Our Trustees and Advisors | The Chini Trust

Trustees

At the heart of The Chini Trust are two remarkable women who carry forward Chini's vision with love, dedication, and an unyielding commitment to her legacy: Chini's mother and maternal grandmother. As the initial trustees, they have taken on the profound responsibility of shaping and guiding the Trust’s mission.

Chini’s mother, deeply connected to her daughter's passion for advocating neurodiversity, brings a personal and compassionate approach to her role. Her strength and determination to continue Chini's work stem from a mother's love and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals. With a background in nurturing and supporting her own family, she now channels that care into creating a safe, inclusive space for others.

Chini’s maternal grandmother, a pillar of wisdom and warmth, has always been a source of unconditional love in Chini’s life. As a trustee, she offers not only her life experience but also her deep empathy and belief in the power of community support. Her role in the Trust symbolizes the bond between generations, united by a shared mission to uplift and empower neurodivergent individuals.

Together, Chini’s mother and maternal grandmother embody the essence of the Trust’s values—love, resilience, and advocacy. Their leadership ensures that The Chini Trust remains rooted in the very principles Chini held dear, continuing her legacy with heart and hope.

Trustee, Chini's Mother

Nayan Mitra, Phd

“In memory of my Chini, I am determined to build a community of compassion and
support. By channelling my grief into THE CHINI TRUST, I hope to bring comfort,
understanding, and resources to those who may otherwise feel alone in their
struggles.”

Dr. Nayan Mitra is the founder and trustee of THE CHINI TRUST, a charity created in honour of her late daughter, Srijoni (affectionately known as Chini to all), dedicated to supporting mental health and neurodivergence in India. Through this charity, Dr. Mitra aims to channel her profound personal grief into a purpose-driven mission to make a difference in the lives of others who struggle with similar challenges.
Recognising the limited resources for mental health and neurodivergence support in India, Dr. Mitra felt compelled to bridge this gap. Her goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding these issues and foster a compassionate environment where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported. Through THE CHINI TRUST, Dr. Mitra envisions a future where mental health challenges and neurodivergence are met with compassion and adequate support. She is inspired by her daughter’s legacy to create a community where no one faces their struggles alone, transforming her loss into a source of strength and support for others.
Dr. Mitra brings her extensive professional experience to this mission. She is a leading authority on Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and Corporate Governance. As the founder of Sustainable Advancements, she has established herself as a respected voice on the global stage, promoting Sustainable Development Goals through advocacy, research, and consultancy. Dr. Mitra’s social impact work extends into various leadership roles, including as the President of the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) Sustainable Businesses Council and the India Chair for G100. She is also a pro-bono board member for NGOs that champion the needs of women and children. Her academic accomplishments underscore her reputation as a changemaker. She is a series editor with Springer, editor of several influential books on CSR, and has published over 60 peer-reviewed research articles.
Dr. Mitra’s impact has been recognized with numerous accolades internationally, including her inclusion among India’s most Impactful Sustainability Leader in 2023, 25 most impactful CSR Leaders in 2019, and the Exceptional Woman of Excellence award at the Women Economic Forum in New Delhi. Now, with THE CHINI TRUST, she brings her formidable experience to bear on India’s mental health landscape, channelling her grief into hope and support for those most in need.

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Trustee, Chini's Grandmother

Roma Dasgupta

Mrs. Rama Dasgupta, co-trustee of THE CHINI TRUST, brings decades of experience as an educator and a lifetime of dedication to nurturing and uplifting others. As a mathematics teacher for over 40 years, she has guided students of all ages, inspiring countless individuals with her passion for education and her unwavering belief in the power of learning. Beyond her teaching career, she co-founded Unity, the alumni association of United Missionaries Girl’s School, Kolkata, India, demonstrating her commitment to fostering lifelong connections and community engagement.

Mrs. Dasgupta’s role in THE CHINI TRUST is deeply personal. She shared a unique and cherished bond with her late granddaughter, Srijoni (affectionately known as Chini), who was the heart and inspiration behind the charity. Their relationship was enriched by a shared love for music, often singing old-timey and long-forgotten songs together, creating moments of joy, nostalgia, and connection. These musical interludes reflected their shared appreciation for life’s simple yet profound pleasures.

As a constant companion in Chini’s life, Mrs. Dasgupta provided unconditional love, wisdom, and encouragement, nurturing Chini’s vibrant spirit and advocating for her dreams. Her deep understanding of Chini’s mission to raise awareness about neurodiversity and mental health fuels her dedication to the Trust’s work.

Through her role as a trustee, Mrs. Dasgupta channels her professional expertise, her lifelong commitment to community building, and her personal love for Chini into ensuring the Trust’s initiatives create meaningful change. Her contributions are a testament to the strength of familial love and the enduring impact of shared dreams and values, ensuring that Chini’s legacy of compassion and advocacy lives on.

Our Advisors

The Chini Trust is guided by a group of compassionate and experienced advisors who bring a wealth of knowledge, empathy, and dedication to the mission of the Trust. Each advisor has been carefully chosen for their expertise in neurodiversity, mental health, and advocacy, as well as their personal commitment to creating a more inclusive and understanding society.

Our advisors include renowned mental health professionals, educators, and advocates who have spent years working to support neurodivergent individuals and their families. They offer invaluable insights and guidance to ensure that the Trust's initiatives are both impactful and meaningful.

Beyond their professional expertise, the advisors to The Chini Trust share a deep connection to Chini's vision. They are driven by a shared belief in the importance of honoring her legacy and continuing her work in advocating for those who are often overlooked or misunderstood. Their counsel helps shape the programs, outreach, and support services that the Trust provides, ensuring that every action taken is rooted in compassion and respect for the neurodivergent community.

Together, the advisors of The Chini Trust are not only mentors but also allies in the mission to create a world where neurodivergent individuals are valued, supported, and celebrated for who they are.

Boni Fernandes Wozolek, PhD

Director of Inclusive Excellence, Penn State Abington

Associate Professor, Education

Dr. Wozolek is currently an Associate Professor of Education and the inaugural Director of Inclusive Excellence at Penn State University, Abington College. Her work examines how minoritized populations negotiate spaces of learning and life through qualitative research methods and teaching practices across educational contexts. Alongside numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, Dr. Wozolek’s book projects include two monographs (Educational Necropolitics: A Sonic Ethnography of Everyday Racisms in U.S. Schools and Assemblages of Violence in Education: Everyday Trajectories of Oppression), and two edited volumes (Queer Battle Fatigue: Education, Exhaustion, and Everyday Oppressions, co-edited with David Lee Carlson, and Black Lives Matter in US Schools: Race, Education, and Resistance). Dr. Wozolek’s body of work has been well recognized in her home fields, including book awards, early career awards, and recognition for her social activism. Taking service to her profession and communities seriously, Dr. Wozolek remains active in several prominent organizations, conferences, academic journals. Locally, aside from her service as the Director of Inclusive Excellence, she is active in service to the campus, and regularly leads professional development workshops for faculty, staff, and PreK-12 educators.

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Michael J. Bernstein, PhD

Interim Division Head - Division of Social Science, Business, & Education, Penn State Abington

Professor of Social Psychology

Michael J. Bernstein earned a BA in Psychology and Philosophy from Muhlenberg College in 2004. He received his PhD in Social Psychology from Miami University in 2010. He joined the faculty at Penn State University - Abington College in 2010 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015 and to Professor in 2020. His research examines a broad range of topics but has a focus on the ways people respond to belonging threats and how such experiences tune people’s perceptual and cognitive systems to adapting to the threat. Separately, he also examines face processing utilizing a social cognitive perspective. Michael has received multiple grants from NSF to support his research and is a Fellow of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology and the Midwestern Psychological Association. He also received the George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching Penn State University.

Malancha Dasgupta

History Teacher at Holy Cross School, Baruipur, India

Malancha Dasgupta, is a qualified History Teacher currently working in a convent school named Holy Cross School, Baruipur. She has been working as a teacher for the past 30 years, dealing with students across all ages, from Kindergarten to Class- 12. She has also been an examiner in ICSE and ISC for more than 12 years. Having counselled several students over the years she is well versed with psychology (specially child psychology), which is a subject of interest for her, along with history.

Trustees

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