Shobha Rani

Founder, Director of Projects

Shobha graduated from Osmania University in Hyderabad with both a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Since achieving her Master’s, she has spent years working at different prominent NGO’s in Hyderabad, including World Vision, Confederation of Voluntary Associations, Technology for the People, and an international organization World’s Children. In 1999, she founded Spandana Society with her husband Uttam Kumar.

Uttam Kumar

Founder, Director of Operations

Uttam graduated from Osmania University in Hyderabad with a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Commerce, and a Dual Master’s (MA) in Commerce and Personal/Public Management. He has since then started his own educational institutions to provide private tuitions, including Good Shepherd’s Tutoring Classes and Uttam’s Tutorials. During this time, he would spend his weekends and free time as an independent humanitarian volunteer, rescuing abandoned children/ street children and re-locating them to government homes. In 1999, Uttam founded Spandana Society with his wife Shobha.

Sabitha Dandi

Director of Education 

Sabitha graduated from Osmania University in Hyderabad with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. Sabitha has been a volunteer at Spandana Society since its founding, caring for the children in her free time. She served on the Board of the organization, and now is a full-time caretaker of the children and leading the responsibility for their academic preparations and overall care.

Anjali Daryanani

Director of Development

Anjali graduated from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Development. Anjali volunteered at Spandana in 2008 (when she was 19 years old) and returned to Spandana after years of work with several social impact organizations in the United States, as a communications director and video producer. She is committed to sharing Spandana’s unique story with the world, and she values her collaboration with Shobha, Uttam, and Sabitha, in accomplishing Spandana’s goals and deepening our impact.