Advisory Committee
Padmashree Dr. MH Mehta
- Dr. Mehta is the Chairman of National Working Group of Eco Agriculture – ICFA and is the President – The Science Ashram and Chairman – Gujarat Life Sciences*.
- Holds B.Tech. and D. in Chemical Engineering from IIT, Bombay. Was a visiting Scientist at University of Arizona & California.
- Earlier worked at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) – Trombay and then at Gujarat State Fertilizers Corporation (GSFC Ltd.) as Executive Director and Founder of GSFC Science Foundation and GGRC (Gujarat Green Revolution Co. Ltd.).
- Was Vice Chancellor – Gujarat Agricultural University and brought a major turn around, modernization and Lively-hood programmes and Eco Agriculture for this – one of the largest Universities in Asia at that time.
- He holds 16 patents, and authored more than 250 papers and 4 books.
- His book Science, Spirituality and The World Tomorrow was released by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in 2011. His recent book Eco Agri Revolution – Practical Lessons and The Way Ahead was released in 2017 by President of World Food Prize and acclaimed Internationally.
- Mehta was awarded PADMA SHRI by The President of India in 2011.
- In 2012 – He was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award – Agriculture Today and was honored by Beijing University, China and Cornell University, USA for his contributions to Eco Agriculture.
- In 2017, he was conferred Millennium Leader of Asia Award in Bhutan.
- A keen sportsman, his other interests are poetry and playing instrumental music – Kastha Tarang.
(* for assessement of the pollution control technology solutions during stubble burning in Delhi and Punjab)
S.M. Acharya
S.M. Acharya worked in the Indian Administrative Service from July 1974 till his retirement in May 2009. During his many postings in the State of Karnataka and in the Central Government at Delhi, he gathered experience in various fields of human endeavour. At his assignment in the Government of India’s Commerce Ministry, Mr. Acharya compiled the country’s National Policy on Organic Production that was released to the nation by the Prime Minister on the 8th of May 2000. His service in the field level as Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Project Officer in the Small Farmers’ Development Agency and as the Administrator Krishna Basin Command Area Development Authority at Bheemarayanagudi, Gulbarga Karnataka, bestowed upon him a valuable experience of associating closely with agriculturists and farm business.
Mr. Acharya retired as a Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare of the Ministry of Defence.
S. Dave
Sanjay Dave has a total professional experience of about 44 years, of which about 34 years is in agri. trade and food safety.
- Former Chairperson of Codex Alimentarius Commission
- Former Advisor to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- Developing country SPS expert from Asia to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) of the WTO from January 2019.
- Senior International Consultant to FAO, WHO and International Trade Centre (ITC), Geneva on different projects.
- Chairman of Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan (National Mission for Safe Food) launched by the Government of India in July 2015.
- Advisor to Nestle Food Safety Institute, India.