Akhilesh Thakur is a development professional with over eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on education, youth development, community development and social impact. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Mass Communication and an MBA in Entrepreneurship. He joined Samaanta Foundation in 2019, progressing from Program Associate to Senior Program Officer.
In his current role, he oversees Samaanta’s programs and activities and contributes to strategic planning, including the Fellow selection process, academic and personal development, Fellow welfare, finance and program administration. He also works closely with Fellows, families, educational institutions, partners and other stakeholders, maintaining strong relationships that support the effective delivery of Samaanta’s programs.
Before joining Samaanta, Akhilesh worked with Raleigh International through the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme as a Team Leader in rural Gorkha, where he worked alongside young people and local communities. He later served as a Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant for Raleigh International’s ICS and Expedition programmes, supporting initiatives in rural Gorkha and Makwanpur.