Team - The Youth Cosmo
The Youth COSMO draws its strength from its people. Our mentors, panel of experts, knowledge providers, the team and all those who spent countless hours with us brainstorming, sharing their experiences are the strong foundation on which the very fabric of The Youth COSMO rests.
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Many of them have gone out of their way to help us with taking this initiative off the ground. We are truly grateful to each one of them for believing in us. The Youth COSMO wouldn’t have been possible without you.
Hrishikesh Bichu
Co-founder, Director - Business Strategy
Hrishikesh sets the pace and priorities at The Youth COSMO—tying purpose to a sustainable, scalable plan. Grounded yet forward-looking, he turns ideas into foolproof programs, builds trusted partnerships, and pressure-tests plans so risks are caught early. Data-aware and detail-exact, he drives growth with discipline and quality without shortcuts.
Vigilant, growth-minded, and exacting, he keeps the engine steady so the team can do its best work.
Nidhi Bennur
Co-founder, Director - Impact & Outreach
Nidhi leads the organisation’s outreach and partnerships — connecting with schools, funders, and collaborators to take nature-based education to more children.
She has also authored several stories for The Youth COSMO periodical, weaving words that spark curiosity and connection with nature among young readers.
Rima Bichu
Co-founder, Director - Experiences & Design
A brand strategist and design thinker with 20+ years in visual storytelling, Rima breathes life into every initiative of TYC. She works child-first: observing how children read, move, and make sense of the world, then shaping pages, activities, and spaces that meet them there.
Rima blends clarity with warmth—turning field realities into simple, inviting formats that are safe, inclusive, and academically strong. She prototypes with children, trims the noise, and paces ideas so learning becomes something a child can try, trust, and share.
Our Investors & Mentors
Dr. Radha Shelat
Dr. Radha Shelat is a pioneer of Pune’s technology ecosystem and a mentor to emerging social enterprises. She led and built Nevis Networks into a globally recognised deep-tech company delivering advanced LAN security solutions from India. Drawing from her childhood growing up by the river in Varanasi, she strongly believes in nature-based learning for children and adults alike, and supports The Youth COSMO’s purpose-led work.
Dr. Sachin Marulkar
Dr. Sachin Marulkar is a physician-entrepreneur and investor with deep expertise in building organisations that are scalable, sustainable, and meaningful. Having founded and grown Genpro Research, he brings a sharp, data-driven lens to strategy, operational rigour, and disciplined growth. He supports The Youth COSMO with a focus on strong fundamentals, helping shape the organisation’s strategic direction that balances purpose with long-term resilience and value.
Rahul Chaudhari
Rahul Chaudhari is a technology and business leader with over two decades of global experience turning innovation into tangible outcomes. An inquisitive explorer and seasoned operator, he brings sharp expertise in strategy, go-to-market execution, and scaling complex organisations. Having led diverse teams and large-scale programs across markets, he supports The Youth COSMO with a pragmatic, scale-oriented lens—focused on clarity, structure, and sustainable growth.