Dr. Niraj brings over 25 years of extensive experience in the fields of environment, climate change, primary education and development research. He has worked across India, Mozambique, and internationally. A Prince Bernhard Scholar, he has led major Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Education and Climate Change Initiatives for the Aga Khan Development Network and has held senior research positions at leading organizations such as the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm Resilience Centre, and Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. Previously, he has served as a Senior Consultant at Centre for Public Policy, the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Research Programme Lead at the Centre for Development Alternatives and contributed as a Senior Research Manager at ATREE/WELL Labs.

His post-doctoral research has focused on critical issues such as the financial dimensions of climate system disruptions, ecosystem-based adaptation, and the political economy of coal in South Asia. He has also led capacity-building initiatives, strategic programme management, and has a track record of securing competitive research grants from prestigious international organizations.