Arpit Asthana serves as the CSR Head at Pygmalion Foundation, where he spearheads the foundation’s strategic vision to empower 1,000 young women annually through the flagship Swati Program. A seasoned development professional with over 14 years of experience, Arpit specializes in large-scale skill development, impact assessment, and policy advocacy.

Prior to joining Pygmalion, he served as Deputy General Manager at the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. There, he co-designed high-impact skill development models and also worked in the Apprenticeship Division. His extensive portfolio includes leadership roles at HCL Foundation, where he managed nationwide livelihood initiatives for the urban poor, and Tata Trusts, where he led migration research frameworks in Rajasthan.

Arpit began his journey as a Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellow (PMRDF) in Chhattisgarh, working on ground-level governance and tribal welfare. He holds a Masters in Development Practice from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and a PGDM in Rural Management from XIM Bhubaneswar. At Pygmalion, he combines this grassroots experience with systemic insight to build scalable, evidence-based skilling ecosystems