Dr. Shamita Das Dasgupta is an Asian Indian scholar, activist, wife and mother. A social activist since early 1970s, she co-founded Manavi in 1985. It is the first organization of its kind that focuses on violence against South Asian women in the United States. A part-time teacher and full-time community worker, she has written extensively in the areas of ethnicity, gender, immigration, and violence against women. Her books include: A Patchwork Shawl: Chronicles of South Asian Women in America, Body Evidence: Intimate Violence Against South Asian Women in America, Globalization and Transnational Surrogacy in India: Outsourcing Life and Mothers for Sale: Women in Kolkata’s Sex Trade.
John Paul (known as JP) brings a unique combination of corporate, development and entrepreneurial experience. He most recently led the Funding & Collaboration team at Dasra (based in Mumbai), guiding individuals, foundations and corporates through their philanthropic journeys to unlock funding & wider support for the Indian development sector. The first 15 years of JP’s career was corporate, with PepsiCo, Telewest & Virgin Media in sales, commercial strategy and CSR roles. His sabbatical, as faculty on the Dasra Social Impact program in Mumbai, exposed him to over 50 of India’s leading social entrepreneurs and inspired him to start his own business in the UK. 18 months and multiple blue-chip clients later, this company was merged with the parent company and he moved to India to join Dasra and his Indian wife. He has now returned to the UK to support further philanthropic initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from The University of Edinburgh.
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Kolkata Foundation is a global non-profit working to improve the lives of the neediest in Kolkata through high impact social interventions in education, women’s empowerment, and healthcare. It is a call to action: to unite, give, change lives, and kindle hope.
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