About Us
Antar Foundation is a Jaipur-based non-profit organization working since 2016 to promote equity through education and community-driven development. We support educators, empower girls and women, and build strong learning environments in rural and tribal areas.
Our Vision
To create a fair and just society that is democratic, inclusive, and equitable — where everyone has access to education, health, and livelihood opportunities, regardless of background.
Join us as we work towards creating a future where education is truly equitable, inclusive, and empowering for all. Together, let’s build a world where every individual has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of gender or background.
Reached
Our Approach
We believe that real educational change begins with communities. By building equitable learning systems and investing in both teachers and families, we nurture not just academic growth, but social capital — trust, knowledge, and shared responsibility. Our work strengthens both the minds and the structures that hold communities together, creating a foundation for lasting and inclusive change.
Our Journey
Antar Foundation was established in 2016 with a vision to promote equity through education and community-driven development. What began as a grassroots initiative in Rajasthan soon evolved into a platform for building not just literacy but also social capital in underserved communities.
In our early years, we focused on strengthening community libraries, empowering women and girls, and training educators in foundational literacy and life skills. Our deep engagement with tribal and rural populations laid the foundation for a holistic approach that values both learning and local leadership.
By 2019, we began offering technical support to organizations like UNICEF, Save the Children, and ChildFund India. Alongside improving educational systems, we worked to foster social capital — building relationships, trust, and shared ownership among teachers, parents, and community members.
Today, Antar Foundation works across 10+ states, supporting systemic reforms in FLN, SEL, gender equity, and children’s literature — always rooted in the belief that social capital and inclusive education go hand in hand.
Our Directors
At Antar Foundation, our leadership is grounded in deep grassroots experience, a strong commitment to social justice, and a passion for inclusive education. Our directors bring together diverse expertise in education, gender, community development, and research. They have worked extensively with government systems, civil society organizations, and academic institutions, designing and leading impactful programs across India. With a shared vision of equity and empowerment, they guide the foundation’s strategic direction, partnerships, and innovation. Together, they ensure that Antar remains rooted in the needs of the communities it serves, while continuously evolving to meet the challenges of today’s education landscape.
Vineeta Soni
Co-Founder & Director
Expert in Education, Gender, Life Skills, and Community Development
Vineeta brings over two decades of grassroots experience in education, gender equity, life skills, and livelihoods. With a background in Social Entrepreneurship from TISS Mumbai, she blends strategic thinking with a deep understanding of community realities. She has led and supported initiatives with organizations like Save the Children, Room to Read, ChildFund India, and LLF. Her core expertise includes program design, teacher training, content development, translation, and mentoring. She has co-developed FLN and SEL workbooks, library programs, and adolescent girls’ workshops. At Antar Foundation, Vineeta steers the organization’s vision, partnerships, and program strategy—placing equity, creativity, and inclusion at the center of every initiative.
Ravikant Toshniwal
Co-Founder & Director
Specialist in Mathematics Education and Public System Strengthening
Ravikant is an educator, curriculum designer, translator, and field mentor with over two decades of experience in strengthening classroom processes, particularly in mathematics education. He has developed training modules, FLN-based textbooks, teaching-learning materials, and led large-scale academic support and teacher mentoring programs across states. He has worked with organizations like UNICEF, Digantar, and Room to Read, focusing on academic supervision, system reform, and capacity building. A skilled translator, Ravikant has translated several key education documents—including manuals, modules, and curriculum frameworks—ensuring wider access and contextual relevance. His work blends conceptual depth with grassroots insight to drive meaningful change in public education systems.
Pramod Pathak
Co-Founder & Director
Expert in Education and Children’s Literature
Pramod is an experienced education consultant, writer, translator, and poet with over two decades of work in language and mathematics pedagogy. He has developed FLN based textbooks, training modules, and teaching materials for government, INGOs and NGO initiatives across India. A passionate contributor to children’s literature, Pramod has published storybooks and poems with Room to Read Eklavya publication, Ektara publication and other organizations, blending creativity with classroom relevance. He has worked with organizations like UNICEF, Tata Trusts, Digantar, Childfund India etc. and has played key roles in training, curriculum design, research and translation of educational content. His writing and facilitation reflect both academic depth and grassroots connection, making learning accessible and meaningful for diverse learners. For the past five years, he has been active in photography, particularly in documentary and street photography. Recently, one of his photographs reached the semi-final stage in an international competition.
Our Team
Aekta
Aekta is a development professional with over two decades of experience in early childhood and primary education. She has led and supported national and state-level programs focused on quality education for marginalized communities. Her expertise includes teacher training, content creation, and technical advisory roles with organizations like ChildFund, Aga Khan Foundation, and Azim Premji Foundation. Aekta has significant experience in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), having designed SEL-based training modules and workbooks for children and educators. She has also contributed to children’s literature, educational games, and community engagement tools, grounded in her belief in holistic, inclusive learning.
Darshna Joshi
Darshna is a grassroots educator and gender practitioner with rich experience in working with youth on gender, life skills, and community development. She has contributed to education initiatives through teacher mentoring, worksheet development in Gujarati, and resource creation for classrooms. Darshna has also been involved in writing case studies and supporting research in the field of education, Life Skills and gender. Over the years, she has worked with organizations like Jagori, Vacha, Room to Read, and LLF, bringing her intersectional understanding and deep community connect to every project she leads.
Janit Jain
Janit brings over 20 years of experience in elementary education, with deep expertise in literacy, language, mathematics, and social-emotional learning (SEL). He has worked with organizations such as Room to Read, LLF, Save the Children, and ChildFund India. Janit has led the development of FLN-based textbooks for Grades 1 to 3, SEL workbooks, teacher training modules, and library resources. A highly skilled translator, he has translated a wide range of educational documents, including modules and articles. His work reflects a strong command of instructional design, multilingual education, and culturally rooted learning for early-grade learners.
Mahesh Kumar
Mahesh brings over two decades of experience in the development sector, with a strong focus on gender equity, life skills education. He worked with Sandhan Sanstha for over 20 years, leading youth engagement and community empowerment initiatives. As a gender specialist, Mahesh has collaborated with organizations like UNICEF, Room to Read, and others on training, curriculum development and program design. He is also a skilled translator, having translated educational materials, training modules, and gender-sensitive content across English and Hindi. His work promotes inclusive, reflective, and transformative learning for both educators and learners.
Prabhat
Prabhat is a celebrated author and poet known for his engaging and sensitive writing in children’s literature. With a contemporary and accessible style, he blends humor, rural life, and local language to create stories and poems that resonate deeply with young readers. His work spans genres such as fiction, poetry, and drama, often addressing themes like imagination, empathy, and childhood. Prabhat’s writings have been used in educational programs, and he has contributed to curriculum development and teacher training. He is the author of acclaimed books like Kalibai and Paniyon ki Gadiyon Mein, and a recipient of the Big Little Book Award.
Pramod Pathak
Pramod is an experienced education consultant, writer, translator, and poet with over two decades of work in language and mathematics pedagogy. He has developed FLN based textbooks, training modules, and teaching materials for government, INGOs and NGO initiatives across India. A passionate contributor to children’s literature, Pramod has published storybooks and poems with Room to Read Eklavya publication, Ektara publication and other organizations, blending creativity with classroom relevance. He has worked with organizations like UNICEF, Tata Trusts, Digantar, Childfund India etc. and has played key roles in training, curriculum design, research and translation of educational content. His writing and facilitation reflect both academic depth and grassroots connection, making learning accessible and meaningful for diverse learners. For the past five years, he has been active in photography, particularly in documentary and street photography. Recently, one of his photographs reached the semi-final stage in an international competition.
Ravikant
Ravikant is an educator, curriculum designer, translator, and field mentor with over two decades of experience in strengthening classroom processes, particularly in mathematics education. He has developed training modules, FLN-based textbooks, teaching-learning materials, and led large-scale academic support and teacher mentoring programs across states. He has worked with organizations like UNICEF, Digantar, and Room to Read, focusing on academic supervision, system reform, and capacity building. A skilled translator, Ravikant has translated several key education documents—including manuals, modules, and curriculum frameworks—ensuring wider access and contextual relevance. His work blends conceptual depth with grassroots insight to drive meaningful change in public education systems.
Sunita
Sunita is a talented folk painter, Maandana artist, illustrator, and story writer whose work draws deeply from lived experiences and cultural traditions. Trained in illustration at Riyaaz Academy, she has illustrated several children’s books and written original stories that reflect rural life, everyday struggles, and inner strength. Her visual language blends traditional forms with contemporary themes, creating engaging narratives that speak to children and adults alike. Sunita’s art and story writing are rooted in her identity and environment, bringing authenticity, emotion, and vibrant imagination to her creative expression.
Vineeta Soni
Vineeta brings over two decades of grassroots experience in education, gender equity, life skills, and livelihoods. With a background in Social Entrepreneurship from TISS Mumbai, she blends strategic thinking with a deep understanding of community realities. She has led and supported initiatives with organizations like Save the Children, Room to Read, ChildFund India, and LLF.
Her core expertise includes program design, teacher training, content development, translation, and mentoring. She has co-developed FLN and SEL workbooks, library programs, and adolescent girls’ workshops. At Antar Foundation, Vineeta steers the organization’s vision, partnerships, and program strategy—placing equity, creativity, and inclusion at the center of every initiative.
Vinod Panwar
Vinod is an education professional with over 20 years of experience in primary education, teacher training, and program implementation. He has worked with leading organizations like LLF, Room to Read, PFEL (Piramal Foundation) CERP, Vidya Bhawan, and Digantar, leading large-scale language programs, literacy projects, and fellowship-based leadership development initiatives across Rajasthan and Delhi. Vinod has designed and delivered training modules, developed worksheets and multilingual classroom resources, and mentored teachers and school leaders. His work bridges academic design with on-ground facilitation, and he has also contributed to research studies and baseline assessments with institutions like UNICEF, Plan International, and NUEPA.
