The India Advisory Council

Chair Emeritus
TNC India Advisory Council

Mr. Hemendra Kothari stands as one of India’s most distinguished investment bankers, celebrated not only for his remarkable achievements in the financial world but equally for his visionary leadership in environment and wildlife conservation. A true nature enthusiast at heart, his lifelong passion for protecting India’s natural heritage has guided numerous conservation organizations and State Wildlife Boards to enduring success.

Through his philanthropic foundations, Mr. Kothari has extended his impact far beyond conservation, supporting NGOs across diverse spheres including education, healthcare, art, culture, heritage and sports—touching lives and strengthening communities across the nation.

His commitment to public service is reflected in his role as a member of the Rajasthan State Board for Wildlife, under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister, and his earlier service on the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife.

Today, he continues to shape India’s conservation landscape as the Chairman Emeritus of The Nature Conservancy’s India Advisory Council, bringing global best practices to local action.

Chair
TNC India Advisory Council

Mr. Shantanu Rastogi is a distinguished growth equity investor whose career reflects nearly two decades of leadership and impact across India’s dynamic financial services, healthcare and consumer sectors. With deep expertise and a proven track record, he has played a pivotal role in shaping investments that drive innovation, scale and sustainable growth across India and the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to his current leadership role, Mr. Rastogi honed his skills as a Principal at Apax Partners and as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, experiences that equipped him with global perspectives and strategic insight. Today, he serves on the boards of some of India’s most influential and fast-growing enterprises, including KFin Technology Pvt. Ltd., KIMS Hospital, Amagi, ASG Eye Hospital, Acko, NoBroker.com, PhonePe and Rubicon Research—organizations that are reshaping industries and improving lives.

Beyond his corporate achievements, Mr. Rastogi is deeply committed to advancing social impact and institutional excellence. He serves as a Director on the statutory board of The Nature Conservancy Centre (India), where he contributes to environmental stewardship and conservation. He is also a Director at IIT Bombay Development and Relations Foundation, a Governing Body Member of the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay and a Trustee of Swasth Foundation, reflecting his dedication to education, innovation and public health.

Mr. Rastogi’s career stands as a testament to visionary investment leadership, institution building and social responsibility, positioning him as one of India’s most respected voices in both the financial and philanthropic spheres.

Co-Chair
TNC India Advisory Council

Based in New York City, Dinny is an international business executive who has over 40 years of leadership experience in the global consumer products and financial services industries, including positions as senior vice president and CFO of Altria Group Inc. and executive vice president and group head of Citibank’s Global Consumer Bank for Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia. He is currently a special advisor to General Atlantic Partners and a director of IHS Markit Ltd, Avestar Capital and Pratham USA. He previously served on the boards of Kraft Foods Inc., Western Union Inc., SABMiller, plc, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Asia Society.

Born in Jamshedpur, India, Mr. Devitre earned a B.A. (Hons) degree at St. Joseph’s College in Darjeeling, India, and a M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad.

Ms. Duggal, a distinguished 1981 batch IAS Officer of the Punjab cadre, has had an illustrious career marked by leadership, vision and transformative impact. She retired as Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, where she played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s financial architecture. In this capacity, she was at the forefront of the Government’s initiatives to accelerate the resolution of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), drive the adoption of cashless payment systems and spearhead consolidation in the public sector banking space—critical reforms that reshaped the nation’s financial landscape.

Over the last decade, Ms. Duggal has continued to make her mark in the domains of finance and corporate affairs, serving with distinction on the Boards of the Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of India, and as Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Her contributions have consistently reflected a deep commitment to governance, transparency and institutional excellence.

Beyond her government service, Ms. Duggal has been a global thought leader in sustainable development and leadership capacity building. A Fellow at LEAD International since 1993, she also served as Executive Director of LEAD India, where she was instrumental in registering LEAD India as an independent entity—ensuring its enduring role in nurturing leadership for sustainable change.

Her career stands as a testament to visionary public service, financial reform and institution building, inspiring future generations of leaders in both governance and civil society.

Based in New York City, Arjun Murti is currently a Partner at Veriten, a research, strategy and investing firm focused on the energy sector. He also serves as a Director of ConocoPhillips, a Senior Advisor to the Energy Group at Warburg Pincus, and as an Advisory Board member for Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, and ClearPath. Since November 2021, he has published Super-Spiked, a Substack newsletter and podcast about the messy energy transition era.

The bulk of the first 22 years of his career was spent at Goldman Sachs, where he retired as a Partner in 2014 while also serving as Co-Director of Americas Equity Research and as an Equity Research Analyst. His career began in 1992 at Petrie Parkman & Co, a Denver-based oil & gas boutique investment bank.

He graduated from the University of Denver, with B.S.B.A. in Finance (1992).

Mr. Bittu Sahgal is one of India’s most visionary environmentalists, writers and conservationists, revered for his lifelong dedication to protecting the nation’s natural heritage. He is best known as the founder editor of Sanctuary Asia, India’s pioneering wildlife and ecology magazine, and as the driving force behind the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, which champions conservation science, advocacy and on-ground habitat management.

Since beginning his conservation publishing journey in 1981, Mr. Sahgal has worn many hats—editor, author, educator, film producer and passionate advocate—each role amplifying his mission to raise public awareness about India’s extraordinary biodiversity. His work has inspired generations to value and safeguard the country’s forests, wildlife and ecosystems.

Over the decades, Mr. Sahgal has been deeply involved in major conservation efforts across India, earning widespread respect for his ability to blend journalism, activism and practical conservation action. His voice continues to resonate as a powerful force for environmental stewardship, making him a true icon in India’s conservation movement.

Ms. Dipti Pardeshi brings with her an extraordinary career spanning nearly four decades of leadership and impact across the corporate, multilateral and development sectors. With rich experience at globally respected organizations such as Tata Consultancy Services and British Telecom, she seamlessly transitioned to the international development arena, contributing her expertise to WHO, the International Organization for Migration and the Asian Development Bank. Her journey reflects a rare blend of corporate acumen and humanitarian commitment.

Most recently, Ms. Pardeshi served as Country Director of the Defeat ‑Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) India Foundation from August 2024 to May 2025, where she provided visionary strategic leadership. In this role, she was instrumental in formulating and driving program design, mobilizing critical resources and ensuring effective delivery in alignment with both national priorities and global NCD agendas. Her stewardship strengthened India’s fight against non‑communicable diseases, leaving a lasting imprint on public health policy and practice.

Her career stands as a testament to dedication, foresight and transformative leadership, inspiring professionals across sectors to pursue excellence while advancing the greater good.

Mr. Gaurav Burman, based in London with a global presence in Greece, East End Connecticut and Long Island, New York, is a fifth generation scion of the Burman family, the founders of Dabur, India’s iconic fastmoving consumer goods (FMCG) enterprise established over 135 years ago. Today, Dabur stands as the largest Indian FMCG company, with a market capitalization of US $12 billion as of June 2024, a testament to the enduring vision and entrepreneurial spirit of the Burman legacy.

Beyond Dabur, the Burman family has built a diversified investment portfolio spanning healthcare, media, financial services, retail and education, forging strategic partnerships with global Fortune 100 companies. These include joint ventures with Aviva (life insurance), Espirito Santo (banking), Bongrain (dairy products) and earlier collaborations with Fidelity and ABN Amro.

At the helm of this expansive investment program, Mr. Burman manages a portfolio valued at over US $1 billion, and has been instrumental in conceptualizing and executing many of these ventures. His leadership reflects a rare blend of heritage stewardship and modern entrepreneurship, positioning him as a key architect of the Burman family’s global investment footprint.

MR Rangaswami is an entrepreneur, investor, corporate eco-strategy expert, community builder and philanthropist. Recognized as a software business expert, he participated in the rapid expansion of the Silicon Valley software industry during his tenure as an executive at both large and small software companies. In 1997, he co-founded  Sand Hill Group, one of the earliest “angel” investment firms, and was profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He was named to the Forbes “Midas” list of investors and also recognized by CRN as one of the Top 25 Technology Executives. He also hosts the Enterprise Retreat for the top 100 leaders in technology.

In 2007, MR founded the Corporate Eco Forum (CEF), an invitation-only membership organization for Global 500 companies that demonstrate a serious commitment to the environment as a business strategy.

In 2012, he founded Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for good by providing a platform to collaborate, engage and catalyze social change. Indiaspora hosts an annual Leadership Forum, Philanthropy Summit and the Global Connect initiative for the Indian diaspora worldwide. Indiaspora also engages in community issues, including an initiative that led to a USPS postal stamp in 2016.

MR is a board member of the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, The/Nudge Foundation and the WISH Foundation.

He is the recipient of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) “Influential Leaders” award in 2015. In 2020, he was the recipient of the “Global Service Award” from the Canada-India Business Council.

MR is also profiled in two books: Those Immigrants by Scott Haas and The $8 Man by Brenda Christensen. He has also contributed a chapter on Silicon Valley in the book, Kamala Harris and the Rise of Indian Americans, released in July 2021.

Based in New York with ties to London, Niharika is the partner in the Financial and Strategic Investors Group at Goldman Sachs, New York, focused on working across industries, products and regions to grow the firm’s network of client relationships and invest in opportunities globally. Born in Delhi, Niharika currently serves as Partner of Financial and Strategic Investors Group at Goldman.

She is a member of the New York Tri-State Board of the American Indian Foundation (AIF) and a frequent speaker on topics related to women in finance. Niharika joined AIF’s Tri State Board in December 2020 and served as its Co-Chair in 2022.

Mr. P. S. Narayan is a visionary leader in corporate sustainability, widely recognized for his pioneering role in shaping Wipro’s sustainability agenda. Since spearheading the initiative in 2008, he has stewarded it with unwavering commitment, embedding sustainability into the very fabric of the organization and positioning Wipro as a global exemplar of responsible business.

Beyond his corporate leadership, Mr. Narayan is deeply engaged in academia and thought leadership. He serves as Visiting Faculty at Azim Premji University, where he teaches in the MA (Development) program, and at the Xavier School of Sustainability, Xavier University, Bhubaneswar. He also conducts regular learning sessions on sustainability at the Indian Institutes of Management in Bangalore and Indore, inspiring future leaders to embrace sustainability as a core business and societal imperative.

His advocacy extends to industry platforms, where he plays an influential role as Chairman of the Bangalore chapter of the CII‑Godrej Green Business Center, advancing green business practices and sustainability innovation across sectors.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Narayan served as Global Head of Information Systems for Wipro’s IT business, where his leadership earned him recognition as one of CIO’s Global 25 Ones to Watch. With a strong academic foundation—a degree in Electrical Engineering and a postgraduation in Management—he brings over 27 years of cross-disciplinary experience spanning business development, enterprise systems and corporate sustainability.

Chairman International and Senior Partner
Apollo Management

Based in Greenwich, CT, previously London, Sanjay Patel is Partner and Vice Chair of Apollo Capital Solutions at Apollo, where he is also a member of the Firm’s Leadership Team. Additionally, Sanjay serves as CEO of Apollo Strategic Growth Capital. He was previously Head of Europe and Managing Partner of Apollo European Principal Finance, and Head of International Private Equity.

A graduate of Eton College, Sanjay received his AB and SM engineering degrees from Harvard College and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a member of the Harvard Graduate School of Design Dean’s Leadership Council and the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council. He also serves on the Investment Committee of the Eton College Foundation, is a member of the Eton Development Advisory Council, and President of the Board of the American Friends of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Chairperson
Mission ‘Karamyogi Bharat’, the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)

Former CEO and MD
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Mr. Subramanian Ramadorai is widely celebrated as one of India’s most distinguished technocrats and visionary leaders. He served as Advisor to the Prime Minister of India in the National Skill Development Council, holding the rank of Cabinet Minister, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s skill development agenda.

At Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Mr. Ramadorai’s leadership journey spanned nearly five decades. As CEO and Managing Director from 1996 to 2009, and later as Vice Chairman until October 2014, he spearheaded TCS’s transformation into one of the world’s largest and most respected software and services companies, setting global benchmarks in technology and innovation.

His illustrious career has been recognized with some of the highest honors worldwide: the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the UK and CNBC Asia Pacific’s ‘Asia Business Leader of the Year’ award.

Beyond the corporate sphere, Mr. Ramadorai has held numerous leadership positions in academia and industry. He serves as Chairperson of the Governing Board of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Chairman of the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Guwahati and sits on the Boards of Axis Bank Foundation, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. and Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. He has also chaired prestigious institutions including the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), TATA Technologies Limited, TATA Elxsi and was appointed Chairman of Air Asia India in 2013.

Academically, Mr. Ramadorai’s credentials are equally impressive. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Delhi University, a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1993, he attended the Senior Executive Development Program at the Sloan School of Management, MIT, further honing his leadership acumen.

His contributions to knowledge and society have been honored with Doctorates (honoris causa) from Sastra University (2006) and Anna University, and he is the author of the acclaimed book The TCS Story & Beyond. Together with his wife, Mala Ramadorai, he co‑founded the Anwesha Trust, which supports transformative initiatives in Sengalipuram and rural Tamil Nadu.

Founder
Wild Blue and Karvansarai Investments Private Ltd.

Ms. Tara Lal is a visionary conservationist whose unique journey bridges the worlds of art, architecture, design and science. Coming to conservation science later in her career, she brings a rare trans‑disciplinary perspective, firmly believing that collaboration across disciplines is the only true path to solving the world’s pressing conservation challenges.

Her fieldwork has taken her across Africa, where she monitored endangered species in South Africa and studied advanced methods of field data collection in Botswana. She went on to co‑found the Shared Universe Foundation in Northern Limpopo, South Africa, a pioneering re‑wilding initiative dedicated to restoring degraded landscapes and reintroducing endemic species—an effort that exemplifies her commitment to ecological renewal.

Academically, Ms. Lal holds a Master of Science in Conservation from Imperial College London (2017) and is currently pursuing her Doctorate at the same institution, focusing on conservation communication. Her research explores the power of imagery to drive human behavior change, a cutting-edge area that blends science with storytelling to inspire action.

In addition to her academic and field contributions, Ms. Lal has founded Aranyani, a platform that combines storytelling with real conservation work, amplifying voices and initiatives that protect biodiversity.

In 2017, she also established the Wild Blue Foundation, designed to foster global collaborations in conservation communication, research and education.

Her career is a testament to creativity, scientific rigor and transformative leadership, who unites art and science to reimagine the future of conservation.