Dr. Aravind Thumbur

Dr. Aravind Thumbur has over ten years of experience in the agribusiness and rural development sector. He is passionate about creating and implementing innovative solutions that address the challenges and opportunities faced by smallholder farmers, micro-entrepreneurs, and rural enterprises. As the co-founder of FarmServ Innovations, he has been instrumental in shaping strategies that provide digital and financial services to farmers and agri-businesses across India.

At the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, he was instrumental in building Mass Entrepreneurship programs in India and extending them to other South Asian countries, while also contributing to initiatives that enhanced productivity, resilience, and market access for smallholder farmers. He is also presently a consultant with Samunnati, India’s largest agri-enterprise, and with ARISE (Agri-Risk Innovative Solutions Enterprise) in Cambodia, contributing his expertise to strengthen rural financial and insurance solutions. He has also been a visiting faculty member at multiple business schools in India, where he shares insights on agribusiness and rural innovation.

Dr. Thumbur trained as a veterinarian at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology and holds a PGP in Agribusiness from IIM Ahmedabad. He may be considered among the new generation of professionals bridging the gap between agriculture, rural enterprises, and modern financial systems.

Ms. Bernadette Peterhans

Ms. Bernadette Peterhans retired as the Head of Professional Postgraduate Training at the Swiss TPH Basel. Bernadette is a trained nurse specialized in emergency care with an MSc in Public Health for Developing Countries and has spent a career in the healthcare sector focusing on community-based healthcare in conflict/ post-conflict countries. Since 1995, Bernadette has been a course coordinator, senior project leader, teacher and mentor to many in the healthcare sector taking on the role of Unit Head at the Swiss TPH in 2016. 

She has also been on expert missions for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SolidarMed, Fairmed and the University Hospital in Basel. These were mainly in the areas of health systems assessments and project planning / evaluation for community based health care with a special focus on primary health care in fragile States and health in detention in countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, etc. Bernadette also sits on the Board of SolidarMed and Crescenda while continuing to teach at the Swiss TPH in post graduate training and doing senior consultancy work.

Lt Col Karam Raja (Retd)

Lieutenant Colonel Karam Raja (Retd) is an alumnus of Manipur Public School, Imphal, Manipur. He had served for twenty years in the Indian Army, with postings across diverse terrains and challenging environments throughout India, including the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir. A graduate of the prestigious National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, he holds a degree in Weapon Technology and is an Instructor Gunnery in Artillery.

During his distinguished career, he developed deep expertise in strategic planning, human resource and man-management, and operational execution. His leadership roles demanded excellence in decision-making, coordination of large teams, and implementation of complex operations under demanding circumstances.

Post-retirement, he returned to Manipur and has since been engaged in entrepreneurial and community-oriented initiatives. His extensive experience in planning, execution, and people management continues to guide his contributions towards organisational development and social impact.

Mrs. Khumi Tonsing Burton

Mrs. Khumi Tonsing Burton MBE JP DL grew up in Manipur, India, and settled in the UK when she got married. For decades, she served in diverse public roles across Cheshire and Greater Manchester before retiring as Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester after 20 years. She was involved as Chairman of CrimeStoppers, President of British Red Cross, a member of the Board of Visitors to Styal Prison (a Home Office appointment), Team Attache for Turks and Caicos at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, and was one of 14 members in the UK Air Transport Users Council (a Civil Aviation appointment). 

For her services to the community of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, she was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of British Empire) in April 2024.
Her father, (L) T. C. Tiankham IAS, was the first Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly serving from 1948 to 1949. She was the first person to join Air India from Manipur and between 1969 and 1976, was posted in London, Beirut, Perth, etc. She was married to (L) Sidney Charles Richard Burton, a retired Major with the Cheshire Regiment of the British Army.
 

Dr. Satyasai Kovvali

Dr. Satyasai Kovvali is an agricultural economist, a blogger and a writer who retired in November 2022 as a Chief General Manager of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). An apex national financial institution with total assets of USD100 billion, NABARD plays a key part in mobilising finance to develop rural communities in India. Dr. Satyasai, over 30 years of his career with NABARD has handled several assignments in monitoring and evaluation of various development projects and has been trainer in microfinance, monitoring and evaluation of agricultural projects, rural enterprises / entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihoods, etc. The first ever NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) - 2016 has been the most coveted assignment he handled. NAFIS estimates have been widely quoted to date. With over 100 publications to his credit, Dr. Satyasai has research interests in rural credit, microfinance, agricultural growth and development, farmers income, and welfare.

During his tenure as the General Manager for NABARD Manipur, Dr. Satyasai developed a deep knowledge of the agricultural landscape in the state and fell in love with all things Manipuri, especially its rich traditions and culture. He has remained a strong supporter of the agricultural sector in the state and has provided guidance to MaolKeki Foundation on multiple occasions.