Our Team

Vinita Saraf, Founder & Managing Trustee

With a commitment to creating educated youths, from first generational learners, she has designed high quality, cost effective and comprehensive services for the community using an eclectic approach tailored to the unique needs of every individual. She has worked on enhancing self esteem via education among young adults in Eastern India’s largest slum area.

With a BSc from Calcutta University, a Degree in Interior Design from New York and a Degree in Spanish and German, she started her career as an Interior Designer. Later after having travelled extensively she started her own travel concern for women, ‘Creative Escapes’. Along with this, attending conferences, reading and real life experiences of daily interaction with different communities, Vinita started EkTara in the largest slum in Eastern India.

Namrata Sureka, Founder & Managing Trustee

An NGO facilitating the education and livelihood skills of 900 girls and women of the slum areas of Topsia & Tiljala in Kolkata to empower them and make them self sufficient. She is the Former President of ‘Ladies Study Group’, the ‘Ladies Wing’ of ‘Indian Chamber of Commerce’ both of which aim to spread awareness and knowledge through organising events on women empowerment. Her motto in life is to ‘Look Beyond and be the Catalyst’. Namrata also has an avid interest in music, dance, theatre and the fine arts and considers culture and heritage to be an integral part of society.

Kumud Agarwal, Trustee

Kumud Agarwal With a BA in History Hons from Calcutta University, a degree in interior design and currently a businesswoman working in Kolkata, Kumud Agarwal has been associated with EkTara since its inception. She is involved in training community girls and mothers on work plans and bookkeeping, cost control, financial literacy and capacity building.

Nandita Palchoudhuri, Trustee

Nandita Palchoudhuri is a social entrepreneur Curating and Consulting in Indian Folk Art Craft and Performance Practices ,internationally.Nandita is a Clore Chevening Scholar in Cultural Leadership UK, and has completed courses in Non-Profit Management from New York University and Advertising & Marketing from the Institute of Marketing & Management IMM.

Arun Saraf, Trustee

Arun Saraf is a chartered accountant by qualification. He has been practising as a tax consultant for over 33 years. Currently he manages income-tax related matters for over 250 companies spread across Kolkata, Bangalore and Mumbai. It includes the likes of UCO bank, Indian Oil Petronas, RPG - Sanjiv Goenka group & Nusli Wadia group.