Prof M S Swaminathan, Patron and Emeritus Chair
He is the founder and chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and is deeply committed for the cause of sustainable food and nutrition security to all. He is known as the “Father of Indian Green Revolution” for his leadership in successfully introducing and developing the high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the founder and patron of the Coalition of Food and Nutrition Security. The Coalition was formed under his able leadership following a large consultation on nutrition security held at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai in August 2007.
Mr. Bhaskar Barua, Board Chair
Mr. Bhaskar Barua, the Former Secretary to the Government of India is the current Chairman of the Board of Coalition of Food and Nutrition Security. He is also a member (Non-Official) of Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Assam. His commitment is towards value-based governance, transparency, inclusive approach to coalition building, advocacy for strategic convergence for sustainable food and nutrition security in India. He has a deep understanding and knowledge about the working of government systems. His long and incomparable experience and expertise is highly valued for the Coalition and we wish to take our agenda of sustainable food and nutrition security forward under his competent guidance and leadership.
Dr. Ramesh Chandra Panda, Board Member
Dr R.C. Panda, is a distinguished IAS officer and retired Secretary, Government of India and Member of Executive Committee of POSHAN Abhiyaan. Dr Panda has provided thought leadership to India’s Jal Jeevan Mission, Clean India Mission and Total Sanitation Campaign. He has extensive experience in steering Dairy and Oil seeds Cooperatives movement and social business model under the aegis of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and has been conferred with Bharat Gourab Samman for his contribution in Social Business Cooperative in dairy and vegetable oil sector. As Former Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and Member, Central Administrative Tribunal, he has championed corporate governance and CSR Models in the social development sector. He has authored various research articles and publications.
Mr. Nilamadhab Prusty, Board Vice Chair
Mr. Nilamadhab Prusty, Board Vice Chair; is a recipient of Global Best Practice award for Innovation in Social Housing and finalist for the NASSCOM Foundation’s Tech for Social Good innovation award, the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship and Ramon Magsaysay Award. He has a distinguished career spanning over 45 years in Government, Corporate, International Development Agencies and NGOs both national and international. He had the privilege of getting mentored by legendary leaders like late Dr. V G Patel and late Dr. V Kurien.
Post retirement he is active in social development and humanitarian action, he sits in several governing boards of both national and international organizations as Member, Vice Chair and Chair (Vision Spring, Digital Green, Humanitarian Aid International, CFNS), advisor to government (Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, Working Group Member in NITI Ayog) and CSR organizations (Sr. Advisor to HCL Foundation), Mentor to CARE and NIMHANS led mental health and humanitarian programs) and several development focused people centric innovations, programs, people and organizations.
Shri Ranglal Jamuda, Board Secretary
Shri Ranglal Jamuda joined the Indian Administrative service in 1981 and superannuated in 2016. After Superannuation, he became the first chairperson for the Odisha State food commission for a term of 3 years. He worked for about 35 Years in the Government both State and central to discharge functions in important sectors like Agriculture, Education, Energy, Industry, Land Revenue, Rural Development, Food Processing etc. and also in State PSUs. He is associates with several policy making initiatives in agriculture and food production, food processing industries, rural infrastructure development, quality education in primary, secondary and tertiary levels, power sector reforms (Odisha state was the pioneer) tribal welfare, disaster management etc.
Mr. M Ramesh Babu, Board Treasurer
Mr. M. Ramesh Babu has been in the development and disaster management fields over last 25 years. He is the Executive Director of EFICOR, a national relief and development organization, based in New Delhi. He has vast field implementation experience in the thematic areas of Livelihood, Maternal and Child health, Disaster Risk Reduction and Urban resilience. He has been in the part of senior management for last one decade and now heads the organization which is reputed and certified by the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS). He has the ability to steer the team towards optimum outcomes by creating a result-oriented environment without compromising the values and program quality and also to build the team with a win-win attitude. His experience of fields, management and advocacy will greatly add value to the coalition in taking food and nutrition security agenda forward to help the poor and socially excluded.
C. Arthur Worchuiyo, CFNS Board Member
C. Arthur Worchuiyo, CFNS Board Member is into Indian Administrative Service (2007 Batch), Manipur Cadre. Presently, he is Secretary to Government of Manipur Department of Minor Irrigation, Special Secretary to Government of Manipur Department of Tribal Affairs & Hills, Director- Tribal Affairs & Hills, Manipur, Director- Tribal Research Institute (TRI), Manipur, OSD to Chief Secretary for Skill Development, Managing Director- Manipur Tribal Development Corporation Limited, Manipur. He has served as District Magistrate in Tamenglong, Senpatai and Imphal West Districts and was Head of the Department for Higher and Technical Education, Trade Commerce and Industries, Transport and Skill Development.
He is also recipient of commendation medal from Registrar General of India for conduction of 2001 census, commendation award from Election Commission of India for conduction of 2012 Assembly Elections and recipient of CM’s award for Good Governance 2020-2021.
Prof. Tilak Raj Sharma, Board Member
Prof. Tilak Raj Sharma, a well-known Plant Molecular Biologist, is presently leading the Indian agriculture sector as Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, Government of India. Earlier he contributed in the establishment and development of several prominent Indian institutes like National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali (Executive Director), Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (Chief Executive Officer), National Institute for Plant Biotechnology (Project Director) and Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (OSD). For his outstanding research contributions, Dr. Sharma has been awarded various awards and Dr. Sharma is the fellow of all four national academies viz; Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Sharma has contributed extensively to the improvement of rice for over 30 years. Dr. Sharma has guided 25 Ph D students in Agricultural Biotechnology. He has published more than 180 research papers, have four patents and associated in the development of three blast resistant rice varieties.