Governing Board

Our Governing Board is dedicated to our mission of creating real and lasting change in the lives of children in need in India.

Harpal Singh (Chairman) has long and wide ranging experience in the corporate and social sectors and has held leadership positions in the automobile, consumer products and healthcare sectors. He was non executive Chairman of India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy and is currently the mentor and Chairman Emeritus of Fortis Healthcare. Whilst chairing the Impact Group, he sits on the Board of the Escorts Heart Institute and Religare Enterprises. He sits on some of India's most renowned school and university Boards and is a member of the National Round Table on School Education. He is also a member of India-UK Round Table, India-US Strategic Dialogue and of the Public Health Foundation of India. He is Founder Chairman Trustee of Nanhi Chhaan and Chronic Care Foundations. He is currently also a member of the International Save the Children board.

Arun Maira (Chairman Emeritus) was appointed a Member of the Planning Commission in the Government of India in July 2009.He is a thought leader and writer on the subjects of transformational change and leadership. He is a frequent speaker at international forums on the future of India and is the author of several books including “Transforming Capitalism: Business Leadership to Improve the World for Everyone”, and “Shaping the Future: Aspirational Leadership in India and Beyond”.He worked for 25 years in the Tata Group in India in senior management and board positions. He worked with Arthur D. Little Inc, the international management consultancy, in the USA from 1989 to 1999, and consulted with companies across the world on issues of growth strategies and transformational change. He returned to India in 2000 and was Chairman of The Boston Consulting Group in India and Save the Children India prior to joining the Planning Commission.

Manju Bharat Ram is well known for her involvement with education. She is the Founder and Chairperson of the innovative Shri Ram Schools in India which were started in 1988 with the objective of developing each student's potential to the fullest. Her other responsibilities include being a Founder Member of Charity Aid Foundation, India (CAF), since 1998 which was set up as part of the CAF International network, Chairperson of Shriram Educare a non-profit consultancy working to transform school education, Trustee and Honorary General Secretary of the Blind Relief Association, Chairperson of SRF Vidyalaya, Chennai and on the Board of Governors for Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan since 1998, an organization with over 800 schools.

Pallavi Shroff is the lead litigation partner at Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, New Delhi. She manages corporate commercial litigation as well as arbitration. She has a number of international publications to her credit. She is also an independent Director of B.A.G. Films and Media Ltd, INDUSIND BANK LTD and MARUTI UDYOG LTD.

Rajiv Kapur has been an international banker for over 20 years with assignments in multi cultural environments in India, Asia and USA. He is the founder of InvesTech. He has worked as the Managing Director of the Asia Financial Institutions Group at Bank of America. His broad range of experience includes corporate banking, restructuring, mergers and acquisition advisory services, financial advisory assignments, asset securitization, capital markets, working capital funding, syndication and structured debt financing, trade finance, capital markets and credit risk management.

Smita Parekh is the Director of Mahindra United World College. She has a Bachelor of Art from the St. Xavier’s College, University of Mumbai; she has also done her Masters in Clinical Psychology from the University of Mumbai. She is also a member of Advisory Board H R College of Commerce and Economics, Executive Committee Member of Ladies Wing of the Indian Merchants Chamber and Founder Member of the Ladies Wing Seva Sadan School for Computer Education.

Hemant Luthra is a member of the Management Board of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited and as President of Systech has grown the Engineering Services, Strategic Sourcing and Automotive Components business units to US$800 mm, with Mahindra Forging, Mahindra Casting & Mahindra Engineering as the primary drivers of this growth. He has 35 years of varied and rich work experience in Operations, Finance, Business Development and Private Equity. Hemant joined Mahindra &Mahindra as Executive Vice President – Corporate Strategy in December 2001 and has been involved in a number of Strategic initiatives across different sectors and group companies. He serves on several Boards and is the Chairman of some [including the Supervisory Boards of M&M’s German subsidiaries].Hemant founded and still supports the Lina Luthra Foundation which has worked with Mobilecreche in providing support for the education and care of street children.

N Kumar is the Vice-Chairman of The Sanmar Group. He is the Honorary Consul General of Greece in Chennai & Honorary Business Representative of the International Enterprise Singapore (formerly Singapore Trade Development Board). Mr N Kumar has a wide range of public interests going beyond the confines of corporate industrial management in health, social welfare, education and sports. One special area where Mr Kumar and the Group are involved is a Centre for Exceptional Children called the Madhuram Narayanan Centre and the Group runs a number of educational institutions.

Ravi Singh started his career as a Lecturer in History at Bhagat Singh College, Delhi University. From there he moved on to work with well known Multi National Companies like the Duetsche Bank where he spent close to two decades. He is currently the Secretary General & CEO of WWF India.

Rajendra S. Pawar is Chairman and co-founder of the NIIT Group that encompasses two businesses - NIIT Limited, the leading Global Talent Development Corporation and NIIT Technologies Limited, the software and services organization. A visionary in creating sustainable models for education, growth and talent development, Mr. Pawar is a member of the Indian Prime Minister’s National Council on Skill Development and has also served on the Prime Minister’s National Taskforce commissioned to develop India into an IT Superpower. Actively involved in India’s Chambers of Commerce.He is currently a member of the International Business Council at the World Economic Forum. He is also on the Board of Governors of India’s premier educational institutions - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore and the Scindia School. Currently a member of India’s Planning Commission’s Consultative Group on Higher Education, his focus is - NIIT University, a not-for-profit University set up with a vision of being a leading center of innovation and learning in emerging areas of education. In recognition of distinguished service to the nation in Industry and Trade, he was conferred with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in early 2011.