Co-Founder, Manjari Foundation
Yatesh, a stalwart in rural development, brings over 30 years of experience in India and abroad, notably in Afghanistan and Kenya. His expertise spans community-led microfinance, agriculture, natural resource management, and rural enterprises. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (Uttrakhand) and a Master's in Business Administration in Project Management.
Yatesh was the Head of Financial Inclusion at Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan and leads projects on Women's Economic Empowerment funded by the World Bank and Ministry of Women Affairs, Afghanistan.
His journey includes leadership roles at organisations like Centre for Microfinance (CmF), Jaipur, and extensive work with AKF (Afg) and PRADAN in India. He was a Board member of Ibtada, Alwar, Rajasthan, and now heads this organization as the Executive Director. Currently based in Alwar, Rajasthan, Yatesh remains deeply committed to empowering communities through sustainable livelihoods.
Yatesh aims to continue his impactful work in community-led microfinance and livelihood development, leveraging his expertise to empower marginalised communities and drive sustainable change.His vision is to see a world where rural communities are self-reliant, economically empowered, and socially inclusive, with access to opportunities for growth and development.