| Chairman and Managing Director, Lokmat Group of Newspapers (Publishers of Marathi, Hindi and English dailies with Marathi daily published simultaneously from 10 cities with 16 editions from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Nashik, Kolhapur, Solapur, Amola and Ahmednagar, Chairman, IBN - LOKMAT News (P) Ltd., (a Marathi TV channel from Mumbai) |
| elected Chairman, Audit Bureau of Circulation (Print Media), July 2010 JOURNALIST: Chief Editor,Lokmat Group of Newspapers - Lokmat, a Marathi Daily, published from 10 Centres, having sixteen editions since 1977 |
| Chief Editor, Lokmat Samachar, a Hindi daily, published from Nagpur, Aurangabad, Akola and Kolhapur since 1989 |
| Chief Editor, Lokmat Times, an English daily, published from Nagpur and Aurangabad since 1992 STATUS IN NEWSPAPER AND ALLIED FIELD: Founder President, South Asian Editor?s - 1999 formed by the Editors of National and Indigenous Language dailies in South Asia |
| Ex-President, Indian Newspaper Society, 1997-98, Headquarters at New Delhi |
| Ex-Member, Press Council of India, New Delhi (two terms) |
| Member, World Association of Newspapers, Paris, France |
| Member, Commonwealth Press Union, London (U.K.) |
| Member, All India Newspapers Editors Conference, New Delhi |
| Member, Indian Languages Newspapers' Association, Mumbai |
| Member, Committee to decide the comprehensive policy and regulate advertisements in Newspapers and Periodicals |
| Member, Coordination Committee to combat and control attacks on journalists and press establishments |
| Member, Maharashtra State Accreditation Committee (the Committee provides accreditation facilities to journalists) |
| Member, Ad hoc Board of Studies in Mass Communication, Nagpur University |
| Member, National Readership Studies Council, Mumbai (India) |
| Managing Trustee, Press Institute of Maharashtra, Pune |
| Member, Executive Council Audit Bureau of Circulation, Mumbai 2003 |
| Member, Vidarbha Daily Newspapers Association, Nagpur |
| Life Member, The Advertising Club of India, Mumbai |
| Member, (i) International Advertising Association Inc., New York (U.S.A.) and (ii) Advisory Panel of Central Board of Film Certification RALLIES AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE COMPETITIONS: (1) In 1985: Organised a General Knowledge Competition for Children at Yavatmal in which nearly 40,000 children from all over the State participated, (2) In 1990 : Organised a 'Lokmat Ekatmata Luna Rally' from Bhandara to Pune to promote National Integration. In this rally 21 persons participated and covered a distance of 960 kms. STATUS ON CORPORATE SECTOR: Chairman and Managing Director, (i) Darda Investment & Properties Ltd. and (ii) Bombay Well Print Inks, Nagpur, Chairman, (i) Priyadarshini Cooperative Spinning & Ginning Textile Mill Ltd., Yavatmal (India) with a capacity of 25,000 spindles |
| and (ii) Prithvi Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Aurangabad |
| Director, Hotel President Park, Aurangabad (India?s first Vegetarian Five Star Hotel) |
| Managing Trustee, Smt. Kusumabai Darda Trust, Foundation STATUS ON EDUCATIONAL BODIES : President, Vidya Prasarak Mandal, Yavatmal |
| (a) Founder of Amolakchand College of Science, Commerce, Arts and Law (approximately 4,000 students are studying in the college) |
| This college was inaugurated by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India |
| (b) Founder of Amolakchand Law College, Yavatmal 2003-2004 (approximately 250 students are studying in the college), Chairman, Hanuman Vyayamshala Krida Mandal, Yavatmal |
| Founder of Shri Jawaharlal Darda College of Physical Education (Sports College) and Bachelor of Education (approximately 500 students from various parts of the country are studying in the Sports College and B.Ed. College) |
| President, Jawaharlal Darda Education Trust - (A) : Founder of Shri Jawaharlal Darda Institute of Engineering & Technology at Yavatmal (approximately 1400 students from various parts of the country are studying in the institute) and (B) Founder of Matoshree Veenadevi Darda English medium school at Yavatmal (approximately 1300 students from nursery to 10th standard are studying in the school) |
| Founder, Yavatmal Public School, Yavatmal (approximately 950 students are studying in the school) |
| President, Hindi Prasarak Mandal, Berar Yavatmal |
| Founder of Anglo - Hindi High School (Primary, Middle and Junior College), about 3,000 students are studying in the school |
| Member, Maharashtra State Sports Council, Government of Maharashtra, to promote games and sports at State level |
| Member, University Senate, Nagpur University, Nagpur, (India) |
| Council Member, Makhanlal Chaturvedi University for Journalism, Bhopal |
| Chairman of Organising Committee - 1986: All India Kabaddi Gold Trophy Tournament at Yavatmal, to promote Indian game Kabaddi at international level. The Souvenir of the event was released at the hands of the then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi CONFERENCES & SEMINARS ATTENDED WITH THE PRIME MINISTER: Attended Security Council Meeting-1992 along with Prime Minister of India: U.N.O. Headquarters, New York (U.S.A.) |
| attended World Economic Forum-1992 along with Hon?ble Prime Minister of India: Davos, Switzerland |
| attended Non-Aligned Movement Summit-1992 along with Hon?ble Prime Minister of India: Jakarta, Indonesia |
| covered the visit of Hon?ble Prime Minister of India to China and Korea, as Chief Editor, Lokmat Group of Newspapers: China and Korea |
| covered the visit of Hon?ble Prime Minister of India to Zimbabwe (Harare) from November 1 to November 5, 1996 (G-15 Summit): Harare, Zimbabwe Participated in a week-long India-Yale Parliamentary Leadership Programme in USA, 8 to 14 June 2008. This comprised four-day session with the Yale faculty and further complemented by two days of interactions of Indian Parliametarians with US politicians, policy analysts and senior government officials in Washington on India-US bilateral issues. The primary focus was exposure to new fields and ideas which offer insights, perspectives, new ways of thinking and planning on issues ranging from climate change, poverty, economic development, styles of the US Presidential elections, higher education in India, leadership challenges, etc. emerging in two largest democracies of the world Accompanied the President of India on her state visit to Switzerland and Austria from 30 September to 7 October 2011 |
| Participated in all the events/programmes during the eight-day long visit |
| As a Member of the delegation, visited/attended (i) a 500 year old village between Geneva and France (on French border), (ii) European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva and interacted with the scientists working there, (iii) Ariana Park, Geneva on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, to pay homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, (iv) home of famous scientist Albert Einstein in Bern, (v) Mount Blanc, the highest peak in The Alps and put forth a demand for the construction of a monument there in the memory of Homi J. Bhabha, an eminent Indian scientist, (vi) President's address to the Members of Parliament of the Swiss Confederation, Bern, (vii) Statement to the International Press by the President of India, (viii) Meeting of the Indo-Swiss Business Forum at Bern, (ix) Unveiling of the bust of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at the university of Lausanne, (x) Statement to the Press by the President at Vienna, (xi) Business interaction organised by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) at Vienna and (xii) Wolfgang Mozart's home in Salzburg and Concert at the Mozart's house INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES PARTICIPATION. Chaired a two day ?Workshop on Benefits of Cooperation? in the Himalayan River Basin Countries, 2-3 Dec. 2010, Singapore, attended by experts in diversified fields from our neighbouring countries namely China, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The Workshop was organized by Strategic Foresight Group. The primary focus of the workshop was how to face the challenges ahead coming from disastrous effects of dwindling resources of water, and their wide-spread ramifications due to global warming, relentless deforestation and consequent ecological imbalances Participated in Pakistan-India Parliamentarians? Dialogue, organised by PILDAT- Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, January 6-7, 2011, Islamabad. Seven Members of Parliament from India and 21 MPs from Pakistan, and many other VIPs from Pakistan participated in the dialogue which included six working Sessions co-chaired by Shri Yashwant Sinha, Member of Parliament and Former Finance Minister of India. The subjects of the working sessions included (i) Assessing the Current State of Relationship between Pakistan and India: Where are we today and Why? |
| (ii) Terrorist Attack in Mumbai: Impact on Pakistan- India Relations and how to move ahead? (iii) Trade and Travel between Pakistan and India |
| (iv) Indus Water Treaty and Challenges |
| (v) Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek: Progress and the way forward and (vi) The Way Forward: How can Parliamentarians help? ACHIEVEMENTS, CONFERENCES & SEMINARS ATTENDED ON INVITATION: I.P.E.X.-80: International Printing Exhibition |
| I.P.E.X.-84: International Printing Exhibition at Birmingham, England |
| 14th Asian Advertising Congress: Seoul, Korea, September, 1993 |
| 17th Asian Advertising Congress-90: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Drupa-86:World Printing Machinery Exhibition, Dusseldorf (West Germany) |
| Drupa-90:World Printing Machinery Exhibition, Dusseldorf (West Germany) |
| Drupa-94: World Printing Machinery Exhibition, Dusseldorf, (West Germany) |
| I.F.R.A. Conference-1988: Singapore |
| I.F.R.A. Conference-1989: Singapore |
| I.F.R.A. Conference-1998: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Member of Judging Committee-80 of 22nd National Awards for Excellence in PTG & Designing of Books & other publications : Appointed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India Deeply concerned for betterment of small and marginal farmers, especially of Vidarbha region |
| made incessant and vigorous follow-up with the concerned authorities regarding approval of laying of new Railway Line for Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded sector, to usher in an era of prosperity through resultant multiple employment generation opportunities in Vidarbha region STATUS ON SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BODIES: Chairman, Lokmat Newspapers Charitable Trust, Nagpur. This trust is formed for the rehabilitation of people affected by natural calamities. The work undertaken includes: (a) 1984-Constructed School in floor-affected villages in Nanded and Parbhani districts of Maharashtra, (b) 1988-Collected an amount of Rs. 18 lakhs during Bihar earthquake and handed over the same to the then Prime Minister late Shri Rajivji Gandhi |
| (c) 1989- A team of Lokmat Group of Newspapers helped in the rehabilitation of the earthquake affected people in Latur and Beed districts of Maharashtra and constructed a community hall, (d) Constructed an 8-room Primary School at Jalalkheda and a 10-bed hospital in Mowad, Maharashtra, which was affected by flash floods. The same was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Sharadchandra Pawar |
| (e) constructed ICU ward in Seth Govind Das Hospital, Jabalpur |
| (f) constructed 8 school buildings in earthquake affected areas of Bhuj in Gujarat and handed over to the Government of Gujarat after their dedication by the then Hon?ble Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji and (g) constructed 3 hostels for the children of Kargil war martyrs, one each at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Solapur and also distributed 1 Lac each to 40 families of Kargil martyrs in Maharashtra and Rs. Ten Thousand each to 39 disabled Jawans of Kargil wars and (h) Rehabilitation of malnourished children of Melghat. The Lokmat Group has taken up an initiative to bring relief to hundreds of malnourished children in Melghat (Amrawati district of Maharashtra). In July 2004, a team headed by the executive director of the group visited the area and launched a food-aid programme in 36 most affected villages of the area. About 750-800 children were rescued and foodgrains, medicines, clothing and other essential items for the rehabilitation were provided |
| (i) The Lokmat Krishi Manch organised a Shetkari Atmanirbharata Rath Yatra in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra to motivate distressed farmers not to commit suicide In November 2006 |
| it also conducted social and educational programmes in suicide-hit districts. (j) The Lokmat Krishi Manch Organised a mega agriculture exhibition (State Krishi Pradarshani-2008) at Amravati (Maharashtra) in January 2008 to acquaint farmers with advanced technologies and various government schemes |
| Apart from Maharashtra, firms from Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh had installed their stalls in the expo which was visited by over 3.5 lakh farmers from all over Vidarbha |
| President, Sakal Jain Samaj, (All Jain Community), Nagpur |
| Chairman - Sakal Jain Foundation: A Social and Spiritual Organisation to promote Indian Culture, National Integration, religious harmony and brotherhood as propagated by "Lord Mahavir". Member, Mahavir International, Nagpur (India): A social organisation which has opened its branch of Jaipur Foot Centre at Nagpur and undertaken the job of free distribution of Jaipur Foot to the handicapped. The organisation is also distributing foodgrains free of cost to the needy persons |
| Member, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal |
| Member, Tercentenary of Guru-Ta-Gaddi to be held at Nanded in 2008 |
| Ex-Member, Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education, Government of India, Dehradun (Uttaranchal) |
| Ex-Member, Environmental Appraisal Committee, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi |
| Ex-Member, National AIDS Committee, Ministry of Health, Government of India, New Delhi |
