Pushkin PHARTIYAL

Biography

Pushkin PHARTIYAL, a development consultant, works as Executive Director, Livelihood & Sustainable Development Programme with the Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), one of the oldest and active NGO in Uttarakhand state, India.

His responsibilities include project formulation implementation and management, capacity building activities for participants from government, non-government/voluntary sectors and communities. Before joining the current assignment he has contributed for seven years as Project Coordinator with Centre for Development Studies an autonomous capacity building organisation working under the aegis of State Academy of Administration, Uttarakhand. In the past Pushkin has worked as journalist with two regional Hindi newspapers and presently working with the Press Trust of India as a part time correspondent.

He has contributed to various capacity building projects, which includes formation of community owned and managed Village Forest Councils, capacity building of NGOs and communities for the developmental projects assisted by the World Bank, IFAD, Ford Foundation and Government of India. As trainer, Pushkin specializes in Training of Trainers in Participatory Training Methodology, Participatory Approaches, Training Need Assessment, Conducting of training programme, documentation and project management. The Government of India has awarded him with the National Award for Excellence in Writing three times; for his book on Trekking in India in 1988 and twice for his published articles in 2002 and 2003. He was also the recipient of the Governor's Medal for being the Best Cadet of the National Cadet Corps of his State.
For the past 14 years, he has been actively involved with in the social and economic betterment of rural communities, helping with mobilization, organization and training of rural communities and NGO functionaries in the conservation and reclamation of natural resources.

Through all of Dr. Phartiyal's experience he has developed specific knowledge in the community based participatory management of forest and continues to concentrate on livelihood enhancement, Ecosystem Services and Climate Change issues as they relate to equity, gender and leads a pathway for sustainable development.

Dr. Phartiyal has a post-graduate degree in Sociology and Ph D in History and Diploma in Tourism in Kumaon University, Nainital and Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication from IGNOU, New Delhi

He sees Community empowerment and participation as a vital tool for sustainable development.

This biography was last updated on April 15, 2008