Ajai Malhotra
Ajai Malhotra holds an M.A. in Economics from Delhi School of Economics. He was a member of the Indian Foreign Service from 1977 till retiring as Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation on November 30, 2013. As Third/Second Secretary (Political) at the High Commission of India, Nairobi, he handled relations with Kenya and Seychelles from 1979-1982 and was Focal Point for India to the UN Environment Programme and UN-HABITAT. From 1982-1985, he was Second/First Secretary (Political) at the Embassy of India, Moscow. During 1985-1989, he was First Secretary (Political) at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, Geneva, handling ILO, WHO, WIPO and other UN agencies and representing India on the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.
He has been at distinguished positions with the Ministry of External Affairs handling multilateral work. He was Counsellor at the Embassy of India, Moscow, from 1993-1996, returning to the Ministry of External Affairs as Director in 1996. As Joint Secretary in that Ministry from 1997-1999, he guided India’s relations with all Central/East European countries, including the Russian Federation. From 1999-2003, he was Minister (Commerce) at the Embassy of India, Washington DC, additionally serving from 2002-2003 as Chairman, International Cotton Advisory Committee, Washington DC. From 2003-2005, he was India’s Ambassador to Romania, concurrently accredited to Albania and Moldova. From 2005-2009, he was Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, New York. He was India’s Ambassador to Kuwait from 2009-2011 and to the Russian Federation from 2011-2013.
His association with Social issues has included being Chairman and Managing Trustee of CHIKITSA and SHIKSHA (which provide free primary health care, education and vocational training to the underprivileged), Chairman of the Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Chairman of the NAB Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies, and Member of the Editorial Board of “World Economy and International Relations” (“MEMO Journal”) brought out by the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Moscow.
Shalini Khanna
Hony. Secretary/Director
Shalini Khanna, is the Founding Director of the NAB center of Blind Women and Disabilities in New Delhi India. She holds a Masters in English literature; a diploma in Rehab for visually impaired from Rehab Council of India, and is a Qualitative Market Researcher for Quantum, GFK Mode, Technopak, HTA.
In the last 15 years, the NAB India Centre has supported directly more than 1000 blind women beneficiaries, to access higher education, gain employment and become self-reliant, and rehabilitated them to not only find gainful careers but also set up their homes with successful marriages. The blind women come to the centre from different States of the country like Bihar, Uttrakhand, M.P., U.P., Rajasthan, Haryana, H.P., Punjab, Jammu, Manipur, Assam and even from the neighboring countries like Nepal.
In less than a decade the centre has many achievements to its credit and is today proud to bridge the gap between education and empowerment, trainings and employments, between schooling and actual rehabilitation for the visually impaired girls.
She is also a Consultant and Panelist for Sexual Harassment prevention committees; conducting Training workshops, investigations and policies- with several corporates and the Govt.
Anita Goyal
Advisory Member
An abstract expressionist painter since childhood, Anita has always been intoxicated by the smell of colours and sharpened pencils. Over the years, she has painted a variety of subjects from landscapes, abstract shapes, figures. She has extensive experience across different art mediums. Her paintings have leanings towards impressionism, expressionism and cubism. Her work unconsciously reflects theme of relationship, be it human, nature, religion or even small creatures.
Her education has been in Fine arts and she earned a scholarship from Punjab University to study the same. She has studied abstract art from an academic view by learning about abstract compositions at international workshops, taking classes on color, line and artistic movement. In the recent years she has exhibited her artworks at India Habitat Centre, AIFACS,(Academy of Fine Arts),Korean cultural center,(Delhi,)Dubai International Trade Centre.(Dubai)Nehru Science Centre,Mumbai. She also exhbhited her artworks at the recently concluded 13th Annual International Hospitality and Travel Awards 2017 at Ashok Hotel,Delhi.
Anita has been associate with the NAB Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies for over a decade and helps provide soft skill trainings to the Blind Girls.
Ms. Pamela Bhandari
Advisory Member
A 1972 Batch of Indian Revenue Service, Pamela Retired as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Delhi. Post- retirement she worked as Income-Tax Ombudsman, North West Region, Chandigarh and at various important posts in the Income-Tax Department handling investigation / assessments / appeals of search and seizure cases for several years.
She also worked as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), first in Gas Authority of India Limited and later in Engineers India Limited. As CVO, Engineers India Limited, did innovative and pioneering work in the area of Preventive Vigilance.
She is currently associated with various NGOs, giving them financial and stretegic guidance. She is Director and Member-Secretary of a NGO, the Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development that undertook several projects At NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies she is the Member of the Management Committee and Treasurer.
She is also Director (Finance) for the Skill Centre of Udayan Care. Member on Governing Body of Home of Hope Foundation, a NGO working for skilling and vocational training and employment of youth from economically weaker sections. Partner in Diwersity India Foundation, a social enterprise formed for empowering women particularly from disadvantaged and disabled categories.
Lt. Gen. Chander Kapur
Vice Chairperson
Ms. Devyani Sarkar
Founder Trustee/Vice Chairman
Mr. Manjit Singh Sawhney
Advisory Member
Mr. Ramesh Batra
Advisory Member
2. SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Every year a few deserving needy students are given a scholarship assistance so as to support higher education. The amount is disbursed after a proper scrutiny and assessment of the applicant for the said service. This is done by a committee comprising of Mrs Veena Mehta Verma, a vision impaired person working as HR Manager in NTPC and also acting as a counselor to the centre students and Mrs Suniti Karnik, who is involved in the NASSCOM Foundation.
3. WOMEN’S RESEARCH & ADVOCACY FORUMwas started at the Centre to not only spearhead diverse researches but also conceive training, advocacy and awareness programmes which are required to take the cause of gender and disability to another level of equality and awareness. Members of the Forum are a varied group of women, both sighted and vision impaired who are either studying or working at various places and converge for the meetings at the centre as and when planned and scheduled.