About Manuskey
Humanity, translated into action.
The word Manuskey means humanity. The foundation was created around a persistent gap: strong ideas and public policies do not automatically become meaningful everyday support. People need a voice in the systems that shape their lives, and institutions need practical ways to listen and respond.
We bring together practitioners, students, community members, educators, advocates and young leaders. Our work is rooted in three commitments.
Care
Take people’s experiences and dignity seriously.
Connection
Create exchange across disciplines and communities.
Community
Turn dialogue into sustained shared action.
Our mission
Bring people, ideas and institutions together to make mental health, dignity and participation part of everyday life.
Our vision
Communities and institutions where people feel safe, supported and included, and can shape the systems that affect their lives.
From participation to practical change.
Everyday participation surfaces lived realities. Exchange across communities and disciplines brings those realities into institutions. Advocacy and prospective research aim to turn learning into implementable support. This is our theory of change, not an evaluated claim of impact.
Founder
Dr. Prachi Sambhaji Sharda
Dr Prachi Sambhaji Sharda is a public-health practitioner and TISS graduate. Her earlier community, state health, WHO India and policy-support experience informs Manuskey’s emphasis on participation and practical institutional care.
These are individual prior roles and recognitions. They are not Foundation contracts, government programmes delivered by Manuskey or institutional endorsements.
Personal biography & sourcesFounder background
Experience informing the approach.
2016–2022
Co-founder, Educators for Equality
Co-founded a grassroots volunteer initiative delivering education and health literacy to children from rag-picker and marginalised communities in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai.
2018–2020
Master of Public Health, TISS
Specialised in Health Policy, Economics and Finance at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Graduated First Class; her dissertation explored self-medication in the transgender population.
Jun 2020–Dec 2021
State Programme Officer, Mental Health
At the National Health Mission, Government of Maharashtra, led the District Mental Health Programme across all 34 districts during COVID-19, coordinated 200+ mental health professionals, and anchored Prakalp Prerna and Maharashtra Manoswasthya Abhiyan.
Dec 2021–Sep 2023
Government Affairs, Johnson & Johnson / Janssen
As Manager, Market Access Government Affairs, helped expand field market-access work across 12 Indian states for public-sector access to essential NCD medicines. Trained 150+ staff on government access frameworks, health economics and compliance.
Oct 2023–Feb 2026
National Consultant, Mental Health — WHO India
Embedded at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, contributed to strengthening the National Mental Health Programme across 28 states and 8 union territories. Supported Tele-MANAS scale-up, training quality monitoring, and technical drafting on suicide prevention and school mental health. Prepared India briefs and policy submissions for the World Health Assembly and UN General Assembly; felicitated by NIMHANS.
2024
Harvard–PHFI Health Systems Assessment Fellowship
Selected for a fellowship focused on health-systems assessment and applied policy learning.
2024–present
WHO Global Mentorship Programme
Selected mentee with regional mental-health leadership exposure.
2024
Young Women Leaders in Public Policy — IMPRI
Participated in a fellowship centred on women’s leadership and systems thinking. Contributed a chapter to the Young Women Leaders in Public Policy anthology, drawing on community, state and national mental-health experience.
2025
WHO Thailand International Mental Health Workforce Training
Represented India and presented on adapting Tele-MANAS to other national contexts.
2025
Global Summit on AI for Mental Health
Speaker and panelist at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on AI’s promise and risks, regulatory readiness and ethical safeguards in mental-health practice.
2025
Uttarakhand Health Summit
Invited key speaker on youth mental health and systems innovation.
2025
Women’s Health India Community Health Talk Series
Speaker on women’s mental health and preventive wellbeing frameworks.
2026
Asia’s Rising Circle — Singapore International Foundation
Selected as one of 42 young leaders from 13 Asian countries for a regional programme on health, resilience and systems thinking.
2026
World Bank Group Youth Summit
Selected as an in-person delegate to the World Bank Group Youth Summit in Washington, D.C.
Build with us
Help shape what comes next.
Partner with us on research, campus wellbeing, community programmes or youth-led exchange.