Working Group 3 – Transitioning Institutional care to Family Based Care
Lena Dasgupta Basu
Dynamic Development Sector Professional, Leading the Child Protection Portfolio
Lena Dasgupta Basu
Dynamic Development Sector Professional, Leading the Child Protection Portfolio
Lena Dasgupta Basu: Lena is a dynamic development sector professional, leading the Child Protection Portfolio in Child in Need Institute (CINI) India. She has experience of working on child protection and safeguarding of child rights for 22 years. She did her Masters in Sociology from Calcutta University and worked with CSOs, implementing projects on Cross Border Trafficking, Child Marriage, Child Labour etc in rural and urban parts of West Bengal. She served as Senior Programme Coordinator in Childline India Foundation (CIF) for sixteen years and worked in different states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and entire North Eastern states of India. Facilitating dialogue with the Government and CSOs, to consolidate the private-public- partnership and to deliver the service to children in the field was her main role in childline. She is a visiting faculty of many training institutes like Central Detective Training School, MDSTI-Kanchrapara etc. She has experience of working (2002-2029) as Radio Jockey of FM Rainbow and later in Maitree (A channel of India-Bangladesh) of All India Radio Kolkata.
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Vaidehi Subramani
Social Work Professional and Child Rights Advocate
Vaidehi Subramani
Social Work Professional and Child Rights Advocate
Vaidehi Subramani is a Social Work professional and child rights advocate with long-standing experience in child protection and juvenile justice. She has served as Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee and as a Social Member of the Juvenile Justice Board.
She has served as a Honory Director at Akshay Pratishthan, an ngo works for the Disability sector.
She is a certified POCSO Act trainer and regularly conducts training and awareness programmes for schools, NGOs, and government institutions on child rights and child protection laws. She is associated with several NGOs and serves on Internal Complaints Committees.
She continues to work closely with communities and institutions, guided by the principle of keeping the child first.
She is an Academic and Field Work Counselor at IGNOU, teaching Social Work to post graduate students on the weekends.
She is on the Board as Director with I Probono and Parwarish Care Foundation.
She is serving as an ICC Member with Government of India and Delhi Government and a couple of corporates.
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Isaac Arulappan
Founder & Chief Functionary Officer, DKSHA
Isaac Arulappan
Founder & Chief Functionary Officer, DKSHA
Isaac Arulappan’s life is a testament to the power of "lived experience" transformed into a lifelong mission. Having spent sixteen formative years as an orphan under the care of the Montfort Brothers in Manajampatty, Tamil Nadu, Isaac didn’t just witness the hardships of institutional life—he lived them.
The deprivations and vulnerabilities of his youth became the crucible in which his purpose was forged: to ensure that no child has to navigate the world without the warmth of a family and the dignity of a home.
A Vision Born in a Small Hut
In 1993, Isaac turned his personal history into social action, founding the Deva Kirubai Social Help Association (DKSHA). What began as a humble initiative in a small hut caring for four orphaned children has evolved into a robust, community-centered movement.
Today, under Isaac’s leadership, DKSHA operates from a 5.5-acre campus with a sophisticated infrastructure, serving more than 300 children across 109 villages in 12 districts of Tamil Nadu.
Leadership & Impact
As the Secretary of the Society and Project Officer for Family Strengthening (FS) and Family-Based Alternative Care (F-BAC), Isaac provides the strategic vision for DKSHA’s primary pillars:
Family-Based Care: Transitioning children from institutional settings back into the nurturing environment of a family.
Community Strengthening: Empowering rural villages to prevent child abandonment and ensure long-term stability.
Administrative Excellence: Leading fundraising and human resources with a dual focus on professional accountability and compassionate care.
Recognition and Legacy
Isaac’s pioneering work in shifting the paradigm of childcare has earned him prestigious accolades, including:
The Donald M. Carter Service Award (Rotary eClub One, USA)
Vocational Service Award (Rotary eClub One, USA)
Excellence in Transitioning Care Recognition (Madras School of Social Work)
Advocacy Award for Family-Based Care (Miracle Foundation India)
While the awards validate his professional standing, Isaac’s true legacy is found in the hundreds of children who now grow up with a sense of belonging. His life story serves as a bridge, turning the pain of the past into a blueprint for a more hopeful, family-centered future for the children of Tamil Nadu.
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Rashmi Taylor
Child Protection and Social Development
Rashmi Taylor
Child Protection and Social Development
Rashmi Taylor brings nearly eight years of experience in child protection and social development, with a clear focus on safeguarding children and supporting families to rebuild safety, dignity, and agency. Her work is rooted in rights-based practice, where children and caregivers are supported with clear information, encouraged to take small, meaningful responsibilities, and guided at a pace that respects their readiness and autonomy.
At Prerana, Rashmi has played a central role in child safeguarding and victim rehabilitation, leading interventions with children affected by sexual violence and exploitation. Her work spans case-linked rehabilitation, program oversight, and the implementation and monitoring of safeguarding systems, including the organization’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework. Across programs, she has strengthened practices that prioritize protection, informed decision-making, and long-term recovery for children and their families.
Rashmi holds a Postgraduate Programme degree in Development Management from the SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, with a specialization in Monitoring & Evaluation and CSR and a Master in Social Work degree. Her professional journey reflects a strong blend of field practice, program leadership, and systems strengthening. She has previously served as Senior Program Manager at Prerana’s Anti-Trafficking Center and as Manager – CSR at a Bank, where she led volunteering initiatives, school transformation programs, and child-focused community interventions.
Known for her thoughtful approach to safeguarding and accountability, Rashmi has contributed to publications on social work practice and COVID-19 response, bringing practitioner insight into complex child protection challenges. Currently, as a Grant Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Consultant at Prerana, she supports resource development and program quality, ensuring that safeguarding principles remain embedded across the organization’s work with children and families.
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