About Us – OpenLinks Foundation

Vision

To empower students with holistic
education, so they can lead fulfilling lives
and become drivers of positive societal change

Mission

To make government schools aspirational by improving the quality of education through

- Supporting and motivating teachers and administration
- Improving program implementation efficiency at the district level

Using technology and behavioural science

Our Journey

Our People

Donate

Work With Us

Our Journey

Open Links Foundation was founded by Sanjay Dalmia in 2017

2017 Developed first version of tickLinks
2018 Started work with Ramakrishna
mission, DAV Chennai schools,
Atharva program

2020 Launched with Bharti Foundation and others
2021 Launched Young Explorer Contest

2022 Launched Vinoba program in 3,638 government schools in Pune
2023 Implemented in 8 more districts in Maharashtra Started in 2 districts in Chhattisgarh

2025 Expanded to 36 districts across Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar

Our People

Sanjay Dalmia

Founder & CEO

Sanjay Dalmia is an experienced business leader with over 25 years in the corporate sector and 9 years in OLF. He served as CEO and Managing Director of Fundtech India Ltd between 2011 and 2016, and earlier headed Trade Services, leading key initiatives in the financial technology domain.

He holds a PGDBA and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Delhi.

Rajeev Kumar Singh

Strategy & Networking

Rajeev Kumar Singh is a seasoned professional with 27 years of corporate experience across leadership and strategic roles. He serves on the boards of Snehalaya and Myna Mahila Foundation and is a Senate Member at IIIT Jabalpur.

He holds a B.E. degree from Pune University and an MBA from Boston University.

Reena Dalmia

Chief of Staff

Reena Dalmia has over 15 years of experience in software development and management, spanning roles in technology design, implementation, and team leadership.

She holds a B.E. degree from Anna University, Chennai.

Vishvajit Pawar

Chief Operating Officer

Vishvajit Pawar has over 12 years of experience in the social sector and specialises in leadership and organisational development. He is a Gandhi Fellow. Prior to OLF, he has experience of CSR Consulting and as Program Director at Masoom.

He holds a BCA, Management from the Modern Institute of Business Management and Studies and an MBA from the Novel Institute of Business Management.

Shrikant Guravr

Development Head

Shrikant Gurav has over 10 years of experience in software development and management, with a strong background in designing and delivering technology solutions across diverse domains.

He holds an MSc in Computer Science from Shivaji University.

Sankar Krishnan

Sankar Krishnan is a former partner of McKinsey & Company, leading McKinsey’s healthcare practice initially in India and then in Greater China. He served as a Pro-Vice chancellor at Ashoka university and is currently on the board of directors of Ramco Systems. In 2016, Sankar set up as an independent consultant in the non-profit/development sector.

He holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a B.Tech in Computer Science from College of Engineering, Trivandrum.

Divya Krishnan

Divya Krishnan was formerly Chief Investment Officer (‘CIO’) and Head of Investment at SBI Mutual Fund. She has been invited as Scholar-in-Residence by a leading private University in the US, guiding students to effectively support developmental initiatives in India. Since 2001, Ms. Krishnan has served as a consultant to a number of leading non-profits and NGOs. She is currently visiting faculty at Ashoka University, and a director on the boards of Bandhan Bank and Bandhan Financial Holding Ltd.

She holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from SRCC Delhi.

Rohit Malhotra

Rohit Malhotra has over 25 years of experience in corporate sector. In his last role, Rohit was CEO of Bharti Airtel - Retail distribution across India. In 2019, Rohit took a plunge into the social sector. In the Indian Administrative fellowship program, he worked as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Govt of Karnataka on implementation of the Jal Jeevan mission.

He holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a B.Tech from IIT Varanasi.

Nimish Sanghi

Nimish Sanghi is a serial entrepreneur in the IT space since 2006. He has worked globally on various technologies and for various target segments. His latest venture - Cloudcraftz - specialises in AI, Data and Cloud with deep domain expertise in Financial Services and Life Sciences.

He holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a B.Tech from IIT Kanpur.

Rachna Agarwal

Rachna Agarwal is the former CEO and founder of Indus League clothing Ltd. After leaving her corporate career in 2017, Rachna has been involved with various NGOs as a trustee and advisor.

She holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a BSc in Economics from St Xaviers College, Kolkata.

Pratul Shroff

Pratul Shroff is a pioneering serial entrepreneur who has led multiple organizations in the USA and India over the past three decades. He founded eInfochips in 1994 and scaled it to a 2,000-member engineering organization by 2018, when it was acquired by Arrow Electronics.

He holds a BE from BITS Pilani, an M.Eng from Cornell University, and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.

Capt. Anil Dhanker

Capt. Anil Dhanker is the co-founder of Metta Social and brings over 30 years of corporate experience across leadership and people management roles.

He holds an MBA in Human Resources from IIM Indore.

Kedar Deodhar

Kedar Deodhar is the Founder of Zestorm Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and has over 30 years of experience in IT and management, spanning leadership, technology, and business operations.

He holds a BE from Pune University.

Vijayan Krishnakutty

Vijayan Krishnakutty has over 30 years of experience working with multinational companies and has been actively engaged in the social sector for over seven years, supporting low-income schools and students. A former Teach For India Fellow, he currently volunteers his time at OLF.

He holds a B.Tech degree.

Dilip Tikle

Dilip Tikle is an educator, technocrat, and start-up mentor with over 35 years of corporate experience spanning technology, leadership, and innovation.

He holds a BE from Pune University.

Dr. Girish Kulkarni

Dr. Girish Kulkarni is a professor with S.P Pune University. He is a pioneer for social change, a visionary and an inspirational leader. Girish holds a doctorate in Political Science and Public Management. He was bestowed the President of India Award 2012 for his service in the field of Social Work. He is also the founder of Snehalaya, an NGO focused on tackling HIV, AIDS and ending human trafficking

Prema Veeraraghavan

Prema Veeraraghavan has been involved in the field of education for over three decades, contributing extensively to teaching and learning innovation. She was awarded the CASTME U.K. Award in 1998 for her innovative approach to teaching.

She holds an MSc and a BEd.