TRUSTEES

Mr. Basak, a retired IAS officer, served the Government of Maharashtra in various capacities including, as Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board, and Secretary of Water Conservation and EGS. Besides, he held several other important positions such as the CEO of Bhir Zilla Parishad, Collector for Nasik and Nanded Districts, as well as Commissioner, Dairy Development.
Mr. Basak has a wealth of knowledge and experience in diverse facets of development administration. He assumed the Chairmanship of WOTR in 2016.

With an illustrious career predominantly in natural resource management and participatory watershed development, Mr. Crispino Lobo stands as a beacon in the world of integrated water resources management. His expertise is highly sought-after and revered in development circles globally.

From 1989 to 2001, Mr. Lobo spearheaded efforts as the Program Coordinator of the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP). His visionary outlook didn’t just stop there. In 1993, he co-founded WOTR, marking the beginning of a series of successful philanthropic endeavors. Following this, he played a pivotal role in establishing three more impactful nonprofits: Sampada Trust (ST), Sanjeevani Institute of Empowerment and Development (SIED), and Sampada Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Foundation (SELF). Mr. Lobo also serves as a member of the national committee entrusted with the task of creating a robust framework for village-level climate change adaptation plans under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

An alumnus of India’s Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) and the globally renowned Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, USA, Mr. Lobo’s academic credentials are as impressive as his professional milestones.

Dr. D’Souza is the Director of the WOTR Center for Resilience Studies (W-CReS). She was also the Director of WOTR from 2006 to March 2019. A trained doctor and Takemi Fellow from the Harvard School of Public Health, she worked with rural communities in Peru before joining WOTR in 1995.

In 2009, as Managing Director, Dr. D’Souza initiated the Climate Change Adaptation in Semi-arid Regions of three Indian states. The project was supported by Swiss Development Cooperation and the National Bank for Rural Development and aims to develop methods, procedures and tools for adapting to climate change in semi-arid regions.

In 2007, she founded W-CReS, WOTR’s research facility to promote trans-disciplinary research in the interests of policy planning, implementation and the well-being of the rural population.

Ms. Thadani has had two careers, the first in the Indian government and the next in the corporate sector. As member of the Indian Revenue Service, she worked until 1995 in the Finance, Defence and Textile Ministries, including as Registrar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology. She was with HSBC in India until 2012, when she moved to Hong Kong to head Corporate Sustainability for HSBC in Asia Pacific, home to the Bank’s largest and most strategic markets. “Sustainable businesses and communities for a sustainable future”, was the credo that she strived to embed in the Bank’s strategic business framework. Education, particularly skills and work readiness, and the environment, were the pillars of the Group’s community investment initiatives. She developed several global and regional grant based programme across the 19 markets where HSBC has a presence. Ms. Thadani has recently joined the Board of Pune City Connect, a not-for profit that seeks to prepare India’s youth for skills that will guide them to employability or entrepreneurship. She has two Master’s Degrees – one in History from Delhi University, India, and the other in Public Administration from Ohio University, USA and is a graduate of the Cycle Special Etranger at the Ecole Nationale ed’ Administration (ENA) in Paris, France.

With a career spanning over 44 years in development finance and rural livelihoods, Mr. N. Srinivasan is a highly sought after expert in the realm of development banking and economics. His nuanced expertise, cultivated through his tenures at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), along with 15 years as an independent consultant, encompasses macro framework assessments, policy advice, and various facets of project and organisational management.

A respected author, Mr. Srinivasan has contributed significantly to the literature in his field, penning pivotal reports and books on agriculture and microfinance. His current engagements involve contributing his profound knowledge to various boards and advisory committees, such as Equitas Small Finance Bank and Samunnati Financial Intermediation. He also consults with global institutions such as World Bank, IFAD, and GIZ on development finance and livelihoods.

Mr. Srinivasan’s academic accomplishments include a Masters in Economics and a Certificate in Training and Development from the University of Manchester, UK.

Mr. Basak, a retired IAS officer, served the Government of Maharashtra in various capacities including, as Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board, and Secretary of Water Conservation and EGS. Besides, he held several other important positions such as the CEO of Bhir Zilla Parishad, Collector for Nasik and Nanded Districts, as well as Commissioner, Dairy Development.
Mr. Basak has a wealth of knowledge and experience in diverse facets of development administration. He assumed the Chairmanship of WOTR in 2016.

With an illustrious career predominantly in natural resource management and participatory watershed development, Mr. Crispino Lobo stands as a beacon in the world of integrated water resources management. His expertise is highly sought-after and revered in development circles globally.

From 1989 to 2001, Mr. Lobo spearheaded efforts as the Program Coordinator of the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP). His visionary outlook didn’t just stop there. In 1993, he co-founded WOTR, marking the beginning of a series of successful philanthropic endeavors. Following this, he played a pivotal role in establishing three more impactful nonprofits: Sampada Trust (ST), Sanjeevani Institute of Empowerment and Development (SIED), and Sampada Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Foundation (SELF). Mr. Lobo also serves as a member of the national committee entrusted with the task of creating a robust framework for village-level climate change adaptation plans under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

An alumnus of India’s Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) and the globally renowned Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, USA, Mr. Lobo’s academic credentials are as impressive as his professional milestones.

Dr. D’Souza is the Director of the WOTR Center for Resilience Studies (W-CReS). She was also the Director of WOTR from 2006 to March 2019. A trained doctor and Takemi Fellow from the Harvard School of Public Health, she worked with rural communities in Peru before joining WOTR in 1995.

In 2009, as Managing Director, Dr. D’Souza initiated the Climate Change Adaptation in Semi-arid Regions of three Indian states. The project was supported by Swiss Development Cooperation and the National Bank for Rural Development and aims to develop methods, procedures and tools for adapting to climate change in semi-arid regions.

In 2007, she founded W-CReS, WOTR’s research facility to promote trans-disciplinary research in the interests of policy planning, implementation and the well-being of the rural population.

Ms. Thadani has had two careers, the first in the Indian government and the next in the corporate sector. As member of the Indian Revenue Service, she worked until 1995 in the Finance, Defence and Textile Ministries, including as Registrar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

She was with HSBC in India until 2012, when she moved to Hong Kong to head Corporate Sustainability for HSBC in Asia Pacific, home to the Bank’s largest and most strategic markets. “Sustainable businesses and communities for a sustainable future”, was the credo that she strived to embed in the Bank’s strategic business framework. Education, particularly skills and work readiness, and the environment, were the pillars of the Group’s community investment initiatives. She developed several global and regional grant based programme across the 19 markets where HSBC has a presence.

Ms. Thadani has recently joined the Board of Pune City Connect, a not-for profit that seeks to prepare India’s youth for skills that will guide them to employability or entrepreneurship.

She has two Master’s Degrees – one in History from Delhi University, India, and the other in Public Administration from Ohio University, USA and is a graduate of the Cycle Special Etranger at the Ecole Nationale ed’ Administration (ENA) in Paris, France.

With a career spanning over 44 years in development finance and rural livelihoods, Mr. N. Srinivasan is a highly sought after expert in the realm of development banking and economics. His nuanced expertise, cultivated through his tenures at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), along with 15 years as an independent consultant, encompasses macro framework assessments, policy advice, and various facets of project and organisational management.

A respected author, Mr. Srinivasan has contributed significantly to the literature in his field, penning pivotal reports and books on agriculture and microfinance. His current engagements involve contributing his profound knowledge to various boards and advisory committees, such as Equitas Small Finance Bank and Samunnati Financial Intermediation. He also consults with global institutions such as World Bank, IFAD, and GIZ on development finance and livelihoods.

Mr. Srinivasan’s academic accomplishments include a Masters in Economics and a Certificate in Training and Development from the University of Manchester, UK.

EMERITUS TRUSTEES

A well-known and respected freedom fighter and champion of the poor, Dr. Parikh is one of the pillars of the Yusuf Meherally Centre, an institution engaged in rural re-empowerment. Dr. Parikh continues to practice medicine at his clinic in Mumbai. He is also associated with the Khadi Gramodyog Andolan.

WOTR is honored to have had Dr. Parikh as a member of its Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2017.

A well-known and respected freedom fighter and champion of the poor, Dr. Parikh is one of the pillars of the Yusuf Meherally Centre, an institution engaged in rural re-empowerment. Dr. Parikh continues to practice medicine at his clinic in Mumbai. He is also associated with the Khadi Gramodyog Andolan.

WOTR is honored to have had Dr. Parikh as a member of its Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2017.

Known as the ‘Father of people-led watershed development’ in Maharashtra, Father Bacher conceptualized, designed and launched the well-known Indo-German Watershed Development Program. The successful implementation of this large-scale bilateral program laid the foundations of the National Watershed Development Fund at NABARD, by the Government of India in 1999. This also gave impetus for the creation of a huge pool of skilled personnel and pedagogies that facilitated widespread up-scaling of participatory watershed development across the country.

Though Fr. Bacher was born and raised in Switzerland, he made Maharashtra his home early in his youth. For over 60 years, he worked closely with the rural communities to implement integrated watershed and water resources development programs. In 1993, he co-founded WOTR and served as its first Chairman.

A well-known and respected freedom fighter and champion of the poor, Dr. Parikh is one of the pillars of the Yusuf Meherally Centre, an institution engaged in rural re-empowerment. Dr. Parikh continues to practice medicine at his clinic in Mumbai. He is also associated with the Khadi Gramodyog Andolan.

WOTR is honored to have Dr. Parikh as a member of its Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2017.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Ms. Malini Thadani is also a Trustee of WOTR. She has had two careers, the first in the Indian government and the next in the corporate sector. As member of the Indian Revenue Service, she worked until1995 in the Finance, Defence and Textile Ministries, including as Registrar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology. She was with HSBC in India until 2012, when she moved to Hong Kong to head Corporate Sustainability for HSBC in Asia Pacific, home to the Bank’s largest and most strategic markets. “Sustainable businesses and communities for a sustainable future”, was the credo that she strived to embed in the Bank’s strategic business framework. Education, particularly skills and work readiness, and the environment, were the pillars of the Group’s community investment initiatives. She developed several global and regional grant based programme across the 19 markets where HSBC has a presence. She has recently joined the Board of Pune City Connect, a not-for profit that seeks to prepare India’s youth for skills that will guide them to employability or entrepreneurship. She has two Master’s Degrees – one in History from Delhi University, India, and the other in Public Administration from Ohio University, USA and is a graduate of the Cycle Special Etranger at the Ecole Nationale ed’ Administration (ENA) in Paris, France.

Mr. Shah runs IndAsia, a corporate finance and investment advisory company. He played an instrumental role in establishing Housing Development Finance Corporation – the first retail housing finance company in India, as well as CRISIL – the first and largest credit rating agency in India.

He was a member of the Justice Easwar Committee appointed by Government of India for simplifying the Income Tax Act and was appointed as Member, Banks Board Bureau. Mr. Shah has served on several expert committees of state and central governments and was also the Director on the Regional Board of the Reserve Bank of India. He is also a part of the Governing Boards of Chambers of Commerce and several non-profit organisations.

Dr. Venkateswarlu retired as the Vice Chancellor of the Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. Prior to that, he was the Director of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).For over 40 years, Dr. Venkateswarlu worked as the Research and Administrative Manager in Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). With rich experience and knowledge in the area of climate change and soil fertility management, he played a key role in conceptualizing and implementing one of the largest network projects on climate change known as National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). Dr. Vekateswarlu has been a part of several expert committees within and outside the Government that help prepare, implement, approve, monitor and evaluate climate change related projects in India. He is also associated with expert committees of the Ministry of Agriculture, NITI Ayog, DBT, DST, and NABARD.
Mr. Haribhakti & Co. LLP, with over four decades of experience in developing and leading one of India’s most respected and diversified Chartered Accounting firms – Haribhakti & Co. LLP Chartered Accountants. He is currently the Non-Executive Chairman of L&T Finance Holdings Limited, L&T Mutual Fund and Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited. His other Key Directorships are: Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (Times Group), Blue Star Limited, NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, Ambuja Cements Limited, ACC Limited and Gaja Capital Group. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of Doha Bank and Excellence Enablers Private Limited. Mr. Haribhakti actively promotes “shared value” creation and a green environment through his own enterprise Planet People & Profit Consulting Private Limited and his leadership roles as Chairman of United Way, and Chairman/Member of the CSR committees of some of the Boards that he serves on. He has successfully established the concept of “Innovate to Zero” which is in alignment with the idea of making the impact of every intervention focused, widespread, co-operative and far-reaching. Mr. Haribhakti has a passion for teaching, writing and public speaking. He was associated with IIM-Ahmedabad as visiting faculty from 1981-83. He has led BMA, IIA (Mumbai), ICAI (WIRC), IMC, FPSB and Rotary Club of Bombay over the last several decades.
Mrs. Ganesh has three decades of success in corporate and entrepreneurial ventures in diverse sectors including manufacturing, media, banking, education and IT. Before starting her entrepreneurial journey, Mrs. Ganesh was the Chief Corporate Development Officer at HSBC, where she was responsible for Next-Gen transformation in the bank’s global in-house centres in the Asian footprints. As an entrepreneur, her first stint was with ZEE Media Group, with the mandate to build a scalable new business in education as an offshoot of the primary media business. The second venture is Global Talent Track which attracted investment by Intel Capital, CISCO and Helion Ventures. This venture is one of the leading vocational skills companies that use the blended learning model and acts as the bridge between academia and the industry and has so far impacted one million youth in the country. The third venture she has cofounded is 5F World which has focused on investment in digital startups, digital transformation-related consulting and the Centre for AI and Advanced Analytics. Mrs. Ganesh has been part of the leadership network on several industry forums, including CII, NHRD Network, Bombay Management Association, and Indian Women’s Network (IWN).
Ms. Namita Vikas is a senior business leader with 30 years of diverse global experience in climate change strategy and sustainability across sectors including Banking, Technology and FMCG. She was ranked one of the “Leading Women in Business Sustainability” by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and has been globally recognized as “Sustainability Leader of the Year” by Ethical Corporation, UK in 2017. In 2018, she was named one of “Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen” by CSRWorks International. In 2019, she was featured in the list of “India’s Top 100 Women in Finance” by Association of International Wealth Management of India. Her well-rounded and non-linear experience spans specializations in climate strategy & finance, green banking, triple bottom line accounting, large scale sustainable development projects and public policy. She introduced Responsible Banking to India, launching first-ever Green Bonds, several green & sustainable wholesale and retail financial products and raising over USD 1 billion capital and credit lines towards mainstream green finance, while at YES BANK, a large Indian private bank. She set up YES FOUNDATION, with one of its programs, featuring in Limca Book of Records. Ms. Vikas is a prominent voice at influential national and international platforms like UN General Assembly, Economists Ocean Summit and G20, amongst others. She was elected as Chairperson of UN Natural Capital Finance Alliance and member of Global Steering Committee of UNEP FI. She also served on advisory councils/boards of International Capital Market Association’s Green Bonds Executive Committee, Black Jaguar Foundation, Brazil, We Mean Business, (a global nonprofit coalition working towards climate action) and Bureau of Indian Standards.
Mr. Kurien has been in the business of building brands for over 35 years now, particularly in the fields of Media, Marketing and Communications. He is the Founder-Promoter/Director of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Dish TV India Ltd., and India.com. Besides, he is also the Founder-Partner for Ambience Advertising, Hanmer & Partners Public Relations, and is the Director of Livinguard AG. Mr. Kurien believes in commitment to society and is involved with a number of charities, NGOs and social service organisations as well as having his own charitable ‘Ammada Trust’, working for orphanages, old-age homes, and NGOs working for underprivileged children. The Ammada Trust has also started funding rainwater-harvesting water projects and has, successfully completed several projects in rural areas which will provide the respective villages with water in the years to come. This has already benefitted thousands of villagers.
Dr. Y.S.P. Thorat who retired as Chairman, NABARD in November 2007, was till recently Executive Chairman of the Dryland Farming Commission and Chairman of the Agriculture Universities Recruitment Board, Government of Maharashtra. His current appointments include- Adjunct Professor, Department of Economics, Shivaji University (Kolhapur), Advisor at Pravara Rural Education Society, Member of Managing Council and Executive Committee Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, CEO Rajiv Gandhi Trust, Director, Britannia Limited, Go Air and Bombay Burmah Trading Company Limited. In addition to being on the Boards of several companies including Tata Chemicals, Dr. Thorat was Adjunct Professor, Yashwantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, Kolhapur and Secretary General, Pravara Rural Education Society. He was on the Board of the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune, Chairman of the Indian Society of Agriculture Economics, and Member of the Senate and Academic Council, Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Dr. Thorat is a university ranker having received the prestigious Gopal Krishna Gokhale Award for being the best student of Political Science amongst all Universities in Maharashtra.

Ms. Malini Thadani is also a Trustee of WOTR.
She has had two careers, the first in the Indian government and the next in the corporate sector. As member of the Indian Revenue Service, she worked until1995 in the Finance, Defence and Textile Ministries, including as Registrar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

She was with HSBC in India until 2012, when she moved to Hong Kong to head Corporate Sustainability for HSBC in Asia Pacific, home to the Bank’s largest and most strategic markets. “Sustainable businesses and communities for a sustainable future”, was the credo that she strived to embed in the Bank’s strategic business framework. Education, particularly skills and work readiness, and the environment, were the pillars of the Group’s community investment initiatives. She developed several global and regional grant based programme across the 19 markets where HSBC has a presence.

She has recently joined the Board of Pune City Connect, a not-for profit that seeks to prepare India’s youth for skills that will guide them to employability or entrepreneurship.

She has two Master’s Degrees – one in History from Delhi University, India, and the other in Public Administration from Ohio University, USA and is a graduate of the Cycle Special Etranger at the Ecole Nationale ed’ Administration (ENA) in Paris, France.

Mr. Shah runs IndAsia, a corporate finance and investment advisory company. He played an instrumental role in establishing Housing Development Finance Corporation – the first retail housing finance company in India, as well as CRISIL – the first and largest credit rating agency in India.

He was a member of the Justice Easwar Committee appointed by Government of India for simplifying the Income Tax Act and was appointed as Member, Banks Board Bureau. Mr. Shah has served on several expert committees of state and central governments and was also the Director on the Regional Board of the Reserve Bank of India. He is also a part of the Governing Boards of Chambers of Commerce and several non-profit organisations.

Dr. Venkateswarlu retired as the Vice Chancellor of the Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. Prior to that, he was the Director of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).For over 40 years, Dr. Venkateswarlu worked as the Research and Administrative Manager in Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). With rich experience and knowledge in the area of climate change and soil fertility management, he played a key role in conceptualizing and implementing one of the largest network projects on climate change known as National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
Dr. Vekateswarlu has been a part of several expert committees within and outside the Government that help prepare, implement, approve, monitor and evaluate climate change related projects in India. He is also associated with expert committees of the Ministry of Agriculture, NITI Ayog, DBT, DST, and NABARD.

Mr. Haribhakti & Co. LLP, with over four decades of experience in developing and leading one of India’s most respected and diversified Chartered Accounting firms – Haribhakti & Co. LLP Chartered Accountants.
He is currently the Non-Executive Chairman of L&T Finance Holdings Limited, L&T Mutual Fund and Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited. His other Key Directorships are: Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (Times Group), Blue Star Limited, NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, Ambuja Cements Limited, ACC Limited and Gaja Capital Group. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of Doha Bank and Excellence Enablers Private Limited.
Mr. Haribhakti actively promotes “shared value” creation and a green environment through his own enterprise Planet People & Profit Consulting Private Limited and his leadership roles as Chairman of United Way, and Chairman/Member of the CSR committees of some of the Boards that he serves on. He has successfully established the concept of “Innovate to Zero” which is in alignment with the idea of making the impact of every intervention focused, widespread, co-operative and far-reaching.
Mr. Haribhakti has a passion for teaching, writing and public speaking. He was associated with IIM-Ahmedabad as visiting faculty from 1981-83. He has led BMA, IIA (Mumbai), ICAI (WIRC), IMC, FPSB and Rotary Club of Bombay over the last several decades.

Mrs. Ganesh has three decades of success in corporate and entrepreneurial ventures in diverse sectors including manufacturing, media, banking, education and IT.
Before starting her entrepreneurial journey, Mrs. Ganesh was the Chief Corporate Development Officer at HSBC, where she was responsible for Next-Gen transformation in the bank’s global in-house centres in the Asian footprints. As an entrepreneur, her first stint was with ZEE Media Group, with the mandate to build a scalable new business in education as an offshoot of the primary media business. The second venture is Global Talent Track which attracted investment by Intel Capital, CISCO and Helion Ventures. This venture is one of the leading vocational skills companies that use the blended learning model and acts as the bridge between academia and the industry and has so far impacted one million youth in the country. The third venture she has cofounded is 5F World which has focused on investment in digital startups, digital transformation-related consulting and the Centre for AI and Advanced Analytics.
Mrs. Ganesh has been part of the leadership network on several industry forums, including CII, NHRD Network, Bombay Management Association, and Indian Women’s Network (IWN).

Ms. Namita Vikas is a senior business leader with 30 years of diverse global experience in climate change strategy and sustainability across sectors including Banking, Technology and FMCG. She was ranked one of the “Leading Women in Business Sustainability” by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and has been globally recognized as “Sustainability Leader of the Year” by Ethical Corporation, UK in 2017. In 2018, she was named one of “Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen” by CSRWorks International. In 2019, she was featured in the list of “India’s Top 100 Women in Finance” by Association of International Wealth Management of India.
Her well-rounded and non-linear experience spans specializations in climate strategy & finance, green banking, triple bottom line accounting, large scale sustainable development projects and public policy. She introduced Responsible Banking to India, launching first-ever Green Bonds, several green & sustainable wholesale and retail financial products and raising over USD 1 billion capital and credit lines towards mainstream green finance, while at YES BANK, a large Indian private bank. She set up YES FOUNDATION, with one of its programs, featuring in Limca Book of Records.
Ms. Vikas is a prominent voice at influential national and international platforms like UN General Assembly, Economists Ocean Summit and G20, amongst others. She was elected as Chairperson of UN Natural Capital Finance Alliance and member of Global Steering Committee of UNEP FI. She also served on advisory councils/boards of International Capital Market Association’s Green Bonds Executive Committee, Black Jaguar Foundation, Brazil, We Mean Business, (a global nonprofit coalition working towards climate action) and Bureau of Indian Standards.

Mr. Kurien has been in the business of building brands for over 35 years now, particularly in the fields of Media, Marketing and Communications. He is the Founder-Promoter/Director of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Dish TV India Ltd., and India.com. Besides, he is also the Founder-Partner for Ambience Advertising, Hanmer & Partners Public Relations, and is the Director of Livinguard AG.
Mr. Kurien believes in commitment to society and is involved with a number of charities, NGOs and social service organisations as well as having his own charitable ‘Ammada Trust’, working for orphanages, old-age homes, and NGOs working for underprivileged children. The Ammada Trust has also started funding rainwater-harvesting water projects and has, successfully completed several projects in rural areas which will provide the respective villages with water in the years to come. This has already benefitted thousands of villagers.

Dr. Y.S.P. Thorat who retired as Chairman, NABARD in November 2007, was till recently Executive Chairman of the Dryland Farming Commission and Chairman of the Agriculture Universities Recruitment Board, Government of Maharashtra. His current appointments include- Adjunct Professor, Department of Economics, Shivaji University (Kolhapur), Advisor at Pravara Rural Education Society, Member of Managing Council and Executive Committee Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, CEO Rajiv Gandhi Trust, Director, Britannia Limited, Go Air and Bombay Burmah Trading Company Limited.

In addition to being on the Boards of several companies including Tata Chemicals, Dr. Thorat was Adjunct Professor, Yashwantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, Kolhapur and Secretary General, Pravara Rural Education Society. He was on the Board of the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune, Chairman of the Indian Society of Agriculture Economics, and Member of the Senate and Academic Council, Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

Dr. Thorat is a university ranker having received the prestigious Gopal Krishna Gokhale Award for being the best student of Political Science amongst all Universities in Maharashtra.