Founder and President
An Associate Professor of Philosophy, Delhi University, India, from 1979 to 2013, Suman Khanna Aggarwal obtained her doctoral degree on Gandhian thought in 1978 and has since translated her theoretical knowledge into practical action by founding the Gandhian NGO – Shanti Sahyog that works in 17 South Delhi slums (Kalkaji/ Govindpuri are) and Tughlakabad Village, New Delhi. She has also extended her understanding of Gandhi ‘s ideology to her work as a Peace Researcher and Activist. To promote Gandhi’s legacy of Nonviolent Conflict Resolution and vision of a World beyond War, she has set up Shanti Sahyog Centre for Peace & Conflict Resolution. She has authored three books and published several papers/articles in reputed journals/books on Gandhian principles.
She has completed three Post-Doctoral Research Projects in Canada, Sweden and India
As a Gandhian scholar, she has lectured extensively and taught courses on Gandhi in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, for instance, John Hopkins University – USA, McMaster University – Canada, Bradford University – UK, Scandinavian/Nordic Universities, and Al Quds University – Palestine/Israel, amongst others.
A plenary speaker at international conferences, she strongly believes that individual social responsibility, dictated by one’s conscience, has the power to bring out social and political transformation.
She conducts Trainings & Workshops on Gandhian Philosophy / Nonviolent Conflict Resolution on a regular basis.
She is a recipient of the following Awards for her community service of the underprivileged and her promotion of nonviolent conflict resolution:
2020 – The Rotary Vocational Award
2020 – National IHRO Women Empowerment Award
2019 -Delhi NGO’s in Healthcare, ZEE Business Leadership Award
2019 – Gandhi Smriti Chinh Award
2019 – 51 Most Impactful Social Innovators Award (A Global Listing) by World CSR Congress
2018 – Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Award for Exemplary Social Service
2017 – Bharat Nirman Literary Excellence Award for contribution to Gandhian Philosophy
2016 – All Ladies League (ALL) Iconic Leader Contributing in Better World Award
2014 – International Women Excellence Award
2013 – Karamveer Puruskaar (Global Citizen Award)
2012 – Rajiv Gandhi Global Vision Award
Click here to view her CV
Sr. Vice President
After her Masters in English Literature from Rajasthan University in 1962, Mrs Rishi worked with, ‘Concept Advertising & Marketing’-an Advertising Agency in Bombay for 4 years. In 1975, she joined The India Today Group in Delhi as Senior Manager, where she honed her skills in Marketing, Advertising and Media Networking. Her dedication and ethics along with relentless hard work led her to climb the ladder of success to become Senior General Manager – Advertising in India Today Group. She Joined Shanti Sahyog in 2007, where she brings the expenses of knowledge and expertise along with Compassion and Love for helping underprivileged children and Women. Her good Will In the Corporate World Helped Shanti Sahyog Immensely in getting funding for its Slum Community Development Project from Corporates under their CSR Initiative.
Vice President
General Secretary
A post graduate in Hindi from Delhi University (1968) Suman Chopra acquired her diploma in journalism from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in 1972 and joined her parents media corporate there after. In 1983, she launched her own corporate IMPRESSIONS INDIA and started an innovative and specialized publication entitled, RAILWAYS YEAR BOOK, which is considered an encyclopedia of international repute. In 1998, she brought out another journal -URBAN RAILWAYS which she continues to publish to date. Besides her professional work, her penchant for social work and zeal to give back to society led her to join Shanti Sahyog as a Life Member in 2010. She was elected General Secretary of Shanti Sahyog in 2016.
Treasurer
A graduate from MD University, Haryana, S N Arora is a businessman who specializes in Disputed Properties Resolution in Delhi & NCR. He is also a renowned Legal Advisor/Counselor.
He is a very benevolent and compassionate person. He joined Shanti Sahyog in 2010 and actively participates in all activities.
Former Director, T-Series
Mr S K Kodasi has completed his M.Tech from MIT and Diploma from IIFT. He has served as Senior Vice President in J K Tyres and as General Manager in Weston Electronics. He has also pioneered the first magnetic tape technology in India first time to substitute foreign imports by All India Radio (Govt) and subsequently commissioned few magnetic tape plants in India as CEO. He has retired as a Director in T-Series. He has worked extensively in UK, USA & Japan and now, settled in India.
Chairperson, Sarvodaya International Trust Trustee, Lotus Temple
Dr. A. K. Merchant is the National Trustee cum Secretary, Lotus Temple & Bahá’í Community of India; General Secretary, The Temple of Understanding—India [NGO with consultative status at the United Nations]. National Trustee, Sarvodaya International Trust; Associate Secretary General, Global Warming Reduction Centre; Visiting Faculty, Centre for Cultural Resources & Training, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. A subject expert for research scholars enrolled for “interfaith education and Indian culture” of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund; Honorary Director, Messrs. MK Aromatics Limited, Chennai. Dr. Merchant is the author of three monographs: (i) Communal Harmony – India’s Greatest Challenge (1991), which has been quoted in one of the Supreme Court Judgments on “Babri Masjid—Ram Janambhoomi” dispute, and (ii) Hindu Dharma evam Bahá’í Dharma (1999), (iii) Five Basic Human Values & the Bahá’í Faith (2009), and over two hundred articles and research papers that have been published in national and international dailies, journals and books. He is an active promoter of gender justice and has spoken on numerous occasions for the implementation of Beijing Platform for Action; the environment and ecology; world peace, inter alia; Resource Person for the promotion on discourse of science, religion and development.
