Sara is an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune with over 30 years of applied research experience on water, livelihoods and social equity. She has been actively engaged in teaching and mentoring young development professionals in India (at IRMA, Anand and Ahmedabad University), managing large and complex regional research portfolios on water, food security and climate change in Asia (with IDRC, Canada), and advising a range of development organisations and water networks globally. Sara holds a PhD in Environmental Sociology from the University of Cambridge. She was, till December 2025, on the board of WaterAid India, and one of the Vice Presidents for the Global Network of Water Museums. Sara currently serves on the board of Wetlands International South Asia. She has published extensively on water governance and gender equity and her last co-edited book is entitled, Diverting the Flow: Gender Equity and Water in South Asia (2012).