Who We Are

Establishment and Founders: Soul Forest was co-founded by Sathya Raghu and Ayush Sharma, renowned for their roles in CosmosGreen and the Earthshot Prize-winning initiative Kheyti, which provides climate-resilient income opportunities to thousands of smallholder farmers.

Team Expertise: With a team that comprises PhDs in Biodiversity, climate-tech innovators, tech enthusiasts, storytellers, and economists, Soul Forest brings together over 70 years of collective experience in climate action.

Accolades and Impact: Sathya Raghu Mokkapati, our founder, well-known for his TED talk, is a distinguished leader in the field of climate action, recognised by Acumen, Aspen, Mulago, and TED Fellowship.

Core team

Joyson Gunturi
Head of Sales
A Chartered Accountant turned agri-intrapreneur, he is committed to purposeful enterprise through strategic leadership. As a recognized problem solver with a background in finance and negotiation, he is instrumental in shaping the vision of Soul Forest.

Nikhil Sharma
Head of Operations
An electronics engineer from IIT Kharagpur, Nikhil has led technology, product, and business operations, and has the distinction of being an edTech startup co-founder. As a dynamic leader adept at hands-on problem solving and a fervent innovation enthusiast, his unwavering commitment to crafting sustainable, impactful solutions propels his work at Soul Forest.

Divya Sharma
Community & Partnerships
An Economics graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, she merges professionalism with passion. She spearheads collaboration at Soul Forest with her communication skills and a keen eye for details.

Naresh Baja
Biodiversity-Fauna Specialist
An Environmental Scientist pursuing a Ph.D. in Wildlife, his expertise in species cataloging and conservation drives him. His profound knowledge of animal species fuels his ambition to enrich Soul Forest's diverse ecosystems.

Srijith Nherkkol
Branding and Marketing Head
Head of Causate, an advertising and strategy agency that has earned acclaim as a brand launchpad, elevating a number of businesses globally. Their strategic and marketing acumen was pivotal in bringing Soul Forest to life.

Sudha Reddy
Finance and Compliance Head
A Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant with experience in audit and content, this environmental enthusiast leads compliance, finance, and partner communications at Soul Forest.

Pavankumar Reddy
Assistant Manager- Plantations
An experienced agriculturist with expertise in farm management, crop evaluation, and seed technology, he plays a crucial role in making Soul Forest's plantation practices more efficient through sustainable agriculture innovations.

Dr. Ramesh Kandagatla
Biodiversity-Flora Specialist
A seasoned Botanist with a Ph.D., he's a significant contributor to biodiversity cataloging and carbon sequestration. His expertise in indigenous flora enriches the Soul Forest team.

Keerthana Reddy
Intern
A Partnerships Intern focusing on Soul Forest School and Wellness initiatives, she also pursues higher studies at Pandit Deendayal Energy University. She has a strong interest in international relations, economics, and mass communications.

Kumar Abhinav
Farm Operations
A Mechanical Engineer by background, seamlessly transitioned from a corporate role in a tractor division to become a pivotal member of Cosmos Green, contributing a decade of expertise in farm engineering and operations.

Srikar Mokkapati
Head of Partnerships/New Initiatives
An MBA from India School of Business and Computer Sciences graduate from BITS PIlani, Srikar has a diverse work experience spread across founding teams of startups and leadership roles in a large corporation.He is passionate about holistic well-being and mental health, has completed his masters in counseling psychology and is also an ardent practitioner of various schools of Yoga.

Harini Shanker
Research and Documentation
A Food Science graduate from Pennsylvania State University, USA, she specializes in documenting biodiversity research at Soul Forest.

Priyanka Natesh
Executive Assistant to CEO
With a background in commerce and entrepreneurship, she serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO. Beyond that role, she is a trained classical dancer and singer.

Deepti Illa
Marketing Mentor
Deepti is an experienced Go-To-Market leader with key roles at Google, RingCentral, Matterport, and various tech companies. With a strong passion for climate advocacy, she leverages her marketing skills and success in business growth to create a significant, positive impact on the environment.

P. Ramakrishna Pachigolla
Strategy Mentor
After spending decades in the leadership of PwC, he currently runs his boutique investment fund 'Utthishta' and investment bank 'Artha Arbitrage'. He mentors start-ups and guides them to scale. His strategies helped CosmosGreen navigate some of the most challenging days. He is the first investor into CosmosGreen and is a biodiversity conservation evangelist.

Professor Dr. Vasudevarao Vaidyula
Biodiversity Mentor
A retired professor and former Principal Scientist & Head at AINP on Vertebrate Pest Management of PJTSAU, he has authored 265 research papers on Biodiversity Conservation and Pest Management. He also played a key role in creating the Biodiversity Park at PJTSAU and developing 23 pioneering technologies in the field.

Ayush Sharma
Co-Founder and
Chief of R&D
The Co-Founder of Cosmos Green and Kheyti, this Equity Analyst turned modern farmer is using his extensive knowledge in agronomy to lead the research and development efforts at Soul Forest. In addition to collaborating with smallholder farmers, he loves traveling.

Sathya Raghu Mokkapati
Co-Founder & CEO
The Co-Founder of CosmosGreen and Kheyti, he has graced the TED stage as a speaker and earned recognition as a Fellow of prestigious organizations such as Acumen, Aspen, Mulago, and TED. His influential thought leadership encompasses contributions to both Indian and international outlets, where he shares insights on topics related to farming and climate action.

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