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Empowering Communities Through Policy and Advocacy

Sukanya Janardhanan, an Ashoka graduate, shares her experience of winning the International Climate Protection Fellowship and describes her research on Indian urban governance and the learnings it offers

Sukanya Janardhanan, an undergraduate in Political Science from Ashoka University and a postgraduate in Public Policy from the Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP), has a diverse and impactful career. She briefly worked as a Research Fellow at the Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) and served as a Community Organiser for Hum Bharat Ke Log. Her commitment to social change is evident in her extensive work on sexual harassment policy reforms, including drafting the sexual harassment policy for ISPP, conducting a sexual harassment climate survey, and contributing to reforms at Ashoka University. Additionally, she volunteered in relief efforts for victims of the 2020 Delhi Riots and those impacted by the lockdown.

Recently, Sukanya was awarded the prestigious International Climate Protection Fellowship (ICPF), granted to a select group of prospective leaders and postdoctoral researchers from the Global South. This fellowship, funded by the German government via the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, supports research projects in the areas of climate protection and adaptation. Sukanya came across this opportunity while exploring options in the climate space.

During the fellowship, Sukanya shared that she will be working on Mumbai’s climate and development plans, investigating prospects for sustainable development. Her research aims to shed light on the nuances of Indian urban governance and valourise its learnings towards better climate policy and implementation. After the Fellowship, she hopes to work with organisations dedicated to creating sustainable cities, implementing the learnings from her research into practical applications.

Sukanya credits her experiences at Ashoka University and the ISPP for shaping her understanding of governance and policy-making. Her time with the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associates (CMGGA) program was particularly influential, providing her with foundational knowledge about governance and government operations. As part of her future goals, she aims to delve deeper into understanding bureaucracy and grassroots policy implementation. Alongside her professional pursuits, she is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.

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