Vatsala is currently the Program Manager at Aawaaz, working at the intersection of gender, education, and equity. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work (Women-Centred Practice) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi.

At Aawaaz, she leads education programs across public and low-income schools. Her work is deeply rooted in research-informed practice, with a focus on qualitative research design, data collection, and thematic analysis, and a strong interest in participatory approaches that centre the lived experiences of students and communities in shaping educational interventions.

Vatsala’s work is guided by a commitment to advancing gender justice and equity-driven systems change. She has previously worked with organisations such as ANANDI, the Special Cell for Women and Children, and UNESCO South Asia, contributing to programs on gender, youth, and education across diverse contexts in India.

Her research interests include gender-based violence, feminist theory, social networks and gender, gender and climate, and gender in organisational contexts. In 2025, she presented her work on AI and equity in education at the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Conference.

At Aawaaz, she is particularly invested in building learning spaces and research practices that are responsive, inclusive, and grounded in the realities of young people and communities.