The founders, Anandi Iyer and Sunanda Rao-Erdem bring together more than five decades of experience In working in and with Germany and India. They are passionate about bridging the gap and contribute towards bringing the two countries together. This initiative is a personal commitment from the duo to create an enabling framework for an increased and constructive dialogue between the two countries.
About the Founders
The founders, Anandi Iyer and Sunanda Rao-Erdem bring together more than five decades of experience In working in and with Germany and India. They are passionate about bridging the gap and contribute towards bringing the two countries together. This initiative is a personal commitment from the duo to create an enabling framework for an increased and constructive dialogue between the two countries.
Anandi Iyer
Founder
Is the Director of Fraunhofer Office in India since 15 years, and has been working in the field of collaborative Technology and Innovation in the Indo-European corridor for the last more than 20 years. She is a member of the Indo German Expert Group on Digitalisation set up by the two Heads of Government.
She is Chairperson of the Women in Science and Entrepreneurship Council (WISE) of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the Co-Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee. She has been nominated by the Government of India, as the Core Member of the G20 Empower, and Chair for G20 Empower Working Group on STEM. She has recently been distinguished as one of the top 75 women in STEAM by the Indian Govt and the British High Commission to mark the 75 years of Indian Independence.
Sunanda Rao-Erdem
Co Founder
Is the founder and CEO of Seraphim Communications, a Strategic PR consultancy which works primarily in the Indo-German landscape. Prior to founding this consultancy, Sunanda was the Managing Director of CNC Communications, a strategic boutique consultancy, headquartered in Munich.
She has worked as an editor with Deutsche Welle for more than 10 years. Sunanda divides her time between Germany and India equally. During her career as a journalist in India and Germany, Sunanda’s focus was to cover international and diplomatic issues spanning the European Union and South Asia. She has interviewed heads of states and international leaders and CEO’s of topmost multinationals. Her work as a communications consultant spans over 15 years wherein she has worked in sectors such as defence, civil aviation, B2B businesses, and governmental bodies.
The Team
Monaz Desai-Tantzscher
Has a background in facilitating bilateral trade, bringing 14 years of experience in assisting Indian and German Companies. She has worked in Mumbai, Pune and Duesseldorf and is currently based in Hamburg.
She has had the opportunity to work on various Business Delegations, Business Events and Business advisory in her tenure with the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC). From Market entry strategies to finding suitable business partners her professional journey has equipped her with a strong foundation in enabling the presence of German companies in India and vice versa. During her time with the IGCC she has worked diverse industry sectors such as Defence, Energy Efficiency, Green Hydrogen Initiatives, Ship Building, F&B to name a few.
Chandrasekhar Bhattacharyya
Is a senior analyst at New Delhi based defence and security think tank, Delhi Defence Review, involved with research and ongoing development in the military industry and India's regional security areas.
He has been one of the co-founders of Lest We Forget India Foundation - a non profit organisation involved with day to day remembrance of fallen Indian braves who have laid down their lives for the nation, both the Defence services and all other security and law enforcement agencies.
Pooja Chaturvedi
Pooja Chaturvedi brings over nine years of experience as a writer, journalist, and editor. She has a rich background in creating, curating, and editing content across various industries, including media, hospitality, and embassy work.
At the German Embassy in New Delhi, Pooja managed editorial content for the Embassy's website, oversaw their social media channels, and organized press events. Her role also involved curating specialized content, conducting interviews with notable German personalities, including ministers and artists. Prior to her tenure at the Embassy, Pooja worked with reputable organizations such as Mint Newspaper and Hindustan Times, a leading media house in India.