Leadership
Swami Swaroopananda
Chairperson CORD Board and Trustee
Swami Swaroopananda is the current Global Head of Chinmaya Mission and the current Chairman of CORD since 2017 after Swami Tejomayananda who was the Founder Chairman of CORD. Swami Swaroopananda earlier was the Regional Head of Chinmaya Mission UK, Australia and the Far East and the Director of Chinmaya International Residential School in Coimbatore. In his early twenties, inspired by Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, he became a monk and left his successful businessman in Hong Kong.
Sunil Sachdeva
Secretary CORD Board and Trustee
Sunil Sachdeva worked for over 30 years in advertising industry. He was a Co-Founder, Capital Advertising, which became a part of the Publicis group, one of the global leaders in the communication business. Sunil is passionately driven by the power of communication to impact human lives. Sunil is a Founder Director, Social Capital, a communications consultancy, focused on working with companies on their transformative CSR programmes.
Navin Bahl
Treasurer CORD Board and Trustee
Navin Bahl worked two years post qualification with reputed firms of Chartered accountants in Europe. He worked for six years as Finance Manager in large industrial companies in India. Mr. Bahl commenced his practice as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 1974 and was Senior Partner of the firm for 25 years. He set up a company for the manufacture and export of soft home furnishings to large stores all around the world. The company also has two retail outlets in New Delhi. Currently Mr. Bahl is a Member of the Managing Committee of Blind Relief Association, New Delhi; President of the Association of Rehabilitation of Handicapped and Trustee of Charities Aid Foundation CAF) India.
Dr. Kshama Metre
National Director of CORD and Trustee
Dr. Kshama Metre, MD (Pediatrics) from Maulana Azad Medial College, Delhi is the trustee and National Director of CORD since its inception in 2003. Dr. Metre joined the earlier predecessor of CORD inspired by Swami Chinmayananda in 1985 in Sidhbari. Over the past three decades she has pioneered and led CORD’s comprehensive need based rural development program. Dr. Metre is eminent member of various committees and institutions working in the development sector. Dr. Metre is fondly called “Dr. Didi” by the many people associated with CORD.
Appa Rao Mukkamala
Trustee
Dr. Mukkamala, earned MD (Radiology) at the age of 22 from Guntur Medical College, Andhra Pradesh. He immigrated to the United States in 1970 and completed his radiology residency in Flint, Michigan in 1975. He has served as the Chairman of Radiology since 1975 to 1989 at the Hurley Medical Center in Flint where he continues the practice of radiology. He is also the Chairman of the Radiology Residency Program and has trained numerous radiologists. He is the President of of Chinmaya Mission West and Director in CORD USA. He and his wife Dr. Sumathi Mukkamala are founders of CORD’s Chinmaya Vijaya, an orphanage for girls. Dr. Appa Rao is amongst the 32 NRI doctors from USA who established the NRI Academy of Medical Sciences at Chinakakani near Vijayawada.
Purnima Daulet Singh
Trustee
Purnima Daulat Singh is masters in English Literature from Bombay University in 1984. After that she taught at “Happy Home School for the Blind” for 5 years, then at the American School in Bombay for 5 years and then at a government school in Delhi for 5 years. Purnima Daulet Singh is trustee of CORD since 2008 and is instrumental in raising resources for CORD work nationally.
Dharamvir Malhotra
Trustee
Dharamvir Malhotra worked in his family business in 1961 in Kuwait and retired from active participation at the age of 75 and is now acting only as an advisor. He is an active member of Chinmaya Family in Kuwait, Kolwan and Gurgaon. He joined CORD as a trustee in 2017. Besides this he is actively engaged in charitable organizations in Delhi to help the underprivileged children for education and sports.
Swami Prakarshananda
Trustee
Swami Prakarshananda joined CORD as Trustee in February 2018. He is an alumini of Sandeepandy Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai. A Masters in Veterinary Science, he worked seven years, as an Assistant Professor at the Bombay Veterinary College previously. Presently since 2016 he is in Delhi Chinmaya Mission after an illustrious record of service to the Chinmaya Mission, earlier in Goa from 2004 to 2016. Swami Prakarshananda conducts regular Vedanta classes and discourses for devotees and on specific relevant topics in the jails, hospitals, schools and corporate offices. He is a dynamic, spiritual guide with command over Hindi, English, Marathi and Sanskrit.
Resource Team at National Director’s Office and CORD Training Centre, Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh
Resource Teams at CORD Training Centre Sidhbari are working for their comprehensive as well as issue specific programs. These senior team leaders have vast and enriched subject expertise and experiences of over decades. This team is also working as key change agents/architect in initiating and managing new CORD sites in Odisha, Tamilnadu, Satellite sites in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttrakhand. They have conducted and are constantly providing handholding, due-diligence for new site selection, human resource training and support to all sites Directors/Incharges/field team members onsite and off-site on various issues of comprehensive integrated rural development program. This resource team also facilitates and conducts monitoring and evaluation of various programs being run under the aegis of CORD nationally. This team is led by Chief Operating Officer CORD under the guidance and support of National Director CORD.
Narender Paul
Chief Operating Officer CORD
Narender is a young and determined man living and serving rural India through CORD’s vision in comprehensive community based and driven programs for past 15 years. He joined CORD as an Occupational Therapist but has acquired various post graduate degrees in rural development, management, research, training and development to meet the multi-disciplinary approach of CORD. Narender has worked tirelessly with Dr. Metre to scale and replicate CORD’s vision nationally and internationally. He has initiated and endorsed many innovative ideas/models for CORD’s growth. Inspired by Gurudev, he is currently studying to complete the Vedantā online course from Chinmaya International Foundation and has inspired other team members at CORD Training Centre Sidhbari too to study and delve into Vedantā.
Suruchi Thapa
In-charge Accounts and Administration
Working for past 30 years with Dr. Metre and is a key responsible person for accounting management with accounts team in CORD Training Centre Sidhbari. She monitors accounts with her team at the with national office and currently managing CORD office work in Delhi too besides regularly visiting CORD sites in Odisha with the resource team.
Shri Sunil Kumar Mishra
Coordinator, Social Justice and Informal Legal Cell
Post graduate in Psychology, Sociology and a qualified lawyer, Sunil leads CORD’s program in Social justice, gender and legal aid as his specific responsibility besides his integral role in Panchyati Raj and Adolescent Girls group and establishing and monitoring Satellite sites in remote areas in Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Punjab. Sunil is member in committees of government and banks as CORD’s representative.
Balbir Guleria
Community Development Officer, Community Based Inclusion and Rehabilitation
Balbir in working with a team of 22 members/professional for past 15 years in Community Based Inclusion and Rehabilitation program for persons with disabilities. He is Post Graduate in Commerce, qualified Special Educator (Hearing Impaiment) and trained in speech therapy under Dr. J.C Nigam (Audiologist and Speech Therapist, AIIMS New Delhi). Balbir is highly inspired in community inclusion of rural persons with disabilities in all spheres of their lives. Balbir is striving hard to scale CORD’s grassroots activities and advocacy in disability and rehabilitation at field as well as centre based services.
Shri Vinod Pathania
Community Development Officer, Women Groups & Self Help Group
Vinod is a post graduate in rural development. He is working for past 17 years with Dr. Metre in the area of socio-economic empowerment of rural women through CORD’s Women Groups (Mahila Mandals) and Self Help Group for micro-credit. He is a key player for CORD being a NABARD’s Resource centre on financial literacy and SHGs for four States of Northern India since 1999. He remained integral part of sharing and training over 40000 bankers, government, NGOs and related stakeholders in this area. He leads and manages a team of over 45 team members in grassroots program implementation at CORD Training Centre.
Onkar Singh
Community Development Officer, Farm and Allied Sector
Onkar started his association with CORD as its youth club secretary in local village. He was inspired to join CORD and for past 12 years he worked in CORD’s youth program as facilitator and leader. Currently he is leading CORD’s Community Based Livelihood – Farm and allied sector program. He is leading a team of 20 team members in this sector to promote sustainable agriculture and allied livelihood avenues. He is striving hard to build community institutions of farmers, use of farm technology, marketing of produce etc through CORD’s integrated approach for the rural farmers specially women farmers. He remained Chairman of Block level Farmer committee in Kangra block. He is a Resource team member for Tamil Nadu CORD sites in facilitating CORD program implementation and monitoring evaluation with National Director Office.
Arvind Pattarwal
Community Development Officer, Farm and Allied sector
Arvind started his career with CORD’s Participatory Natural Resource Management program in 2004 and worked till 2009 with CORD under its agriculture and allied sector program. He left his job for Junior Basic Teacher Training and again joined CORD in its agriculture and allied sector program. For past eight years, Arvind is working in CORD’s Community Based Livelihood – Farm and allied sector program assisting Onkar in its smooth operations. He is leading a team of 7 team members directly working in collectivizing demand of women farmers towards agriculture inputs reduction and establishing sustainable livelihood promotion avenues in the rural communities. He is striving hard to build community institutions of farmers, use of farm technology, marketing of produce etc through CORD’s integrated approach for the rural farmers specially women farmers. He is a Resource team member for Odisha CORD sites in facilitating CORD program implementation and monitoring evaluation with National Director’s Office.
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta
Senior Community Development Worker/Leader
Since 2004, Sanjeev worked in CORD’s CBIR program as field facilitator for inclusion and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. He has now grown up as strong team members in this program of CORD and helps in promotion of abilities of children with disabilities leading him to enable many young disabled to participate nationally and internationally in Special Olympics and sports activities. Currently Sanjeev is working as one of the team leaders for CORD’s work in its Satellite sites implementation, monitoring and evaluation in Uttrakhand.
Harish Kanaujia
Accountant
A young accounting professional worked in a company in Hyderabad, came with a desire to work locally and stay with his parents. Harish joined CORD as a job seeker in the beginning and now is integral part of CORD’s vision and work. Besides his role and responsibility in accounts and finance program of CORD Training Centre, Harish works with national team in training, monitoring and implementation of accounting and finance issues with CORD sites in Tamilnadu.
Kaushalya Devi
Senior Community Development Worker/Leader
Smt. Kaushalaya Devi worked with Dr Metre from the beginning of CORD’s program since 1986. She is a trained Village Health Guide (VHG) and Social Animator too. She is a champion in community institution building and facilitation for most of team members are trained under her mentorship in CORD as community development facilitators and leaders. She is a stalwart and role model for CORD team and field beneficiaries/partners specially women in the area of women’s socio-economic development and participation in the community development through Mahila Mandals and Self Help Groups. She herself remained member of Zila Parishad (District Panchayt Representative). She contested the election on the bases of her dedicated work in the community. She spent only 300 rupees to print few pamphlets and won the election by an overwhelming majority. She is currently also working as a resource team member to initiate, implement, monitor and evaluate program at CORD sites in Odisha with the National team. Swami Tejomayanandaji honoured her with Karamyogi award in 2012 for her life and work.
Seema Thakur
Senior Community Development Worker/Leader
Smt. Seema Devi associated with CORD since 1993. She is pioneer in trainings of bankers, women, SHG leaders in the area of micro-credit and economic empowerment. Being a strong and empowered rural woman herself, she has enabled thousand of rural women to empower themselves in the area of their socio-economic development. Seema has trained women in SHG concepts in different districts of Himachal Pradesh especially tribal areas. She remained a big part of livelihood promotion in rural areas for needy and marginalised people. She is currently also working as resource team members with National team for CORD sites in Tamilnadu.
CORD’s Site Director’s in Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
Dr. Meera Krishna
Project Director, CORD Siruvani
Dr. Meera Krishna, an obstetrician and gynecologist is a long term Chinmaya Mission member and devotee. She joined CORD as Coordinator in CORD Siruvani in October 2006 since its inception after her orientation and training at CORD Training Centre Sidhbari. Since 2016, Dr. Meera is working as Project Director of CORD Siruvani to implement CORD’s comprehensive integrated rural development program. Her husband Dr. Krishna Venkateswara joins her too on holidays voluntarily to serve the under-privileged rural masses in preventive, promotive and curative healthcare services. Her work through CORD in the area of women empowerment in recognized locally as well as by the Women Commission, New Delhi.
Alok Ranjan Padhi
Deputy Director, CORD Deuladiha.
Joined in Chinmaya Samaj Sevak Course in December 2009. On 1st July 2010 he joined CORD site at Deuladiha as a Community Development Worker (Sr.). From 2012 worked as CDO and is now its Deputy Director since August 2019.
Swami Kevalananda
Project Director, CORD Lathikatta
Inspired by the vision and work of Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Kevlananda is an Acharya in Chinmaya Mission and working presently as Secretary Chinmaya Seva Trust Rourkela, Odisha. He is involved in educational, tribal and social development work besides being Project Director of CORD site in Lathikatta since its inception in 2005.
Priya Arunachalam
Project Director, CORD Thamraipakkam
After her Masters in Computer Science in US, Priya worked with JP Morgan & Chase, a muti-national bank for five years. She and her husband left their job in USA to study Vedantā from in Mumabi for two years. She joined CORD site at Thamraipakkam in 2014 and became its Project Director in 2016 After her orientation and training at CORD Training Centre Sidhbari in 2014 she is serving in CORD site at Thamraipakkam. She became this CORD site Project Director in 2016. She is also the Correspondent of Harihara Vidyalaya school at Thamraipakkam.
Dr. Sumathi Mukkamala
Project Director, CORD orphanage Chinmaya Vijaya
Dr. Mukkamala began her medical studies in India, finished her pediatric residency at Hurley Hospital in the USA, and then worked at Hurley for 20 years. She has been in the US since 1970. In 2006, she fulfilled her childhood dream of opening Chinmaya Vijaya, an orphanage. It began in a small building with three girls taken in by her and her husband, Dr. Appa Rao Mukkamala, and has grown into a successful, well-operated facility for young girls since 2007.