Secretariat Profile – South Asia Regional Parliamentary Forum

Secretariat Profiles

Senior Advisor

South Asia Regional Parliamentary Forum (SARPF)

Mukul Sharma is the Senior Advisor to the South Asia Regional Parliamentary Forum for Energy Cooperation. For over three decades, he has worked extensively in the areas of environment, energy, and climate change, bringing a wealth of experience as a development professional, writer, journalist, and academic across India, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. He has held senior national, regional, and international positions with organizations such as the Heinrich Böll Foundation, ActionAid International, Amnesty International, Climate Parliament, The Times of India Group, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, and Ashoka University. Additionally, he specializes in legislative and policy work on energy and climate change.

Sumedha Basu, Ph.D

Advisor

South Asia Regional Parliamentary Forum (SARPF)

Email: [email protected]

Sumedha Basu is the advisor to the South Asia Regional Parliamentary Forum for Energy Cooperation. With more than 15 years of experience in the field of climate change and sustainable energy transition, she specialises in parliamentary engagement, strategic advisory, and policy analysis across multiple geographies, including South Asia. She has helped build and maintain dynamic parliamentary networks on issues of energy policies, energy justice, and regional energy cooperation in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. In the past, she has worked in multiple international energy think tanks where she has implemented technical advisory, policy evaluation, and capacity-building projects on behalf of government agencies, development bodies and international donor organisations. Sumedha is also an academic researcher. In 2016-17, she was awarded the International Climate Protection Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. Sumedha holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick, UK.

Namrata Mukherjee

Chief of Party

Email: [email protected]

Namrata Mukherjee is a distinguished Indian energy trade and investments expert with over 19 years of experience in market creation, private sector engagement, and regulatory development across South Asia and leads initiatives in regional energy cooperation and private sector investments. Previously, she served as the Senior Vice President and Head of Policy Advocacy at Sterlite Power Transmission, contributing closely with key Government of India stakeholders, influencing policy frameworks and promoting competition in transmission. Her instrumental role in promoting the Green Energy Corridors initiative led to significant investment inflows. Mukherjee’s expertise extends internationally, collaborating with governments in Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Kosovo on regulatory reforms and renewable energy policy. Recognized as a key member of the South Asian Women in Energy network, Ms. Mukherjee has made notable contributions to renewable energy policy, tariff setting, and market-based incentives. With degrees in Economics and Business Economics, complemented by post-graduate studies in Environment and Energy Management, her contributions transcend borders, advancing sustainable energy agendas and regulatory frameworks globally.

Rajiv Ratna Panda

Regional Energy Trade Lead

Email: [email protected]

Mr. Rajiv is an international energy expert, electrical engineer, researcher, energy, and climate policy professional with nearly two decades of expertise and experience in Cross Border Energy Trade (CBET), Regional Energy/Power Grid Integration strategy, Regional Power/Energy Markets (REMs); Policy, Regulatory, Legal, Technical, Operational, Planning, Investment, Political-Economy, Geopolitical aspects of CBET & REM, Regional Institution Building, Clean Energy Transition, Sustainable Development, Climate Change (CC), Energy Security & CC strategies, etc. He possesses a unique set of knowledge/expertise across many regional markets: South Asia (SA)/SAARC, the Middle East (GCC), Africa, Southeast Asia/ASEAN, Asia-Pacific, North Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, North America, Latin America, and Central America on strategies for Energy Grid and Market Integration, Trans-Regional and Intercontinental Energy Grid Connectivity/Integration, OSOWOG, Green Grid, Super Grid, and Regional Green Power Pool. He engages & renders his technical expertise and thoughts as a technical resource person to a wide range of stakeholders: policymakers, regulators, members of parliaments, system planners, researchers, & think tanks for societal well-being. He is an avid reader & keen observer of energy cooperation politics, international relations, & geopolitics in South Asia, BIMSTEC, ASEAN, Central Asia, and across the Indo-Pacific region. Mr. Panda is credited with authoring more than 80 national and international publications. As a multidisciplinary professional, outside of his core area of expertise, he takes learning interest in and engages in intellectual endeavors in very diverse areas such as history, socio-cultural, inter-faith & religion, nationalism & multilateralism, statecraft, Vedic philosophy, space & plant science, artificial intelligence, political psychology, human competition & concept of human in science of philosophy, etc.