Shiv brings expertise in finance and marketing – a former banker, he has worked with large multinationals including Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank during his career. Subsequently, going on to join his family business of hospitality, today he is a well-recognised social entrepreneur. Shiv has also started production of Jojoba Oil in the north western state of Rajasthan, he is the largest grower and manufacturer in India and has expanded to a direct-to-consumer retail business. In his entrepreneurial journey, Shiv has also developed the Indian market for low-cost vacuum sewage systems including building awareness of zero human contact with sewage and introducing energy and water saving systems for a greener future.

Shiv holds a Masters Degree from Cardiff Business School and a Bachelor of Science from IILM. He is an alumni of the Doon School, Dehra Dun. He has a passion for wildlife photography – something he continues to pursue today.

A lawyer with 20 years’ experience, Priyanka co-founded Quad Law Associates in 2016, a boutique law firm specializing in Dispute Resolution (Litigation & Arbitration). She is widely recognized for her work in anti-bribery matters, specifically those involving issues under the U.S. FCPA, UK Bribery Act and the Indian Prevention of Corruption Act.

As co-founder of the BORBHAG Foundations, she leads the Foundation’s efforts of providing legal assistance to marginalized communities and educational opportunities to those who seek them. Priyanka has always sought for opportunities to make a positive difference to lives around her.

She lives in Delhi with her husband and daughter and when she is not wearing her work hat, she is found traveling, gardening, cooking for people.

Priyanka received her BCL Degree (European & Comparative Law) from the Oxford University, B.A. (Honours) English and LL.B degrees from the Delhi University, and completed her schooling from Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.

Balinder brings with him thirty years of experience in corporate and public affairs – with deep relationships across a wide swathe of stakeholders.  Having worked across sectors, Balinder has engaged virtually every corner of the Indian ecosystem through his work with international and domestic corporations, helping them to navigate one of the world’s most complex yet opportune business environments.

He has had success in building coalitions and working with corporations, NGOs, government departments, media and communications agencies. He has worked in cross-functional, remote and international teams both within a single organization and across entities. Balinder has consulted several Fortune 500 companies and Indian Blue Chips across a diverse set of industries including infrastructure projects, insurance and financial services, aviation, telecommunications & IT, consumer goods and hospitality and quick service restaurants. He has also executed public affairs programs in Sri Lanka. Sustainability and implementation of clean technologies are areas of special interest.

Balinder holds a degree in Commerce from Punjab University, and can be found poring over the editorials on a quiet morning.

A visionary tea professional, with his empowering business philosophies, ethical approach and local expertise in the North East Region, Mr. Goswami is a sought after Organizational Consultant for the Corporate Sector. In his long and illustrious career, spanning over five decades, Mr. Goswami has received great admiration both from industrial quarters as well as governmental institutions for his achievements and management qualities.

Mr. Goswami has diverse expertise on the tea industry, including in-depth knowledge on day-to-day management and operations of the industry, wide experience in handling labour and local issues and diversification programs within the tea industry. Having successfully run profitable ventures within tea estates, he is proficient with the entire spectrum of marketing and packaging teas. Mr. Goswami was instrumental in setting up one of the first tea tourism company in Assam and also in getting Assam’s first ISO 9002 certification for Hattiali Tea Estate.

Mr. M.P. Bezbaruah, in his experience of over four decades in the Indian Administrative Service, has held portfolios across all key sectors including Tourism Secretary, Government of India. He is well recognised for his contribution in International Cooperation, Tourism as well as an illustrious tenure in North East India.

Mr. Bezbaruah, is accredited with adding a new dimension to Tourism development in India by drafting the National Tourism Policy and launching the intensive marketing campaign “Experience India” which blossomed into the very successful “Incredible India” campaign. Apart from innumerable articles in national & international journals and speeches in international conferences, he has also authored three books on Tourism. As the Minister (Economic) in the High Commission of India, London, Mr. Bezbaruah, also played a role in India’s first economic liberalisation and piloted the formation of the Indo-British Partnership. Recently he was Chairman of the Committee of Ministry of Home Affairs on the concerns of the people of NE in Metropolitan areas- popularly referred to as the Bezbaruah Committee. Currently, he is also Member, NITI Forum for North East.

Mr. Bezbaruah has been Member/Chairman of numerous national & international organisation, including Chairman of the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology and RBI’s Banking Ombudsman. He holds a BA (Hons) from Gauhati University and a Masters Degree from Delhi School of Economics as well as a Master of Public Administration Degree (MPA) from Harvard University.

Mrs. Sheela Bhide, brings over three decades experience in the Indian Administrative Service, holding key portfolios with the Central Government and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

During her tenure with the Government, Mrs. Bhide, was responsible for promotion of industry & foreign trade, budget & finances for foreign aid, corporate governance as well as procurement for defence equipment. Recently, Mrs. Bhide also Chaired the Committee appointed to oversee distribution of assets and liabilities of government companies & corporations as part of the bifurcation between the Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. She holds multiple honors & awards including the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration. Mrs. Bhide also brings extensive consultancy experience including with the MSME sector and sustainable development.

Mrs. Bhide holds an MBA in Financial Management from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU); PhD in International Trade from Institut de Hautes Etudes Internationales, Universite de Geneve; M.A. Economics from George Mason University; Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the John F. Kennedy School of Government- Harvard University; M.A. Political Science, Poona University, India and a B.A. Political Science, History, French, from Fergusson College.

Rajni Sekhri Sibal is an IAS of the Haryana cadre; 1986 batch. She recently retired as Secretary, Government of India covering diverse portfolios including Fisheries, Agriculture Home Affairs and Skill Development. She is the first lady to have topped the All India Civil Service Examinations. She also brings experience of working in the private sector and is a widely published author. At present Ms. Sekhri is the Independent External Monitor of SEBI, the Security Exchange

Mr. M Ramsekhar brings over two decades experience in the Indian Administrative Service, having worked extensively in the areas of urban development, industrial and economic development, infrastructure, transport, and governance. He also possesses experience working in senior positions in private sector and consulting.

Widely respected for leading large and complex organizations, Mr. Ramsekhar is also known for stabilizing and growing businesses and helping strengthen reforms and improving governance. He has served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited, and led IPE Global, a leading player in the development sector in South Asia. Prior to this, he was CEO of CRISIL Risk & Infrastructure Solutions and Chief Strategy Officer for GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd.

Mr. Ramsekhar holds a MPA Public and Economic Policy, Urban Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); MPA Infrastructure Finance and Regulation, Columbia University in the City of New York. He also holds a B.Tech (Mech Engg) from SV University College of Engineering.

Mr. Navin Kumar Maini brings over four decades of extensive experience in commercial and development banking. A career banker , he has worked with UCO Bank, IDBI, and retired as the Deputy Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the premier financial institution for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India. Simultaneously, he was Chairman of the Boards of SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd, SIDBI Trustee Co. Ltd, Indian SME Asset Reconstruction Co. Ltd, Indian SME Technology Services Ltd and Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises.

Mr. Maini is currently, amongst others, on the Boards of NSE Clearing Ltd, Capital Small Finance Bank Ltd, Ugro Capital Ltd, AYE Finance Limited and Access Assist; he is also on the Advisory Boards of IvyCap Venture Fund and Lok Capital Group, besides being a Member of the Innovation and Transformation Board, Govt of Tripura. Mr. Maini is widely sought after for his expertise and is an eminent speaker in the fields of development banking and microfinance. He is a recipient of the prestigious “Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Micro Finance Sector” instituted by HSBC and Access Development Services.

He is a graduate from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and holds a Degree in Law. He also has postgraduate qualifications in Management from MDI and in International Trade from IIFT, besides being a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (CAIIB). He has undergone top management programmes at Harvard, Stanford and Cranfield Schools of Management.

Dr. Amiya K. Sharma brings on board several years of vast experience across academia, both in India and the United States. He is Executive Director, Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (RGVN), an organization working on creating an enabling environment where the poor and underprivileged can ensure sustainable livelihood with dignity.

Dr. Sharma, leads a diverse team in implementing projects with a vision to empower local communities, contribute towards sustainable well-being and economic empowerment. This, across the realms of institution building & women cooperatives, food security, skill development for livelihood and enhancing market linkages for weaver communities. He also brings in depth expertise of nurturing and strengthening grassroots level initiatives of NGOs and community owned institutions.

Dr. Sharma is a Member of various Committees including National Committee on Social & Economic Development, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and Executive Member of Centre for Micro Finance & Livelihood (CML) set up by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in the NER. He holds an M.A. degree from the Delhi School of Economics and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, U.S.A.

Prof. Bhagat Oinam is well respected in the academic fraternity having held multiple teaching positions in his illustrious career of over three decades. He is currently Professor, Centre for Philosophy, School of Social Sciences and Chairperson & Concurrent Faculty, Special Centre for the Study of North East India Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Prof. Oinam is credited with expanding the horizons of research and teaching on North East India – a rarity in the country. He has facilitated a holistic understanding of the region across diverse aspects including social, economic & political change, livelihood studies, border trade, global capital and institutions, conflict, peace and security studies, amongst others, bringing together different epistemic perspectives with strong commitment to multi-disciplinary research.

Prof. Oinam also has extensive international exposure delivering multiple lectures and is widely published in journals and anthologies on diverse topics across the country. He is a well-respected author, having co-authored Northeast India: A Reader, Perspectives on Manipuri Culture. His areas of specialisation include Phenomenology and Existentialism; Moral, Social and Cultural Philosophy; Philosophical Anthropology; Aesthetics. He holds a M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Philosophy.

Mr. Mrinal Talukdar is a Seasoned Journalist, Filmmaker, with a passion for the development sector. Spanning a career over three & a half decades, across all platforms of Print, News Agency, Television, and Digital, he has emerged as one of the most trusted face of Assam’s television.

With fourteen books, both in Assamese and English, seven of which are best sellers, Mr. Talukdar is considered one of the most respected writers of Assam. He specializes on the Post-independence Assam and most known for “Mautam” & “Post-Colonial Assam”. Within the development sector, he brings expertise in improving the quality of life for children, and is credited for setting up the first smart village in the North Eastern state of Assam, empowering local communities and bringing access to sanitation, solar and drinking water.

Mr. Talukdar is a regular guest faculty, teaching conflict situation of North East, Mass Communication and Connectivity of ASEAN countries. He holds a post-graduation in Mass Communication through Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and a Bachelors’ Degree from Gauhati University. He is an agriculturalist by passion, with interest in tea and Biofloc fishery, is involved in Organic Community farming.

Mr. Rohinton Babaycon brings over four decades of rich & diversified experience in the plantation sector spanning across Tea, Rubber, Cash crops, Horticulture.  As Chief Executive (Tea Division) of Andrew Yule & Co. Ltd. , a Public Sector Undertaking of Govt. of India, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Mr. Babaycon played a key role in turning the division out of the out of BIFR and Draft Rehabilitation Scheme.

Mr. Babaycon has deep understanding of implementation of ISO 9001:2015, 14001, 22000 & HACCP related projects & Quality Control, ETP and Rainforest Alliance Compliance, Organic conversion both in Darjeeling and Assam Gardens. With IDH India, Mr Babaycon assisted in developing and scaling ‘Agri Entrepreneurs’ in the Assam Bengal and South India on the Small tea Growers Platform and developing alternate income strategies.

He is possibly one of the first Tea Executives’ from Assam to take a sabbatical to pursue his MBA, which he earned in International Business from Western Sydney University.