India Team

Dr Tushar Singh

Tushar has a D. Phil in psychology from the University of Allahabad and is serving as a Professor at Banaras Hindu University, India. His research focuses on understanding the miseries of and advocating for the rights of gender and social minorities, including but not limited to LGBTQ+, abused women and children. He has many publications in national and international journals. He has numerous professional recognitions, including the “Emerging Psychologist” award from the International Congress of Psychology in South Africa in 2012 and the Young Researcher Award by the International Council of Psychologists in Montreal, Canada, in 2018. Dr Singh is a member of the editorial committees of several reputed Journals. Currently, he is serving as president of the National Academy of Psychology (NAOP), India, and as a member of the board of directors of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP).

Dr Harleen Kaur

Dr. Harleen Kaur is currently an Assistant Professor at the Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, O. P. Jindal Global University, India. A recipient of multiple prestigious international fellowships and awards, she brings rich interdisciplinary experience that includes research, teaching, training, policy advocacy, and cross-cultural psychological practice. Her scholarly and professional journey bridges academia, grassroots engagement, and global dialogues in psychology and human rights. She is serving as a co-chair for the 19th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations. She was an Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Doctoral Fellow by the Ministry of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Banaras Hindu University, where her research focused on the intersectionality and lived experiences of Indian transgender persons. Her academic background includes postgraduate qualifications in community mental health (NIMHANS), counselling, and psychological interventions. Her research lens is informed by her strong commitment to social justice, particularly in areas concerning gender and sexual minorities, mental health equity, and culturally inclusive public health. Her major areas of interest are global public health, cross-cultural psychology, vulnerable populations, and human rights, with a strong focus on inclusivity and diversity. Dr. Kaur has over 6 years of research experience, complemented by a few years of teaching and administration in Indian higher education institutions. She is a ‘Visiting Fellow’ at the Herbert Simon Research Institute (The Netherlands), and has participated in multiple global conferences, such as the International Political Science Association (Republic of Korea), European Congress of Psychology (United Kingdom), ICPS (Belgium & France), IAIR (Switzerland), and the International Association of Applied Psychology (United Kingdom). She was an “Emerging Psychologist” by the International Union of Psychological Sciences, which is in the top 40 Young Scientists chosen by the Union. She has been the Young Indian Ambassador by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. Her scholarship has been published extensively in reputed SCOPUS and ABDC-indexed journals, alongside book chapters and edited volumes by global publishers like Springer, Routledge, and Palgrave Macmillan. She is also authoring and editing books to be published by Springer Nature and Palgrave Macmillan. She also serves as a peer reviewer for various indexed journals.

Dr. Kaur’s expertise has been acknowledged by policy-level engagements, including invitations as an expert for consultations by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and AIIMS on transgender healthcare. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of several global forums. Her training portfolio includes over 30 national and international workshops and capacity-building programs across India, Europe, and neighboring countries, focusing on qualitative research, mental health, and cross-cultural psychology. She is presently involved in multiple multi-country and interdisciplinary research projects. Dr. Kaur’s passion for inclusive health, cross-cultural understanding, and arches of social justice continues to shape her contributions to academia, global policy, and community-based advocacy.

Dr. Akanksha Srivastava

Akanksha has completed her PhD in Psychology from Banaras Hindu University, India. Her research focuses on stressors, coping strategies, and mental health among transgender individuals, with a particular emphasis on understanding the status and lived experiences of trans men and trans women within the Indian cultural context. Her work also explores the role of patriarchy as a socio-cultural factor shaping the everyday lives of gender minorities. She adopted a qualitative research approach to better understand the subjective experiences of transgender individuals during her doctoral research.

During this process, she was awarded the doctoral fellowship by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) under the Gender Studies category. She has actively engaged with the academic community by presenting her work at several national and international conferences, including the 30th Annual Convention of the National Academy of Psychology organized by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (2021), the 12th International Conference of the Indian School Psychology Association hosted by Pondicherry University (2022), the International Convention of Psychological Science held in Brussels (2023), and the 8th International Conference of the Indian Academy of Health Psychology in Goa (2023).

She is a recipient of the Dr. Barbara Hanfstingl – InSPA Best Paper Award for her paper presented at the InSPA International Conference. Dr. Srivastava has published several research papers and has also received a one-time incentive grant for publishing her work in a Q2 international journal from Banaras Hindu University.

After her doctoral research, she has also taught psychology to undergraduate and postgraduate students as an Assistant Professor at Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University.

Rudra Prakash Verma

Rudra is a doctoral researcher in Psychology at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India, where he also completed his Master’s degree in Psychology. His doctoral research, “Hope and Life’s Purpose among India’s Unorganised Sector Workers: An Explorative Investigation,” examines resilience, meaning-making, and psychological well-being among informal sector workers through field-based empirical study in community and occupational contexts. His research on life challenges and well-being among informal sector workers has also been presented at the XXVIII The International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP), Bali (2024).

He has also worked as a Research Assistant on an ICSSR-funded project, “Qualitative and Quantitative Modeling of Human Behaviour as an Aspect of Cyber Security Using Behavioural Game Theory,” contributing to qualitative interviewing, behavioural modelling, and quantitative data analysis examining risk perception, trust, and decision-making in cyber environments.

Rudra previously served as Assistant Professor of Psychology at Subeam Women’s College, Varanasi, where he taught General Psychology, Positive Psychology, Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology and related courses. He has also been associated with research activities at the University of Allahabad, including survey development, field interviews, scale construction and mixed-method data analysis.

His research interests include organisational behaviour, work–life balance, psychological capital, occupational well-being, positive psychology and applied behavioural science, with a particular focus on socially relevant and interdisciplinary applications of behavioural research.

Tanvi Bajpai

Tanvi is a Ph.D. Scholar in Psychology at Banaras Hindu University, India, where she is currently engaging with academia through her doctoral research. A Gold Medalist in M.A. Psychology, her research focuses on resilience, social support and psychosocial well-being, particularly among vulnerable and marginalized populations. She has presented her work at various platforms, including the Harvard Women in Psychology Trends in Psychology Summit, National Academy of Psychology, Indian Academy of Health Psychology and International Society for Mental Health Advocacy and Action.

Alongside her academic pursuits, she has actively contributed to community mental health initiatives. Through Project Samarthan, she delivered Psychological First Aid for several months to inmates at Tihar Jail and was formally recognized for her contributions within the prison facility. She also contributed to the national de-addiction awareness efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Driven by a commitment to democratizing mental health services, Tanvi seeks to bridge research, practice and policy to create accessible and inclusive systems of care. She remains grounded in the belief that meaningful societal change begins with empathy, collaboration and a sustained dedication to serving communities with ethics, excellence and empowerment.

Dr Priya Jain

Priya is a Health Psychologist, Creative Art Therapist, Psychodrama Practitioner, and Mental Wellness Expert. She is the founder of the Society for Ideal Global Needs (SIGN) and Naad Drishyam Productions, through which she creates a wide range of content addressing psychosocial and behavioral issues, corporate and organizational behavior, child labor, child marriage, and more.

She has contributed to numerous projects, published research papers in reputed journals, and presented at national and international conferences. Her work, along with her team, has been recognized by the International Directory of Psychodramatists.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided psychosocial support to over 1,000 COVID-positive patients and caregivers in India, under the National Disaster Management Institute, Government of India

Sakar Narula

Sakar Narula is the Founder and CEO of Zentered Minds Psychological Services, New Delhi, India, where he leads innovative therapeutic practices combining evidence-based psychology with creative and expressive arts interventions. A Senior Counselling Psychologist and UNESCO-CID Certified Expressive Arts Therapist, he holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology, with expertise spanning trauma recovery, mental health program development, and therapist training.

With certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Hypnotherapy, Sakar integrates multiple therapeutic modalities to address complex emotional and psychological needs. His contributions to mental health research include co-presenting the paper "The Role of Expressive Arts Therapy in Trauma Recovery: A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Implications in Adults Across Diverse Populations" at an academic international conference with Dr. Pankaj Singh.

An active voice in mental health advocacy, Sakar has worked on high-impact awareness campaigns and designed pioneering models for client retention, affiliate therapist programs, and hybrid therapy formats to increase accessibility. His professional leadership at Zentered Minds has helped expand its services to individual therapy, group interventions, corporate wellness programs, and training for mental health professionals.

Recognised for his ability to bridge the gap between clinical expertise and creative therapeutic engagement, Sakar continues to influence the mental health ecosystem in India through research, public speaking, workshops, and mental health awareness campaigns.