Ms. Bijal Brahmbhatt is currently the Director of Mahila Housing SEWA Trust (MHT). She is a civil engineer by profession and is a recognized expert in habitat improvement, community development and housing finance. She oversees the operations of MHT at the national level. She has a proven experience in conceptualizing, planning, managing and providing support for slum upgradation programmes across India. She works on renewable and efficient energy issues for the poor with various stakeholders including the government of India and private sector. Her professional experience focuses on a range of poverty alleviation issues, particularly with women, entrepreneurship, slum upgradation, water and sanitation, income and urban planning, housing finance, housing technology, climate resilience, participatory governance, etc. She has been representing MHT on several government advisory committees including expert committee on Rajiv Awaas Yojana, Affordable Housing Task Force by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2008 and Steering Committee of Planning Commission for the 12th Five Year Plan. She is on board of SEWA Grih Rin, a housing finance company for the poor women and is also as an Advisor to poor women credit-cooperatives.