Raised in West Bengal with a deep-rooted commitment to justice, Nayana Chowdhury has dedicated her career to advancing gender equality and social transformation. She strongly advocates for collective action, ensuring that marginalised voices lead community change.
Her professional journey spans managing international grants at Tata Trusts and the IKEA Foundation, where she built expertise in philanthropy and large-scale programme delivery. Nayana’s association with Breakthrough began in 2010 as a donor, before formally joining in 2018 as Director – Programmes.
At Breakthrough, she introduced a strategic focus on adolescents, driving community engagement across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to combat gender-based violence. Over seven years, she deepened the organisation’s impact, building programmes that connect grassroots realities with systemic change.
Today, as CEO of Breakthrough Trust, Nayana leads the organisation into a new future—steering it towards transforming gender norms, strengthening youth leadership, and embedding equality into India’s growth story.