“At Mrida, we believe that football is more than just a game. It has the power to bring people together, inspire communities, and drive positive social change. Our dedicated team of football enthusiasts is committed to harnessing this power to create a better world for all. Through our passion for the beautiful game, we work tirelessly to empower tribal communities, promote inclusion and diversity, and improve the lives of those around us.”
Priya Nadkarni is the founder of Mrida Education and Welfare Society and heads the Fundraising and Finance at Mrida. Priya has more than 10 years of experience working with tribal communities in MP. Prior to founding Mrida, she worked at Unitus Capital in Bangalore, advising for-profit social enterprises in microinsurance, microfinance and education to raise capital. She has also worked with Business Standard in Mumbai, writing on capital markets. She joined a large non-profit in 2012 to help them build their employability program in Mandla district in Madhya Pradesh. Priya holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB), a BA in Economics and Statistics from Xaviers College in Mumbai, and a Diploma in Journalism from Asian College, Chennai.
Digvijay Singh is the Founder of Mrida and has over 10 years of experience in rural India. He is an avid sportsman, having played Cricket, Football, and Basketball at various levels. He has worked in areas ranging from women empowerment, livelihood development, youth employment, education & sports. He holds an MBA in rural management from XIM Bhubaneswar and is a botany graduate from Hindu College, Delhi University.
Kailash Raj Bhatta heads the Sports Development and Training Program at Narmada Valley Football Academy of Mrida. He is in charge of developing the on-ground engagement in sports for children and working with the coaches to develop specialized sports training programs. Prior to Mrida, he has worked with several non-profits in rehabilitation and education in Nepal. Kailash holds Masters in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.
Digital Media & Partnerships
Himshree Surve is the Digital Media Manager at Mrida. She has 6 years of sales and marketing experience along with being a techno-functional consultant for business software solutions like ERP/CRM. Her focus point at Mrida is to manage social media platforms and digital properties. She is a B.Sc Computer Science graduate with a Master’s in Computer Application (MCA) from Mumbai University and an MBA-Finance from the MET Institute of Management, Mumbai.
Administrative Head
Tajwer Rahman is the Administrative Head at Mrida and the Principal of Riverside Natural School for 4 years. Her expertise lies in managing all the administrative core tasks, taking care of hostel facilities, maintaining accounts, etc. She served as a lecturer for 3 years with the National Institute of Computer Education affiliated with MCRPV. Her focus at Mrida is to raise excellence in every student associated with the organization. She holds a Masters’ Degree in Computer Science from Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Bhopal.
Sports Academy Manager
Rajeev Dhurwey is a dedicated sports academy manager with a strong passion for football and yoga. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Yoga from Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak. Rajeev is a registered AIFF “D” license holder since 2017, which is a testament to his knowledge and experience in coaching and managing sports teams. Rajeev comes from a rural background and hails from a tribal district in Dindori, Madhya Pradesh, located 70 km away from Mohgaon. He has always been fascinated by sports and has been actively involved in football and yoga since childhood. His love of sports has motivated him to work for the development of youth, especially children from tribal communities. As Mrida’s sports academy manager, Rajeev is committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for our young athletes to develop their skills and achieve their goals.
Academics coordinator
Touseef Malik is a Mechanical Engineer who graduated from the Swami Vivekanand College of Science and Technology, Bhopal. He is Mrida’s Academic coordinator for the Primary section and is a proactive team member. Touseef is in charge of scheduling and coordinating academic events, and online workshops and providing participants with a supportive educational environment conducive to meeting course requirements.
