Empowering rural voices through immersive storytelling
and a skill-based marketplace driving impact, collaboration, and cultural awareness
Soul of Swadesh
At the heart of Soul of Swadesh lies the immense power of stories. Originally launched in 2019 as ImpactScientist, our journey began with the simple yet profound mission of telling the stories of female creators. Over time, we realised that these stories were were powerful interventions. Soul of Swadesh is a storytelling platform , a catalyst and marketplace for skill based rural innovation. We believe that every story we tell has the potential to unlock economic opportunities, drive social impact, and inspire strategic action to enrich the local economy. We provide post-story services that offer strategic leadership support, helping these entrepreneurs turn their aspirations into sustainable ventures or scalable livelihood solutions . By identifying and connecting them to loop closing ecosystems , we enable them to grow, scale, and lead within their communities.
Founder
Sahithi Divi is a social impact expert, recognized in Forbes India 30 Under 30 for NGO & Social Entrepreneurship. Holds a Master’s in Social Entrepreneurship from Hult International Business School, San Francisco, and certifications in Sustainable Business Strategies and Design Thinking. Since 2020, she serves as a National Brand Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals by ICTMAE/CISMSE. Based in Andhra Pradesh now , her initiatives bridge grassroots skills with local and global markets through storytelling.
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Sahithi has worked with over 300 diverse local entrepreneurs through organizations such as ImpactScientist, Mohanam Village Heritage Centre, Nadaloka, WEhub, Alsisar Impact and Global citizen- UNDP internship with Aiesec. Her career has taken her through previous residences in Sri Lanka , East Godavari, Auroville, Thiruvannamalai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. She is a TEDx & a keynote speaker at prestigious events including MyGov India, IIM Trichy, IIT BHU, IIT Madras, IIM Indore, Women Leadership Conclave to name a few. Her accolades include the Kiran Bedi Leadership Award, the Global Changemaker Award 2021 for crowdfunding to build a home and loom for India’s eldest weaver, and the State Level Leadership Award by ABN Andhra Jyothi.
Our Team
Meet our incredible think tank bringing their unique experience to enrich and collaborate in implementing our vision
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Featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 India for Social Entrepreneurship, is a recognized social impact leader. She has mentored over 300 women entrepreneurs across 150 villages and advocates for community-driven development. As a TEDx speaker and National Brand Ambassador for SDGs, she inspires change through storytelling and leadership. She has Master’s in Social Entrepreneurship from Hult International Business School, San Francisco.
Sahithi divi
Founder - Director
A creative design entrepreneur, blending innovative thinking with a solutions-driven approach. Her experience includes VIsual design, social media design and management, advertising, and brand strategy. As the former Branding and Design manager at WE Hub, she mastered crafting impactful visual identities. Now leading her own firm, Avaastha, she brings her expertise to Soul of Swadesh as our visual designer.
Nakshatra Gangala
Visual Designer
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Dr. Anagani Kamala Devi
Member - Cultural Restoration
Head of Anaesthesia at Arete Hospitals with 24 years of experience, is a distinguished medical professional and educator. She is also a senior teacher at the O’Hara School of Ikebana . With a strong philanthropic family background, Dr. Devi is passionate about conserving art, literature, and traditions. As a member of FLO, she has been involved in various initiatives aligned to women’s empowerment.
Balasundharam Ponnusamy
Member - Bamboo & Tourism
A citizen of Auroville, international township Balu is a cultural activist, entrepreneur, and sound healer with over 20 years of experience. He founded Mohanam Village Heritage Centre and Auroville Bamboo Centre, promoting sustainability and community building. He works on cross-cultural relations that blends cultural preservation with environmental and social resilience supporting Soul of swadesh in developing bamboo based livelihood programs.
Ram Nagarjunakonda
Member - Art & Craft Industry
Ram Nagarjunakonda is the founder of Just Space, an interior decor firm with over seven years of experience. He holds an MBA and a diploma in interior design from JD Institute of Fashion Technology. As the Chief of Impact for the Indian Artisans Cooperative, Ram works closely with artisans, contributing to the growth of traditional crafts in India standing as a great assest for Soul of Swadesh.
Ram Divi
Member - Agri Leadership
Ram, a senior corporate professional turned entrepreneur, brings over 30 years of experience in retail, FMCG, and agribusiness. He was a key figure in ITC E-Choupal and instrumental in building brands like Aashirvaad Atta and Spencer’s store brands. Having worked with over half a million farmers across 5,000 villages, Ram has extensive expertise in rural and global markets. He held leadership roles at ITC and RPG-Spencers
Yasaswini Peddi
Member - Youth Impact
A social entrepreneur who manages projects at the AP State Disaster Management Authority and leads CSR initiatives at the University of Melbourne-GES. As a social activist in Chiluvuru and a member of CII-IWN-YI Amaravati, she drives social impact through strategic planning and collaboration. With an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship and ongoing Ph.D. studies
Vignesh Manikandan Manikandan
Member - Sports Ecosystem
Founder of FITOVERSE, a passionate sports entrepreneur focused on transforming the grassroots sports ecosystem in India. With a background in Civil Engineering from SRM and entrepreneurship management from IIT, With soul of swadesh he is dedicated to creating untapped sport role models and empowering rural athletes, especially women in sports.