Director, KABANI
Sumesh Mangalasseri, started his career as a software professional and later turned as an active campaigner, researcher, policy analyst and consultant of sustainable tourism. He is the director of KABANI – the other direction, a non profit research organization working in the field of sustainable tourism in India. He is also the Chairman & Managing Director of Kabani Community Tourism & Services (P) limited, a social entrepreneurship, facilitating community tourism partnerships in India and abroad.
His 16 years of experiences in community development, action research, policy level interventions and involvements in national and international NGOs particularly in the context of tourism helped him to envision the voluntary organisation “KABANI – the other direction“. His knowledge in running and facilitating community tourism initiatives has lead to the development of many sustainable social entrepreneurship models including Kabani Community Tourism & Services, with the involvement of the host communities in India.
He is part of a global network engaging in the formulation of international policy framework in sustainable tourism and contributing to various international discourses and negotiations such as climate change, sustainable development and international trade. He has contributed his vision and views to many publications and journals and has led numerous projects in various international and national organizations.
