Aarathi Kumar is a Senior Program Associate – Urban Development in the Sustainable Cities and Transport program at WRI India. Working out of the Bengaluru office, she works on the Innovation portfolio, supporting the adoption and application of innovation by cities to address urban challenges. Her work includes assisting design and implementation of TheCityFix Labs accelerator program for entrepreneurs working on sustainability technologies.
Prior to joining WRI India, Aarathi worked at Micro Housing Finance Company (MHFC) Ltd., a company focused on financial inclusivity through the provision of housing loans to people employed in the informal sector. Over four years, she has worked in multiple departments, largely around financial and regulatory reporting, and Management Information Systems (MIS) where she built an interest in urban policy.
Aarathi holds an integrated Master of Arts in Economics from IIT Madras, and a Master of Science in Urban Development Planning from University College London as a Chevening Scholar. An avid football fan, she also enjoys baking and listening to hip hop and history podcasts.