Mr. Harsh Jaitli is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Voluntary Action Network India (VANI) since 2009. With an M.Phil. in International Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, Mr. Jaitli brings over thirty five years of experience in the development sector. His professional journey began with the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), where he worked from 1990 to 2009, serving as Director in charge of capacity building, research, advocacy, organizational development (OD), and partnerships. His work at PRIA focused on themes such as environmental sustainability, health, local governance, Right to Information (RTI), and institutional strengthening, including information resource management, financial management, and project cycle management. 

Since joining VANI in 2009, Mr. Jaitli has led the organization in strengthening Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) across India. VANI’s mission is to improve the external and internal enabling environment for CSOs, promoting a positive narrative of the sector. With 632 member organizations and an outreach to 15,000 CSOs nationwide, VANI is committed to supporting those working on socio-economic development, quality of life improvements, and nation-building. Amidst global challenges facing civil society, VANI, along with other national platforms, works tirelessly to protect and promote the work of these critical organizations. VANI is also active in mobilizing CSOs to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 and 17, which emphasize cooperation, participation, and collaboration between government, private sectors, and civil society. 

Mr. Jaitli has contributed to various publications and represents the sector on numerous committees and forums. He has been a member of the expert committee formed by the Government of India to develop the National Voluntary Guidelines for Ethical Business Practices. He has also served as Vice-Chair of FORUS (formerly known as the International Forum of National Platforms), Founder and Co-convener of the Asian Development Alliance, Member of the Policy Development Forum of the European Commission. Mr. Jaitli was also a member of the NGO Cell created by NITI Aayog and has participated in the Sub-committee on Enabling Environment. Furthermore, he was part of the High-Powered Committee formed by NITI Aayog under the National Disaster Management Act for COVID-19 mitigation. Mr. Jaitli was also member of high power committee formed by Ministry of Corporate Affairs to review the CSR Act in 2018. Additionally, he contributed to the design of the CSO portal for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Mr. Jaitli has been a member of the International Advisory Committee for Civil-20 and is a founding board member of the Forum for Indian Development Cooperation (FIDC).