Board of Trustees
Shri. Chiranjiv Singh
Chairman
Chiranjiv Singh is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1969 Karnataka cadre. He served as Development Commissioner of Karnataka and Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka. He has served as India’s representative in UNESCO in France for five years. A polyglot and a patron of arts and culture, Shri Chiranjiv Singh who received the France’s National order of Merit award is a man of many interests.
Dr. Smita Premchander
Member
A development consultant with over 36 years of experience, Dr. Smita Premchander has been a practitioner, researcher, teacher and advisor on issues ranging from elimination of child labour & bonded labour, social inclusion, microfinance, poverty reduction, gender-equality and women’s empowerment to food security, and conflict transformation. She has an internationally diverse work experience and has worked with agencies such as ILO, BRAC, World Bank, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and CARE-India. Smita is a founder member of Sampark, an NGO with operations in India and Nepal for more than 30 years.
Dr. N G Hegde
Member
Dr. N G Hegde is a noted Indian rural development specialist, agricultural scientist and former President and Managing Trustee of the BAIF Development Research Foundation. He is recognized for his extensive work in wasteland development, agroforestry and sustainable rural livelihoods. He specialises in Natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, cattle and livestock development, agroforestry, and wasteland rehabilitation. Pioneered and championed the “Wadi” model which lifted tens of thousands of rural and tribal families out of poverty
Ms. Renuka Chidambaram
Member
Smt. Renuka Chidambaram is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1985 Karnataka cadre who served in top bureaucratic roles for the Government of Karnataka and on international deputation with the United Nations. She served across various capacities in Karnataka, including Deputy Commissioner for Kolar and Belgaum districts, and as Principal Secretary for the Public Enterprises Department and Planning Department. Post retirement, she is active with social and developmental organizations serving on the Board of civil society organisaitons and non-profit initiatives.
Shri. Moloy Bannerjee
Member
Shri. Moloy Bannerjee, an early IIM Calcutta graduate, has been a Tata Motors executive, IIM Bangalore faculty member, software entrepreneur, consultant and mentor to start-ups. He established software and BPO ventures, served on corporate boards, and contributed to management education and philosophy. His NGO work spans watershed development, rural industrialisation and SHG training. He has also authored several publications and a book.