Deepika N. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Acharya Institute of Graduate Studies. She holds a postgraduate degree in Social Work with specialization in Community Organization from St. Joseph’s University, securing second rank, and is pursuing a Ph.D. at Davanagere University on tribal livelihoods in the Western Ghats. With over five years of teaching and development-sector experience, she teaches Project Management and has worked extensively with NGOs on organic farming, SHGs, women empowerment, and rural livelihoods. An author and active researcher, she has presented papers, published a book on gender-based violence, and contributed significantly to academic and field-based practice.