentoring students for social innovation, etc. She has a keen interest in DRR education, education in emergencies and nature-based solutions for DRR. More about her here.  

Krishnakali is an urban planner and GIS professional by education and experience. She has worked for capacity building of various stakeholders in urban development and disaster risk reduction projects. She has facilitated many capacity building programs for disaster risk reduction, resilience building, provision of basic services, livelihood generation across national, sub-national and grassroot levels. The activities she has been engaged in include designing and developing courses, conducting trainings, research studies, technical assessments etc. Previously, she has worked with local communities, private sector and NGOs on sustainable urban development.  She holds an M.Sc. specialization in Geo-information Science & Earth Observation  from ITC, University of Twente, Netherlands and a Bachelors in Planning from NIT, Bhopal. She has keen interest in urban climate change, risk communication, risk assessments and climate finance. More about her here

Savita has received her Bachelor’s Degree from Delhi University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Health, Family Welfare and Population Education from Punjab University. At RIKA, she manages the entire gamut of administration, finance and logistics. She also coordinates and supports the program team in program implementation. Savita’s last assignment was with Digital Green as Admin Manager where she looked after office administration, travel logistics and procurement. She has worked for 13 years with Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), a US-based global health non-profit as Project Administrator, in various health based projects in different capacities. Her interests include traveling, cooking and dress designing. 

Mahankali is a highly motivated and innovative engineering professional currently in the final year of an Integrated Duel Degree program in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Advanced Manufacturing. With a strong passion for product design, robotics, optimisation and additive manufacturing, he has demonstrated his expertise through notable achievements, including the development of Garudakshi, an autonomous hybrid vehicle, and his leadership as the head of Rebel Racers, a successful team in the prestigious SAE mBaja competition. Additionally, Mahankali is an active member of Rotaract, where his dedication and mentoring skills led to his club being recognized as the best Charter Club in the district, also earned himself the title of the best Rotaractor of the year in 2021. With a proven track record of excellence and a drive for continuous growth, Mahankali is poised to make significant contributions in the field of engineering and beyond. Presently he is developing a search robot for disaster response for RIKA India, Keio University and IHFC IIT Delhi.

Suruthika P, is a dedicated Public Health professional pursuing a Master’s in Public Health Emergency and Disaster Management. With a fervor for community well-being, she has contributed as a Youth Volunteer to a Sustainable Development Goals conference. Her ongoing research focuses on Emergency Flood Preparedness Among the Blind and Deaf Community in Urban Cities, centered in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. Through grassroots research, she aims to shed light on challenges faced by individuals with visual and hearing impairments during floods, contributing insights for inclusive emergency management strategies.

She brings proficiency in basics remote sensing and GIS, integrating spatial data for effective disaster planning. Her diverse interests include psychosocial trauma, communication, and knowledge management in disaster scenarios. Recognizing the pivotal role of communication in resilience, she is committed to making impactful contributions to comprehensive disaster management.