Umakanta Patra joined Trickle Up in 2022 as the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for the MPOWERED program. He has a dual Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and Business Administration from Utkal University. He has completed a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Chemistry and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Computer Application from ITECH Computer Education. As a meticulous social development practitioner, he has authored several editorial features both in print and web media on social security for elderly people, early childcare and practices, issues and concerns of elementary education, entitlements of victims of natural calamities, challenges in primary and secondary health services, etc.

Umkanta has experience working in social development project management, facilitating the PRA process and governance accountability tools, developing IEC materials, learning assessments, data analysis and documentation for over 12 years after he completed his master’s degree in 2007. He has been associated with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), National Institute for Development Innovation (NIDI) and i-Concept Initiatives (iCI) in various capacities. Being a Documentation and Communication professional, he always tried to monitor the field programs through learning assessments using PRA, managing field information, building capacity of community leaders, developing IEC materials and infographics along with producing high-standard media releases for wider dissemination.