Kishor Choudhary (Founder)

Founder & Director, Jargon Free Forum

Kishor Vijay Choudhary is the Founder and Director of Jargon Free Forum, established in 2018. He oversees the organization’s strategy, programs, operations, and governance.

He holds a Master’s in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and has over 13 years of experience in the development sector. His expertise spans governance, human rights, community development, project management, land rights, M&E, and organizational development.

Kishor began his career with Samata India on an EU-funded tribal governance project, focusing on the Forest Rights Act and PESA. He has conducted extensive training on land acquisition and resettlement across Central India.

At TISS, he contributed to several national research projects and served as a Field Work Supervisor. In the corporate sector, he has worked with KPMG and JM Financial on CSR policy, strategy, due diligence, and implementation.

Kishor combines grassroots experience, research insight, and corporate expertise to drive impactful social change.

Mr Ashok Shrimali (Advisor)

Ashok Shrimali is a development professional with an experience of over 35 years in the fields of health, education, livelihood, rural development, sustainable environment and ecology and women empowerment. He worked with people across communities, genders and age groups. He has worked extensively in sensitizing and mobilizing the migrant workers in Gujarat. His primary focus was on providing basic education and health careto approximately 5000 migrant workers in Gujarat who have migrated from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. He has successfully trained youth in alternate livelihoods in the tribal districts of Dangs, Dahod, Panchmahal and other districts of Gujarat. He has an extensive understanding of issues related to the Vth and VIth Schedules of the constitution. He has represented at the National and International Platforms on the issues relating to social welfare, indigenous rights and occupational health.

He is amongst the first few to understand the gravity of Silicosis in India. He has worked extensively for the benefit of the workers suffering from Silicosis and other occupational health hazards. He has involved all stakeholders along with local NGOs to ensure that silicosis patients receive compensation and the mining and industrial units use safety precautions to secure workers health. In response the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana have enacted laws in favor of the silicosis patients.

He has served on various government committees at the state level and the national level on issues relating to natural resource governance, tribal welfare, silicosis and sustainable mining. He has represented mm&P in the Pre-Budget Consultations held with the Ministry of Finance. At the national level his work has been very instrumental in lobbying with the Members of Parliament on various governance and developmental issues. His advocacy efforts have led to more than 30 discussions in the parliament relating to the welfare of the marginalized community. Over the years he has gained legal knowledge and provides legal support to the rural communities. More recently he focusses on policy research and advocacy relating to the livelihood and health of the mining affected community.

Ashok Shrimali is currently the Secretary General of the National level Alliance, Mines, Minerals and People (mm&P) and Programme Executive of SETU: Centre for Social Knowledge and Action.

Mr Vinit Rai (Advisor)

Vinit has been with JM Financial since November 2006. He has investing experience of over 12 years in India. He has been a part of the core investment team of JMFPE since inception, and has led several early and growth-stage investments, as well as many exits.

on sectors such as financial, education, manufacturing and consumer services, and has worked across the investment life cycle. He has also worked on investments from JM Financial’s proprietary funds.

Prior to JMFPE, Vinit worked across Commercial as well as Investment Banking with companies like ABN Amro Bank, Morgan Stanley Advantage Services and Brescon Corporate Advisors.

He serves as a Nominee Director and observer on the boards of JMFPE’s portfolio companies.Vinit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from R.A. Podar College, Mumbai University, and is a rank-holding Chartered Accountant.

At the social front, he has worked as a volunteer with an ngo SUPPORT on the issue of substance abuse. He has also worked with "Child Rights and You" which aims to restore children's rights. 

Dr. Poonam Gulaliya (Advisor)

Dr. Poonam Gulalia, currently, an esteemed Senior Faculty with the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai working additionally as a Field Work Coordinator, responsible for coordinating the overall functioning of the Field Work Secretariat. Along with the team she plans and organizes the field work program, which includes orientation, placement, contact and communication with field agencies, inputs/collaboration/training of supervisors/contact persons and other persons involved in the field work process, identification and exploration of field work agencies, monitoring, addressing challenges during field work and facilitating its functioning and completion besides documentation of supervisory experiences. She also teaches a core paper on “Social Case Work- Working with Individuals” at the School of Social Work.

Prior to this she was at Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi University teaching postgraduate students “Social work with Communities”, Supervising students for Concurrent Field Work, engaging in other activities and programmes of the Department besides attempting to bridge gaps between practitioners and academicians.

She also had taught graduate students at various other institutes, wherein she was also engaged in supervision and mentoring of students placed in varied field work settings, preparing revised syllabus along with other faculty.

During her stint as a Project Head, DSA, Delhi School of Social Work, she significantly contributed in collating information as well as undertaking publications & documentation.

Apart from these, her longest stint was at Springdales Schools, New Delhi where besides counselling students, collaborating with Help Age India on a ‘Adopt A Gran “ Project, she was also involved in organizing adult literacy and vocational training activities as well as undertaking rural-urban student exchange programmes.

At United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, her work as Community Social Worker entailed provision of comprehensive welfare services to displaced people and families.

She has carved out her niche in the areas of Social Work Teaching, Research and Field Work mechanisms. She believes in sharing and nurturing the students to create a healthy future and a strong society, around us.