CEO, Save the Children, India
Sudarshan Suchi is Save the Children’s Chief Executive Officer. He is a seasoned civil society leader with both local and global experience in academics, development and in corporate settings, and an authority in Participatory Practices to empower communities to lead transformation.
An alumnus of St. Stephens College, Delhi University, and Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, UK, Sudarshan is a leading development professional, with exceptional strength in conceptualising development programs and development-based business models, efficient resource mobilisation, establishing partnerships, and effecting collaboration and coalitions towards issues that impact children’s fair access to basic human rights. A few that stand out amongst his myriad professional achievements are: Successful advocacy for reforms in cooperative laws and the Producer Company Act Enactment; Turn-around of AP Dairy cooperatives; Launching of largest Bio-Diesel cultivation initiative in India; and, Executing one of the largest rural transformation initiatives – ‘bij’ as a corporate CSR. Sudarshan’s journey is a remarkable synergy of hands-on grassroots implementation experience at micro level with perspective building and strategic thinking at macro level.
Over the past three decades, Sudarshan has held leadership positions with eminent organisations like Reliance Foundation, Reliance Life Sciences, and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). Prior to joining Save the Children, Sudarshan was the Secretary General at SOS Children’s Villages of India. He also brings in academic experience having teaching experience at IRMA; IIHMR etc. Sudarshan also serves on Governance platforms – being on Board of Udyogini (NGO) and Academic Council of IIHMR’s Rural Management Program. A self-professed and self-trained farmer; Sudarshan is also the co-founder of Udayan Centre for Collaborative Learning – a grassroots NGO in Central India.