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Gayatri Ramanathan

Adjunct Faculty – GRMI
Gayatri Ramanathan is a sustainability and clean energy leader with 30+ years’ experience across media, philanthropy, and regulation. She brings deep expertise in ESG strategy, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability communications.
  • MBA (Power Management) from the UPES, Dehradun (July 2020 to June 2022)
  • Dissertation: Wind Solar Hybrid Power Plants: Opportunities & Challenges
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Electricity Regulation, World Trade Institute (2012)
  • Dissertation: An Examination of the Regulatory Landscape for Implementation of DSM Measures in India
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from IIMC, New Delhi (1990)
  • BA (Hons.) History, University of Delhi (1988)
  • Certified in ESG Impact Leadership (IICA, 2023), ESG Risks & Opportunities (Wharton, 2022), Renewable Energy (ADB, 2022), Ecological Economics (Oxford, 2019), and power sector finance and trading (WTI, ASCI & PXIL, 2011).
    • Books: Conceptualized and published one commemorative volume for Shakti’s 10th anniversary (2018) and is currently researching a historical trade-focused book on the Tamil Country (in progress).
    • White Papers: Authored 3 white papers for SSEF between 2018–2024 on domestic climate funding, water issues, and climate justice.
    • Collaborative Reports: Contributed to 6 DUF reports with TERI and authored 2 client-facing industry reports on India’s battery ecosystem and renewable power.
    • Tata Power Delhi Distribution – ESG communication package
    • Thermax India – COP27 Communication strategy and package
    • Corteva – Year of the Millet campaign
    • LNJ Bhilwara – ESG Reporting
    • Normet India – EHS process documentation
  • Led Shakti’s flagship Distribution Utilities Forum (DUF) from 2018 to March 2021, engaging over 52 power distribution companies across two funding cycles to advance electricity distribution reforms in India.
  • Organized 8 national roundtables on key reform topics such as rooftop solar, rural electrification, cost of supply, open access, EVs, and battery storage.
  • Co-authored 6 sectoral reports with TERI and Discoms, later shared with key power sector stakeholders including the Ministry of Power, MNRE, and CERC.
  • Strengthened collaboration among nearly 70 DISCOMS, fostering a shared reform agenda and knowledge exchange within the distribution sector.
  • Led a separate initiative on state-level climate action mapping, analyzing on-ground climate initiatives, NGO involvement, and funding ecosystems across states.
  • Conferences, Seminars & Webinars 2018-2024 and speaker on ESG and the importance of Communications at Symbiosis University, Pune, September 2023.
  • Attended an Industry roundtable on Building a Resilient Future: Mainstreaming Finance and Investment for a Just Transition, organized by TERI in August 2023 and attended a 3-week web-based Refresher Course on Power Trading in South Asia held by USAID-SAREP – July 2023
  • Attended a half-day discussion on Women and Energy Access organized by USAID in May 2023 and conceptualized, coordinated and moderated a panel discussion on Decoding ESG at the 13th edition of India PR and Corporate Communication Conference – IPRCCC 2022 in May 2023.
  • Invited Speaker at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd seminar on End-user Energy Efficiency, March 2023 and invited Panelist at Women in Sustainability Seminar organized by UPES University, Dehradun, November 2022.
  • Moderated multiple high-impact panel discussions between 2018 and 2022, including sessions on electricity distribution reforms, open access, electric vehicle penetration, water as a resource, and renewable energy regulations at national platforms such as the DUF and SSEF annual conclaves.
  • Gayatri continues to shape impactful ESG and clean energy narratives, guiding institutions with strategic insight, strong coalitions, and a passion for sustainability-driven change.