Ramesh Ramanathan, Co-founder, Jana Group
The Founder and Chairman of Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited, Ramesh Ramanathan, has a proven track record in addressing various issues faced by urban India. He is MSc. (Hons) Physics, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani; MBA (Finance), Yale University; Certified Financial Analyst, Association of Investment Management and Research. He has an excellent track record in International Banking in the US and Europe. He was working as Managing Director of Citibank, New York and London.
Ramesh is the Co-founder of Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, India’s leading non-profit on Urban Issues, working with both citizens and government to address systemic issues in urban India. He played a key role in the launch of JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission), India’s largest urban initiative, and was the National Technical Advisor to the Mission. He shaped Urban Policy in India significantly over the past decade; He is author/co-author/committee member on almost every Urban Policy initiative in India over this period and has co-authored the book “Urban Poverty Alleviation in India”.
He is a champion for the advocacy of poverty-related and public governance issues. He has to his credit strong international banking experience, creation of innovative institutional products, and working with cutting-edge technology and risk management systems.
The Founder and Chairman of Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited, Ramesh Ramanathan, has a proven track record in addressing various issues faced by urban India. He is MSc. (Hons) Physics, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani; MBA (Finance), Yale University; Certified Financial Analyst, Association of Investment Management and Research. He has an excellent track record in International Banking in the US and Europe. He was working as Managing Director of Citibank, New York and London.
Ramesh is the Co-founder of Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, India’s leading non-profit on Urban Issues, working with both citizens and government to address systemic issues in urban India. He played a key role in the launch of JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission), India’s largest urban initiative, and was the National Technical Advisor to the Mission. He shaped Urban Policy in India significantly over the past decade; He is author/co-author/committee member on almost every Urban Policy initiative in India over this period and has co-authored the book “Urban Poverty Alleviation in India”.
He is a champion for the advocacy of poverty-related and public governance issues. He has to his credit strong international banking experience, creation of innovative institutional products, and working with cutting-edge technology and risk management systems.
Swati Ramanathan, Co-founder, Jana Group
Swati Ramanathan is Co-founder of Jana Group, a clutch of social enterprises aimed at urban transformation in India. These include:
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, committed to transforming India’s cities and citizenship. Janaagraha takes a systems approach to addressing urban challenges, working both with citizens at the grassroots, as well as with all three federal tiers of government. Ms Ramanathan leads Janaagraha’s innovations in the use of social media and mobile and internet technology for civic participation. She has received international awards and recognition for ipaidabribe.org on retail corruption in 25 countries; and for ichangemycity.org on hyper local citizen participation, including Google’s Global Impact Challenge, 2013, ICIF Australia 2015, Manthan Award in 2015.
Jana Urban Space Foundation, of which she is Chairperson, is committed to improving urban planning and urban design in India, and is engaged in both planning and design practice and policy reforms.
Over the past 15 years, India’s urban reforms and policies on a variety of fronts have been substantially shaped by the work of the Jana Group.
Ms Ramanathan has prepared the “National Urban Spatial Planning and Development (USPD), 2013 Guidelines” for planning India’s cities, at the behest of the Ministry of Urban Development, and the Planning Commission, Government of India. Ms Ramanathan was the Co-Convenor of the Urban Planning Group of the Planning Commission’s 12th Five Year Plan. She is currently member of the Chief Minister’s Advisory Council, Government of Rajasthan. She is undertaking the development of a Spatial Development Plan 2035 for Sawai Madhopur, and transformational projects for the city that are related to Mobility and Conservation of the city’s water system and Protection of the Forest and Tiger Sanctuary.
Ms Ramanathan’s work on Urban Design standards for city roads have been adopted as the desired standards by the state of Karnataka (Tender SURE – Specifications for Urban Road Execution), with the Government of Karnataka allocating Rs.500 crores over 2012-14 in the state budget, towards model Tender SURE roads for the CBD area of Bangalore city. The Tender Sure Project is a visible success in the city, and the Chief Minister has announced 50 more roads will be included in the 2016-17 budget.
In 2007, Ms Ramanathan was named a Young Asian Leader by the Asia Society. In 2008, Ms Ramanathan was honored by the Government of Rajasthan with the Rajyotsava Puraskar for her work on the Jaipur 2025 Master plan. In 2013, Ms Ramanathan was honoured by the National Democratic Institute in Washinton DC, with the Democracy and Civic Innovator Award. In 2013, she and her husband were honored with as the Social Entrepreneurs of the Year Award by Forbes India. Ms Ramanathan holds a BS from India, and an MS from Pratt Institute, N.Y.
Swati Ramanathan is Co-founder of Jana Group, a clutch of social enterprises aimed at urban transformation in India. These include:
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, committed to transforming India’s cities and citizenship. Janaagraha takes a systems approach to addressing urban challenges, working both with citizens at the grassroots, as well as with all three federal tiers of government. Ms Ramanathan leads Janaagraha’s innovations in the use of social media and mobile and internet technology for civic participation. She has received international awards and recognition for ipaidabribe.org on retail corruption in 25 countries; and for ichangemycity.org on hyper local citizen participation, including Google’s Global Impact Challenge, 2013, ICIF Australia 2015, Manthan Award in 2015.
Jana Urban Space Foundation, of which she is Chairperson, is committed to improving urban planning and urban design in India, and is engaged in both planning and design practice and policy reforms.
Over the past 15 years, India’s urban reforms and policies on a variety of fronts have been substantially shaped by the work of the Jana Group.
Ms Ramanathan has prepared the “National Urban Spatial Planning and Development (USPD), 2013 Guidelines” for planning India’s cities, at the behest of the Ministry of Urban Development, and the Planning Commission, Government of India. Ms Ramanathan was the Co-Convenor of the Urban Planning Group of the Planning Commission’s 12th Five Year Plan. She is currently member of the Chief Minister’s Advisory Council, Government of Rajasthan. She is undertaking the development of a Spatial Development Plan 2035 for Sawai Madhopur, and transformational projects for the city that are related to Mobility and Conservation of the city’s water system and Protection of the Forest and Tiger Sanctuary.
Ms Ramanathan’s work on Urban Design standards for city roads have been adopted as the desired standards by the state of Karnataka (Tender SURE – Specifications for Urban Road Execution), with the Government of Karnataka allocating Rs.500 crores over 2012-14 in the state budget, towards model Tender SURE roads for the CBD area of Bangalore city. The Tender Sure Project is a visible success in the city, and the Chief Minister has announced 50 more roads will be included in the 2016-17 budget.
In 2007, Ms Ramanathan was named a Young Asian Leader by the Asia Society. In 2008, Ms Ramanathan was honored by the Government of Rajasthan with the Rajyotsava Puraskar for her work on the Jaipur 2025 Master plan. In 2013, Ms Ramanathan was honoured by the National Democratic Institute in Washinton DC, with the Democracy and Civic Innovator Award. In 2013, she and her husband were honored with as the Social Entrepreneurs of the Year Award by Forbes India. Ms Ramanathan holds a BS from India, and an MS from Pratt Institute, N.Y.
R Srinivasan, Director
R Srinivasan is the Executive Vice-Chairman of Janaadhar Housing. Formerly, he was the Deputy CEO of ANZ Grindlays Bank, India, Resident Director, Jardine Fleming and J P Morgan and Senior Advisor to Fitch Ratings. He was also a former member of the Indian Revenue Service and Ex-Chair of the CII’s Economic Affairs, Financial Services and Delhi State Committees
R Srinivasan is the Executive Vice-Chairman of Janaadhar Housing. Formerly, he was the Deputy CEO of ANZ Grindlays Bank, India, Resident Director, Jardine Fleming and J P Morgan and Senior Advisor to Fitch Ratings. He was also a former member of the Indian Revenue Service and Ex-Chair of the CII’s Economic Affairs, Financial Services and Delhi State Committees