Sonali Patnaik : Professional Profile

Sonali Patnaik,

Director, Arupa Mission Research Foundation

Sonali is a gold medalist in Anthropology (Physical) with 17 years of experience in the development sector working towards social transformation and change. She is also an MBA (HR) and M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences. Certified in Gender Budgeting, Socio-Economic Impact Assessment and as a National Family Health Survey trainer, her work spans across different dimensions of determinants of food security and health ( nutrition, gender, WASH, livelihoods- farm/non-farm, institutional strengthening, human resources, ICTs, governance, disaster management among others). Having worked in India and United Kingdom she bridges Government, Business & Civil Society initiatives, CSR-implementation & advisory, brings together like minded people who believe in food and nutrition security as an essential primer to holistic wellbeing.

She worked as a Social/Institutional Development Specialist/ Consultant with NGOs, International Donors, Funders, Externally Aided Projects (World Bank, DFID, Action Aid India- Swabhiman, UNWFP-WFP Govt. of Orissa, Oxfam GB East India), consulting firms (CTRAN, TARU Leading Edge Pvt. Ltd., NRMC, Louis Berger), Research Organisations (University of Reading, United Kingdom and Asian Institute of Public Health), various State Governments & Central Ministries on behalf of different institutions. Currently, she is Director, Arupa Mission Research Foundation.

Sonali specializes in policy analysis, creating an enabling environment, evidence based research, theory of change, strategic planning, monitoring & evaluation, impact assessments, planning, social & institutional development, studies, safeguard frameworks, Strategic Environment & and Social Assessments, Resettlement Action Plans, Socio-Economic Vulnerability & Risk Assessments, project implementation plans, designing country/ region specific programmes, capacity building & training need assessments, training, knowledge management, stakeholder management, consultation, disability, disaster and livelihoods.

Her contributions to the health sector in Odisha include NFHS-3 (trainer, research & monitoring), consultant to health institutions and health sector reforms (DFID-BTAST), as an anthropologist she researched on sickle cell anaemia & ABO incompatibility among tribes, worked in remote tribal pockets on food security, livelihoods initiatives for WFP and others. At Pan India level, she designed Monitoring Evaluation & Learning frameworks (health & education) - Oxfam’s country strategy, UNICEF’s Communication Capacity Assessment, Govt. Depts. -for BCC (MoHFW, NACO, ICDS, Water, Sanitation, Rural Development), facilitated in developing Urban WASH promotion training module for urban functionaries (PFI/USAID)-Health for Urban Poor Project, State of Panchayat Report (Gujarat, Daman & Diu) for NRMC, TARU, Panchayati Raj Ministry (including health).

Arupa Mission Research Foundation received recognition under her leadership as one among top 20 Non Profits of South Asia (E NGO summit, 2015) for its child empowerment programme- SAISHAV (health, education & digital learning, child abuse prevention, child protection, WASH, CBDRM) and farmer training using ICTs. Now partners with corporates for prevention of sexual harassment of women at workplaces (OMAX Autos Ltd. T Cube Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Brahmani River Pellets Limited Orissa of STEMCOR group, UK). She cofounded a startup-  Quadraphic Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (IT -mobile apps, portals, software /other services, Staffing & Recruitment, Skill development & Capacity Building); Member of Livestock Development Group, University of Reading UK contributing to livestock & livelihoods research, ICTs, Research into Use. Sonali has many publications to her credit.