Rajesh Tandon is an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development and joint deputy chair of the Board of Trustees. In 1982, he founded the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), a voluntary organization that provides support to grassroots initiatives in South Asia.

He is the holder of a PhD from Case Western Reserve University, a degree in Electronic Engineering (IIT, Kanpur) and a postgraduate degree in Management (IIM, Kolkata) and has specialized in social and organizational change. His contributions to the enhancement of perspectives and capacities of many voluntary activists and organizations revolve around issues of participatory research, advocating for people-centred development, and policy reform and networking in India, South Asia and beyond. He has advocated a self-reliant, autonomous and competent voluntary sector in India and abroad. In the last twenty-five years, he has conducted major research, training and educational work on a wide variety of topics in order to strengthen the capacities and institutional mechanisms of voluntary development organizations in India and other developing countries. Recent publications include Citizen Participation and Democratic Governance: In Our Hands; and Participatory Citizenship, Identity, Exclusion, Inclusion.

Dr Tandon was recently nominated as a Member of Civil Society Advisory Committee, Commonwealth Foundation, UK. Currently he is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of: Montreal International Forum, Montreal, Canada, Charities Aid Foundation (India), New Delhi and Voluntary Action Network India, New Delhi.

He is currently Director for the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), India?.