Chinmayi Shalya is a Senior Programme Associate, at iFOREST, working on cross-cutting research and advocacy related to the institution’s engagement on Just Transition and District Mineral Foundation (DMF). A core focus of her work and interest remains strategizing public advocacy around the issues, building on stakeholder capacity and engagement at subnational and national levels, and capturing ground perspectives and voices to improve the scope of inclusive decision-making.

Chinmayi started out as a journalist with the Times of India, Mumbai writing on environment and civil aviation. She moved to research and advocacy to engage more closely with the policy discourse in environmentally rich but fragile regions.

Prior to joining iFOREST, she worked at Legal Initiative for Forests and Environment and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi where she researched extensively on DMF, equitable natural resource governance and community rights. She has extensively engaged with local communities and policymakers at district and state levels in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, to advocate for better environmental governance mechanisms, implementation of development projects, and public accountability.