Kirana Kumari is currently the Programme Lead (Principal) of Baduku Centre for Livelihoods Learning. Before joining Samvada, she worked in Odanadi Seva Trust between 2000-2001. She worked with the MHRD Education Department Mahila Samakhya Karnataka between 1989 and 1999. In Samvada, since November 2001, Kirana has played a range of roles including that of the Convenor of Youth Work Resource Centere and Convenor, Centre for Wellness and Justice, Baduku. Kirana has a master’s in Kannada literature from Mysore University. Passionate about social justice and equity, she is part of several people’s movements that work with anti-caste and feminist ideologies, and for communal harmony. Kirana is also an accomplished theatre artist. Some of the plays she acted in including Ippaladavaru ( based on a story about the partition of India and Pakistan, by Sadat Hassan Manto), Mother Courage and Zareena have received widespread recognition. She enjoys travelling and immersing herself in different cultures through travel. She is a singer and freelance writer. She enjoys cooking and trying new recipes.