Our Team
Yatharth Gulati
Founder
An alumnus of the London School of Economics and former PwC Consultant in London, Yatharth combines rigorous academic excellence with practical industry insight. He leads Rostrum's mission to deliver honest, personalized guidance that helps ambitious students secure placements at top-tier institutions, including Oxbridge and the Ivy League. With a proven track record of empowering over 2000 students from 20+ countries, Yatharth champions a mentorship-driven and outcomes-focused approach fostering not only admissions success but also long-term career readiness. Under his leadership, Rostrum continues to raise the bar in education consulting through strategic depth, attention to detail, and a global vision for student potential.
Gwyn
Head Counsellor
Gwyn, a Mensa member and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, has 30+ years of experience in finance and education. A former Head Trader and expert in Neurolinguistics, he has spent 20 years helping students gain admission to top universities, including Oxford, the Ivy League, and the London School of Economics (LSE). He also guides university students in landing top internships and jobs in finance, law, consulting, and global firms.
Ben
US Admissions Expert
Meet Ben, Head Mentor and US Admissions Expert at Rostrum Education. With over six years of experience, Ben has helped 75–100 students, including 20–25 international applicants, gain admission to top US universities. He specialises in US admissions strategy, extracurricular development, and timeline planning. Known for his personalised and future-focused approach, Ben helps students build strong profiles and craft compelling applications that reflect their passions and long-term goals.
Vincent
Ivy League Specialist
Meet Vincent James, former Director of Admissions at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With over 30 years of experience at Harvard and MIT, he has reviewed thousands of applications and helped students gain admission to top universities, particularly in the fields of public health and health administration. Vincent tailors his guidance to each student, helping them take the next step toward a successful career in public health.
Raushan
Law School Specialist
Raushan holds an LLM in International Law from the University of Cambridge as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar. She is a Law Fellow with the India Program at IGSD and an Assistant Professor at O.P. Jindal Global University. A qualified Advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi, she practices in the Supreme Court of India, focusing on public policy and human rights. She has also taught at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore.
Crystal Magotra
Senior Manager
Crystal holds an MSc in Education from the University of Oxford and over five years’ experience with Russell Group universities. She has guided 100+ students to institutions like Oxbridge, LSE, Yale, UC Berkeley, and UPenn. With research contributions to UNICEF, UN Women, and UKRI, she brings deep expertise in global education systems. Passionate about equitable access, she provides personalized admissions counselling, while outside work she enjoys reading and exploring campuses to exchange ideas on education and opportunity.
Whitney
Former Admission Officer
Whitney (Whit) is a passionate and experienced college admissions consultant with eight years of success helping students gain admission to top universities in the US, UK, and Australia, including Brown, Duke, UC Berkeley, UCL, and the University of Melbourne. A graduate of Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts, she offers personalised guidance, expert essay support, and strategic admissions planning empowering each student to shine and achieve their goals.
Avinash
Chief of Staff
Avinash brings deep experience from high-growth startup ecosystems, with a strong foundation in strategy, operations, and corporate development. He was part of the core team at Relevel by Unacademy, where he contributed to securing $20 million in funding and played a key role in launching and scaling a new business vertical from the ground up. He later worked in Corporate Development & Strategy at Unacademy, driving high-impact growth initiatives and supporting long-term expansion plans. Prior to joining Rostrum Education, Avinash worked closely with Web3 founders, advising them on fundraising, investments, and strategic positioning. At Rostrum, he combines analytical rigor with execution-focused leadership, ensuring ideas translate into measurable impact.
John Martin Aexel III
Business Development Associate
Meet John, a dedicated Business Development Associate based in Hong Kong, specializing in expanding opportunities for students through expert university admissions consulting. With a strong background in client relationship management, John is passionate about guiding students and families through the complex university application process to achieve their academic goals. Leveraging deep insights into the higher education landscape across South East Asia and beyond, John builds strategic partnerships, identifying new market opportunities, and delivering tailored solutions that meet each student’s unique aspirations.
Ghous Ali
Senior Growth Associate
Ghous Ali completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University Abu Dhabi, where he developed a strong foundation in analytical thinking and problem-solving. With a natural inclination toward mathematics and logical reasoning, he enjoys approaching challenges with structure and clarity. He is currently a part of the Growth Team, where he plays a key role in CRM management, client acquisition, and retention. His work focuses on building meaningful client relationships and ensuring a seamless, well-supported journey from the very first interaction through continued engagement. Outside of work, he is passionate about football and enjoys spending time in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes. Whether on the field, at the stove, or at his desk, he brings enthusiasm, discipline, and a collaborative spirit to everything he does.
Bhavika
Counselling Manager
Meet Bhavika, an education professional with over eight years of experience across teaching, consulting, and university admissions counselling. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s in Education from Durham University, UK. She specialises in undergraduate and postgraduate admissions counselling, mentoring students holistically through end-to-end academic planning and profile development. Her students have secured offers from competitive global universities including Dartmouth, UIUC, NYU, UCL, Imperial College London, Durham, Warwick, and others.
Ali Asif
Counselling Manager
Ali holds an MSc in Psychological Sciences from the University of Glasgow. At Rostrum Education, he helps students build the confidence, clarity, and emotional resilience needed to thrive, not only in school but also throughout the university application process. From profile building to managing stress and decision-making, he works closely with students to ensure they feel supported every step of the way.
Radhika Saraf
Senior Associate
Radhika Saraf is an Admissions Counselor who helps high school students build authentic, standout profiles for top US and UK universities. With a background in filmmaking and a master’s in English Literature and Communication Studies, she blends creativity with strategy. Radhika is passionate about guiding students toward bold, purpose-driven academic paths. Beyond work, she enjoys travel, literature, and thought-provoking cinema.
Srijoni Dey
Senior Associate
With an MSc in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh, Srijoni is an academic writer at Rostrum who specializes in crafting compelling personal letters. Passionate about storytelling and narrative building, she helps students discover and express their unique personal brand. By blending academic rigor with creative insight, Srijoni ensures each student’s voice stands out authentically in their applications, making their stories not just heard, but remembered.
Waageeshaa Prakash
Senior Associate
Waageeshaa is a Counselling Associate at Rostrum. With a background in English Literature and Communications, she enjoys helping students discover their strengths and build profiles that highlight both achievements and personality. Outside of work, you’ll probably find her reading, debating, or getting excited about marine life (dolphins, especially: they’ve set the bar high for social skills). She believes learning works best when it’s equal parts curiosity, confidence, and fun; something she tries to bring to every student she works with. Senior Associate
Aditya
Senior Associate
Aditya Mahajan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. He mentors undergraduate, postgraduate, and MBA applicants across highly competitive global admissions cycles, bringing both strategic insight and personalized guidance to every application. Having supported students targeting leading institutions across the US, UK, Europe, Singapore, Canada, and Australia, Aditya understands the nuances of diverse admissions frameworks. He specializes in profile strategy, program positioning, essays, and interview preparation, helping applicants articulate their ambitions with clarity and authenticity. His structured, thoughtful, and student-first approach ensures each candidate presents a compelling narrative aligned with their long-term vision.
Rukmani Monga
Senior Associate
She holds a Ph.D. in Gender Studies. Her credentials include the Gold Medal during her M.A. in Gender Studies, conferred by the Vice President of India, Hon. Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena; the Non-NET Fellowship during her M.Phil./Ph.D. in Gender Studies, awarded by UGC (2019–2023); and the Merit Scholarship for her M.A. in Gender Studies, awarded by Jamia Millia Islamia (2017–2019). In the field of counselling, she has worked as an Admissions Counselor at Mentor Match. She has also taught students through PlanetSpark and Emaester.
Ariane J Villard
Senior Associate
Ariane is a storyteller with a global edge, holding degrees from St. Stephen’s College and Sciences Po Paris, and currently pursuing Clinical Psychology at IGNOU. With experience across hospitality, renewable energy, and higher education, she has mentored students into Oxbridge and Ivy League institutions, drawing on her own admissions to Oxford, KCL, LSE, and UCL. Multicultural, empathetic, and strategic, Ariane helps Rostrum’s students aim high when not working; she can be found with a book, coffee, or a winning Scrabble hand.
Uma Bakshi
Associate
Uma Bakshi is a Counselling Associate at Rostrum Education. She graduated with a B.A. in History and International Relations from Ashoka University and recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research. During her undergraduate degree, she explored her interests in International Relations as a summer student at King’s College London, where she took courses in Conflict Studies. At Rostrum, she is eager to apply her skills to guide students and make a meaningful impact on their academic journeys after school
Rishabh Munjal
Associate
A passionate lawyer with experience at renowned think tanks such as the VIDHI Centre for Legal Policy, Rishabh brings a nuanced understanding of the legal landscape. As an academic writer at Rostrum, he helps students craft authentic personal statements, empowering their admission to top universities worldwide. Beyond work, Rishabh is fascinated by world cinema, exploring diverse films and storytelling, and draws inspiration from filmmakers like Kiarostami, Haneke, and Godard, an interest that enriches his understanding of global culture and artistry.
Alivia Banerjee
Associate
Alivia Banerjee is a Counselling Associate at Rostrum Education, where she draws on her background in English Literature to support students in achieving their academic goals. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature from the University of Calcutta and has two years of experience with the British Council’s English and Exams team. A lifelong learner and reader, she has also completed a postgraduate diploma in International Human Rights and Refugee Law from the Indian Society of International Law.
