Dr. Ritu Verma is an anthropologist, international development expert and civil engineer with over 20 years of research focussed on indigenous knowledge, socio-cultural relations, human wellbeing and natural resource management. Dr. Verma is a senior researcher at the Tarayana Foundation and adjunct professor at the College of Language and Culture Studies. She has previously held senior research positions at CIAT, ICIMOD, PLAAS, CBS, RTC, and conducted work on land rights, pastoralism, natural resource management and gender equality for UNDP, FAO, IDS, among many others.