The Earth Trust is run by an exemplary Board of Trustees and advisors, each with a few decades of experience in management, education, environment, public service, and healthcare. We believe in Lao Tzu words who says, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, people will say: we did it ourselves.” Our programs are implemented by a small team of skilled and efficient staff who work across the Nilgiris, and volunteered by a individuals from across the world.
Malathi Mittal
Inducted into The Earth Trust by Vanya Orr in 2007, Malathi has been an integral part of its growth story. In this journey of more than 14 years, she has been a Managing Trustee for more than a decade. A septuagenarian, she carries her years lightly. A Mathematics graduate , she is a founder member of NATPU in Chennai, which promotes and supports girl's education post schooling. She volunteers for The University Women’s Association (UWA), Coonoor and is a senior office bearer. A deep awareness of the inter-connectedness in the universal scheme of things is her guiding philosophy.
Dr. Suresh Belliraj
An academician by instinct and inclination, Dr.Suresh Belliraj is the Founder of Riverside Public School in Kotagiri. He set up the first gated community in the Nilgiris, in 2006, Riverside Dreamscapes Pvt. Ltd. with emphasis on spaces and greenery. He is a Trustee of BERU, an NGO dealing with eradication of plastics. He is also the Co-founder of Swara Academy of Performing Arts ( 2014), a non-profit based in Kotagiri to promote classical arts such as Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music.
Suresh holds a Master’s degree in Statistics (1991) followed by a Doctorate, PhD in
Business Administration from the University of Missouri –Columbia (1995 ), B.Sc. Statistics from Loyola College Chennai, and did his schooling in Lawrence School Lovedale.
Lt Gen Rajan Ravindran AVSM, VSM (Veteran)
In a span of forty years of unblemished service to the Nation, Lt. Gen Ravindran has been decorated with awards for excellence four times. Highlights of a distinguished service: He has been the GOC Infantry Division, Chief of Staff Central Command, GOC Delhi Area Headquarters, Director, Military Intelligence Foreign Division amongst others. Restoration of the Aravalli extension, and active involvement in Clean Ganga project in Uttarakhand and Kanpur. Post retirement served for two years as Director Operations and Administration in Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology. With a PhD in Defence Management and Social Science (doctorate award awaited), Lt. Gen Ravindran has two MPhils, One MBA, One MS(Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California), and One MSc. His objective - To contribute significantly, to the Society at large and optimizing forty years of experience and knowledge gained as an Indian Army officer.
Sukanya Sanjay
A young mother of 2 sons, Sukanya is a B.com graduate, an Accounting technician from ICAI. She is a Financial analyst with 8 years of work experience. A daughter of the soil, she has been actively contributing her organising skills to the Coonoor Ladies Circle, a sister wing of the Coonoor Round Table , which she chaired for three years. During her tenure, a school for differently-abled children was constructed at Aravenu. She continues to be involved with the Coonoor Ladies Circle, holding offices of responsibility. Currently she is managing her family Tea enterprise, NIRSAN. This gives her a close- to -the- ground stakeholders' perspective. Her passion is Organic/Natural farming . And her goal which is ably supported by her husband, Sanjay Raman, is to leave a non-toxic legacy in the hills for her children to be proud of.
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Nimmi John
Nimmi John was born and raised in The Nilgiris. A nutritionist by profession, she has spent 30 years educating people on sensible eating. Her experience is in research, clinical practice, teaching and community work. She combines her training in food and nutrition with organic farming skills to make safe food available to more people.
She is a trained copy editor and has been involved in the making of 3 books as compiler, scientific editor and illustrator. She enjoys creating treasure from trash. Travel, interior design, art, architectural and furniture restoration are her hobbies. She is an honorary member at Earth Trust.
Group Capt. Kumar
Born and brought up in Coonoor, Group Capt. Kumar is an avid Organic gardening enthusiast and passionate about soil conservation and the environment. An NDA graduate, he has served in 21 different Air force Units A fighter pilot, he flew Mig -21 and Mig-29 aircraft for 32 years. A Microsoft certified Data Analyst in Power BI, his 2 M Phils(in Defence and Strategic Studies and Business Management ), a Doctorate in Defence and Strategic studies, his Management degrees from International Project Management Association, All India Management Association, all sit lightly on him. He has served as Head of Training team in Staff College Wellington and Head of Department, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad. Post-retirement in 2018, he is back to his roots in the Nilgiris and is very involved with Rotary activities. His passion- bringing back Nilgiris to the pristine state of his growing years.
