Sheetal has joined the Council as a Special Assistant to the Fellow and Lead with the International Cooperation (IC) team. In this capacity, she works closely with the Fellow and Lead to advance IC’s objectives through critical research support, strategic team alignment, and the cultivation of high-level stakeholder engagement.

Prior to her appointment at the Council, Sheetal served in the International Department of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). During her tenure, she aligned India’s foreign policy and economic policy to pioneer Indian Industry’s growth in international markets while fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations across various sectors through specialised engagements and global linkages. She has previously also worked in the Geopolitical Risk Intelligence and Predictive Assessment arena to provide actionable insights to industry members, informing their trade and investment decisions.

Sheetal holds a Master’s in Diplomacy, Law and Business from O.P. Jindal Global University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Sophia College for Women, Mumbai. Her academic tenure was marked by exceptional distinction - she was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Leadership and earned a permanent induction into the University’s Roll of Honour. Her scholarly and oratorical contributions were recognized through multiple Student Research Awards, Best Publication Awards, and Best Debater Awards. In addition to being cited for her work in institution-building, Sheetal served as the elected Vice-President of the Student Council and also represented her university in table tennis.

Sheetal balances her professional rigor with a mix of high-energy sports and creative outlets. She takes a particular interest in horseback riding, water-based adventure sports, and music, frequently finding equilibrium through these active and artistic pursuits.