Dr. Yashveer Singh

A seasoned academic with deep understanding of the grassroot issues, Dr. Yashveer Singh is leading Kisan Trust into a new phase of dynamic growth and inclusion. He has been closely associated with social development initiatives and brings both institutional clarity and a deep emotional commitment to rural empowerment. As President, he oversees the Trust's strategic direction and ensures its alignment with Chaudhary Charan Singh's original vision.

President

Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh

Born in 1962 in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh is a distinguished agricultural scientist and educationist. He earned his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in agriculture with top honours and received a Ph.D. from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. Dr. Singh began his career at the Tata Energy Research Institute and later joined IARI in 1994 as a scientist. He rose to become Head of the Genetics Division in 2014 and was appointed Director and Vice Chancellor of IARI in 2020, a role he held until June 2024. He has developed 25 high-yielding crop varieties and mentored over 35 Ph.D. scholars. Widely recognised for his work, Dr. Singh has received numerous awards from the Indian National Science Academy, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and other prestigious institutions.

Trustee

Mrs. Charu Singh

Mrs. Charu Singh was appointed as an Honorary Trustee of Kisan Trust on March 18, 2024. She holds a B.Com (Honours) degree from Delhi University's Venkateswara College and completed a postgraduate diploma in Global Business from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi. After completing her studies, she worked for a period with the Human Resources division at Reliance Infocomm. In 2008, she earned a diploma in Jewellery Designing from the Gemological Institute of America in London. She has led initiatives focused on promoting Indian craft traditions and women-led microenterprises. With a dynamic personality, creative vision and enthusiasm, she plays a key role in expanding the cultural and grassroots engagement of the Trust.

Trustee

Shri K.C. Singh

A career diplomat, Shri K.C. Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974 and held numerous key roles in India's foreign affairs establishment, including Secretary in the MEA and postings in countries like Iran and the U.S. He also served in the Prime Minister's Office and advised the Government of India on strategic matters. Shri K.C. Singh joined Kisan Trust as a Trustee in 2024, bringing international insight to grassroots impact.

Trustee

Shri Narendra Singh

Born in 1933 in Kiratal village of Baghpat district, Shri Narendra Singh began his career as an English teacher after graduating from Allahabad University. He later pursued an LL.B. degree and started practicing law in Meerut. His association with Chaudhary Charan Singh began in the late 1960s, and from 1969 onward, he became an active member of the BKD, Janata Party, and later the Rashtriya Lok Dal. He was elected five times as an MLA from the Chhaprauli constituency and only stepped back from contesting a sixth time due to health reasons. He enjoyed the lasting trust and affection of both Chaudhary Charan Singh and Chaudhary Ajit Singh. Shri Narendra Singh has been serving as an Honorary Trustee of Kisan Trust since the 1990s.

Trustee

Dr. Nikhil Agrawal

Dr. Nikhil Agrawal holds an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently the Managing Director at FITT, IIT Delhi, where he leads programs in innovation and technology transfer. From 2019 to 2024, he held dual leadership roles as CEO of SIIC and AIIDE-COE at IIT Kanpur. In 2018, he was appointed Vice Chairman of Maharashtra's MILAP (Livelihood Rural Accelerator Program), a government initiative supported by MSRLM and FICCI. In 2014, after returning from the UK, Dr. Agrawal joined the Andhra Pradesh government as Chief Executive Officer, where he led key efforts in cybersecurity, innovation parks, rural innovation labs, and incubation ecosystems. He was appointed a Trustee of Kisan Trust in March 2024.

Trustee

Shri Raghav Priyadarshi

Educated in the US and UK, and raised in Switzerland, Shri Raghav Priyadarshi returned to India in 2008. He is the founder of Savikalp Sciences, a pharmaceutical firm focused on cannabinoid-based research for chronic and neglected diseases. He also co-founded Cowan Advisory Group and advises several global corporations. Raghav serves as Director at Pakka, which develops sustainable civic solutions for rural India. He is actively involved with Ahad Anhad Trust and Hasanand Gochar Bhoomi Trust, which serve creative and animal welfare causes respectively.

Trustee

Shri Ravikant Chadha

With over 50 years of distinguished legal practice, Shri Ravikant Chadha is widely respected for his public interest litigation and principled stand on social justice issues. He has held leadership positions in numerous legal forums and was recently recognised by the Chief Justice of India for his lifelong commitment to ethical law. Shri Ravikant Chadha was appointed an Honorary Trustee of Kisan Trust in April 2028.

Trustee

Shri Shahid Siddiqui

An academic turned journalist and political commentator, Shri Shahid Siddiqui holds a Master's degree in Political Science from Delhi University. He began as an Assistant Professor and rose to public prominence during the JP Movement and the resistance to the Emergency. A former MP and long-time editor of Nayi Duniya, he has been associated with farmers' movements and the legacy of Chaudhary Charan Singh for decades. He became a Trustee in 2020.

Trustee

Mrs. Veena Nabar

An economist by training and an alumna of Mumbai's Central University, Mrs. Veena Nabar has had a distinguished academic and policy career. She has served on various national and state-level operative boards, particularly in the cooperative sector. As Member-Convener of the High Power Committee on Cooperatives constituted by the Government of India, her work led to the historic 97th Constitutional Amendment (2011), which gave constitutional status to cooperatives in India. Internationally, she was India's Chief Executive Officer at the Geneva-based International Road Federation and hosted the 19th World Road Meeting — the largest global road sector conference at the time — resulting in the "Delhi Declaration 2017" endorsed by transport ministers from six nations. She has also served as a consultant to the World Bank, International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF, and the Ford Foundation. Mrs. Veena Nabar was appointed an Honorary Trustee of Kisan Trust in September 2013.

Trustee

Shri Vinamra Shastri

Vinamra Shastri holds a B.Com (Honours) degree from Delhi University and a postgraduate diploma in International Management from the International Management Institute. He has also successfully completed a Leadership Executive Program at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Professionally, he is associated with Grant Thornton, a leading global professional services firm, where he plays a leadership role in market strategy. He also completed a prestigious internship program in the United States, during which he was nominated to the Massachusetts Senate's internship cohort. Currently, he serves as the President of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation, which runs various social initiatives across India.

Trustee

Shri Bhola Shankar Sharma

Born on August 3, 1954, in Uttar Pradesh, Shri Bhola Shankar Sharma is a veteran journalist, editor, and social commentator with decades of experience in grassroots communication and public discourse. He holds postgraduate degrees in Economics and Hindi Literature from Agra and Rohilkhand Universities respectively. Early in his career, he served as District President of Yuva Lok Dal in Moradabad and was honoured with the Governor's Award during a state-level youth festival in Lucknow. Between 1976 and 1980, he was associated with All India Radio's Yuvavani service in Delhi as a staff artist, presenting book reviews, discussions, and dramatized programming. He also contributed as a writer and performer to radio plays broadcast from Rampur. In journalism, he worked with Vishwa Manav, Uttar Ujala, and Prabhaat before joining Asli Bharat, Kisan Trust's flagship publication, as Assistant Editor in 1980 and later Editor (1989–1992). He represented India at international youth seminars in Sweden and the UK in 1986 under the International Union for Socialist Youth. He co-authored the 42-minute documentary Dhara Putra ki Amar Kahani, based on the life of Chaudhary Charan Singh. In 2002, he was appointed Managing Trustee of Kisan Trust, a role he continues to serve with dedication.

Managing Trustee