Mahendra Sharma has a Masters in Social Work and Sociology from JNV University
Rajasthan (2010) and a post-graduate diploma in Information Technologies (1999). He
has spent 11 years working in the field in the areas of health, education and community
development work among low-income and marginalized communities in western
Rajasthan.
Since 2014 when Veerni established itself as an independent Indian NGO, Mr
Sharma has been its Managing Director. He manages, administers and coordinates
all day-to-day activities of the Institute and working alongside Veerni’s founder,
Jacqueline de Chollet, plans and strategizes the organization’s future growth and
direction. He hires and trains staff, procures the Veerni girls’ admissions both into
the Veerni program and to private and government schools they attend. He also
oversees the management, admissions and future direction of the Veera
scholarship and fellowship program funded by the Association du Projet Veera
for the higher education of girls who have successfully completed their graduation
at Veerni. In addition, the Managing Director oversees the vocational, extracurricular, physical training, computer literacy, English learning and remedial
tuition programs. He also administers the daily running of the village literacy
center which prepares girls for passing primary school exams in preparedness for
gaining admission into Veerni. Additionally his responsibilities include
maintaining and developing donor relationships, networking with developmental
agencies, governmental organizations, and exploring CSR initiatives in the
corporate sector. Mr. Sharma is responsible for budget preparation and analysis,
reviews and assessments, compliance and statutory audit processes. He is also the
interface with local and international media.
2004-2014: Mr Sharma was a strategic planner and coordinator for the Highness
Maharaja Hanwant Singh Charitable Trust (HHMHSC) working across 45
villages in Jodhpur district in the area of women’s health, education, and
community development. Mr Sharma’s responsibilities included organizing and
running field operations; providing outreach and motivational support to village
parents to opt for their daughters’ education over child marriage. Veerni in
coordination with HHMHSC established a boarding school for low-income
village girls in Jodhpur of which Mr Sharma was a strategic planner and manager
of operations. During his tenure, Mr. Sharma collaborated on two research
projects: on the program’s nutritional impact on girls in adoptive villages, and a
Vassar College evaluation project on overall impact.
2008-2009: Mr Sharma was the team leader for a pilot project initiated by the
Rajasthan government, now called the Bhamasha Yojana to make women the direct beneficiaries of financial and vocational schemes. He was in charge of
monitoring the work of 480 team members across 6 blocks of Sri Ganganagar
district. Responsibilities involved liaising with the District Administration
(Collector, ADM, CEO and Block Level officers), field officers, local village
authorities and community leaders. Mr Sharma planned field visits, supervised the
implementation of the initiatives, and reviewed project activities in each block.
He prepared and presented progress reports and developed a Management
Information System for the project.
Since 2007, Mr Sharma has been a consultant and technical advisor for the
Jodhpur Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, working specifically with Bal
Basera and Bachpan Girls (girl child and orphan centers) and “Good News Health
Care Centre” which provides health care services to HIV positive children and
women. He plays an honorary role providing administrative guidance, technical
assistance and fund-raising assistance.
Veerni’s work and Mr Sharma’s contribution to the organization has been
highlighted in numerous print, radio and television media the links for which can
be located on the Veerni website Link.
