Arunima Chakraborty did her Master’s degree in Globalization and Labour from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She got a post graduate diploma in Journalism as well from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. At present, she is pursuing an M. Phil in Social Sciences at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta.
Arunima is also a keenly interested in creative writing and Indian classical music. She has bagged innumerable prizes at essay and story writing competitions.
She intends to carry out research in the area of gender studies with special focus on the state policies concerning women’s rights to work and livelihood. She is also  keen to work in the area of sex trafficking as a gendered process.
The other areas of academic interest for Arunima include migration as a gendered phenomenon, the informal sector economy and media studies.

Fayyaz Yaseen is a researcher at Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Besides his SDPI assignment he is also associated with DFID’s AWAZ project that endeavor for promotion of political accountability, quality service delivery and women rights and empowerment in 45 districts of Pakistan over the next four years. Yaseen can be reached at fayyaz@sdpi.org and fayyaz_100@yahoo.com or 0092-2278134 (Ext: 193) and 0092-3345393105.

Malik Faisal Moonzajer is a coordinator for the Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee (www.AJSC.af), chairman of Afghan Journalists’ Committee, (www.afghanjc.com) , representative of International Media Support (www.i-m-s.dk), and a former correspondent of the Journalism In Crisis Coalition (JICC).
Moonzajer did his bachelor’s degree in Journalism and currently he is doing his MS in Development Studies from Iqra University, Islamabad. Besides, he has Diploma in English Language (DEL) and Diploma in German Language (DGL).
In Afghanistan, he started his career in 2003 and later worked with various media organization including Ayna TV (English), daily Jahan Naw, daily Bayan Naw, Radio Rabia Balkhi, (rrb.af), International Media Support (IMS) and Journalism in Crisis Coalition (JICC).

Nishantha Mallawaarachchi is a Fulbright Research scholar, and has recently completed the taught component of his Master of Arts in Development Studies and Public Policy. He is pursuing for his PhD —‘Role of Development Communication in strengthening Good Governance and Public Policy: Case of Agricultural Extension Services in Sri Lanka’—under IDRC-SDPI Fellowships in Governance, Security and Justice in South Asia.
He has conducted a study on “The Role of Electronic Media in Youth Empowerment” at the American University in Washington D.C. Another academic research includes ‘Empowerment of youth in South Asia in achieving Millennium Development Goals’.
In his research studies, Nishantha has used data and information from various online and offline sources to take down analytical reports highlighting policy issues. His findings made a significant contribution in influencing policy issues, including democratic governance, when presented in United Nations and International Organization for Migration summits.  He has prepared policy papers on good governance and development issues during his service as communications officer with ActionAid, Sri Lanka Tsunami Project.
Later, as communications officer at the Ministry of External Affairs, Sri Lanka, Nishantha while having expertise both in communication and development introduced innovative methodologies to streamline the public communications.