Mahadev Hansda provides programmatic leadership, and guides Rise Against Hunger India’s program directions, strategies, approaches to realize the organization’s vision. Together with thematic experts and program specialists, he formulates program guidelines and processes for effective execution of the Program Pathways. He also directly oversees the process of field level implementation of various nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive initiatives. As the Head of Programs, Mahadev also spearheads initiatives for measuring the effectiveness, impact and sustainability in Rise Against Huger India’s work. Mahadev is a part of the leadership team in the organization.

Mahadev has twenty-six years of professional experience in a wide spectrum of designing, developing and delivering social development programs and Humanitarian Response programs. Over the years, Mahadev has worked with different vulnerable groups such as children, women and people belonging to Adivasi (indigenous groups), Dalit (deprived groups), fishermen communities, persons with disability, people living with HIV/AIDS. He has directly worked in field to deal with issues related to education, health & nutrition, livelihoods & food security, governance, child protection, natural resource regeneration. Through his diverse experience in the field, Mahadev has developed deep insight into the ground realities of poor and excluded communities in different states of India.

Immediately before joining Rise Against Hunger India, Mahadev was working with Save the Children (Bal Raksha Bharat) as the State Head for Jharkhand. Prior to that he has worked with national and international development organizations such as the Department of International Development (DFID) India, ActionAid Association and Foundation for Ecological Security (FES).

Mahadev Hansda has completed his Post Graduation Diploma in Rural Development from Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi. He has received Best Social Worker Award received from Xavier Institute of Social Services, 1997, Best West Bengal Aicufer Award for 1994-1995, in a program held at St. Xavier’s’ College, Kolkata from Mother Teresa (now Saint Teresa of Kolkata) and Jharkhand Vibhuti Veer Birsa Samman for Social Work, 2020.