Annadana > About Us > Annadana Trustees
Annadana Team & Trustees
Our Trustees, teams and advisors have diverse backgrounds united with a common purpose – To strengthen the chemical free Food movement by means of sustainable regenerative farming.
Sangita Sharma
Chairperson & Founding Trustee
In 2001, Sangita moved away from being a specialist in Corporate affairs to becoming a specialist in Agriculture affairs. Her journey commenced when she started to question the source of her food and why, she was faced with having to consume foods laced with chemicals. In search of answers, she travelled across rural India to unravel alarming facts, one being ''Seed" was no longer the legacy of our farmers. Propagation, multiplication, conservation of indigenous / heritage seeds commenced in Auroville and Annadana was born to this faith.
A self-taught natural farmer, an avid foodie Sangita believes in the sanctity of soil and seeds and walks the talk. A prominent safe food campaigner, and an advocate for farmers rights and livelihoods, she has contributed towards the moratorium for a GM free India and to various State/National Organic farming policy decisions. An articulate and passionate speaker, her voice and actions carry conviction for the grassroots and sustainable living.
Annadana's knowledge based, autonomous and replicable food forest models with seed banks at its core, driven by empowered farmers and their enterprising youth is a testimony to her lifetime's efforts.
Recipient of prestigious awards across Pan India, her seed conservation efforts have been recognised both Nationally and Internationally.
Ashok Kamat
Managing Trustee
Ashok Kamat is a multi-faceted hands-on engineer and a self-styled architect, who uses innovation and recycling in every sphere - farm strategies, development, management, construction. Annadana’s food forest models are replicable & are strategically crafted by him.
His cheerful disposition and ability to resolve any problem is his biggest strength.
His expertise for long term solutions for water and waste management, renewable energy and conceptualization of low cost Seed Bank designs for various agro-climatic zones has been recognised by North East State, India.
Healing comes naturally to him, his live demos on 'foods that heal' with focus on food combinations to suit body types have benefited people from all walks of life (testimonies that speak for itself), especially in Germany.
A campaigner for citizens welfare, civic rights and social causes, he is a recipient for the Kempegowda award, Karnataka..
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Ismail
Advisory Trustee
Dr Sultan is the leading authority in soil biology and ecology. His passion, knowledge in earthworms is incredible. His work has centred on techniques for recycling biodegradable waste into fertilizer using local varieties of earthworms, and on soil bioremediation. Having founded the Eco Science Research Foundation in Chennai, his legacy continues under qualified students.
He is the Director of Research for Dr MGR Janaki College, Chennai since 2003. He is the chief resource person on composting technology to several Government and Non-Government agencies. He has authored several useful books and many academic papers. Recipient of Arignar Anna Awards - Govt of Tamil Nadu, Visiting Fellowship award from Australia International Education Foundation are some of the notable awards.
Ms. Chaitali Pednekar
Fiduciary Trustee
Chaitali Pednekar, is a chef and co-owner of The Willow Bake Shop, Hyderabad. Chaitali made a daring transition from auditing accounts in Mumbai to educating herself in the science of baking in Bangalore to open her own dream cafe!
Her immense love and passion for good food, kick-started her to realising her dream to be a Chef. Deeply inspired by nature, she feels it is her utmost responsibility to make people fall in love with real flavours and aromas of the rich diversity produced from food forests and chemical free farms like Annadana.
Pavan Kalyan P
Administrator Trustee
Pavan Kalyan is a young enterprising, soft spoken youth who was raised at Annadana farm, Bangalore. He is the son of our empowered farmers Geetha and Papanna.
He sets a precedent to be on board Annadana as the youngest trustee driving our farm operations with ease and confidence.
Pavan is pursuing his B.Com online, and has completed his Tally course (for Audit) and basic computer skills training. He has excelled in Annadana's one year apprenticeship program. His natural flair of ownership, managing Annadana's farm operations is most commendable. His finesse in public relations & patience wins him a fan following. He is developing his skills in marketing and finance, as he is enthusiastic and determined to carry forward the legacy of saving seeds, the foundation in sustainable agriculture.
Community Lead team at Annadana
Lakshmama Nayaka
Seed Guardian – Master Trainer
Lakshmama is the Seed Guardian of Annadana. A Master Trainer with a lot of wisdom, bold in her approach, yet gentle and a mentor to many. Her inherent seed saving knowledge of any crop is one to reckon with.
Seed saving is an arduous task to many but to her it is one of meditation, care and commitment. She proves her mettle time and again with such unfettered patience, whether executing her daily field tasks or in demonstrating hands-on sustainable solutions to visitors from all walks. Attending one seed saving workshop with her, often leaves you yearning for more!
Gopala Nayaka
Master Trainer – Annadana, Bangalore
Gopala has been with Annadana since inception & prior, a Master Trainer, an empowered farmer with grit and conviction in sustainable farming. You start a conversation with him, you will come away richer for it. His years of experience, wisdom, his narrations of ancestral farming heritage whether in cultivating cereals, millets, grains, oil seeds or fruits is one to be revered.
Field management, improving the soil, plumbing and best practices in drip irrigation, saving planting material are some of his core strengths.
Mr. Arun R. V
Agronomy
Arun, is the enterprising son of our milk herdsman Vadivelu and Durga. Arun has always had a penchant for farming. Since the age of 2. he was always seen with a sickle in his hand, following Gopala around the farm to lend his tiny helping hands.
He has always been fascinated with agronomy and curious to learn about soil, seed, plant growth and farm management. Arun has successfully completed his apprenticeship with Annadana. Multi-faceted and performs tasks from plumbing, masonary works with selfless commitment.
He is pursuing his graduation in B.Com and going to college. Soon after college, he takes technical role at Annadana seriously documenting his passion in crop diversity and more.
Sharada
Farm Trainer
Sharada is the iron lady at Annadana who works on par with Gopala.. She executes the work of 2 men with ease. Despite family challenges, her cheerful disposition, free gait is a soothing balm to our community. No amount of provocation any, can ruffle her. She has an enterprising personality with a natural flair towards entrepreneurship.
She produces her own greens in the plot provided to her and travels far to find a market for her proceeds. During monsoons, in her village, she tills her own farmland to produce millets for additional revenue. This is supported and encouraged by Annadana, to save farmers from selling their land.
Bimla Khati
Community Kitchen Chef & Events Facilitator
Bimla is a gentle, chirpy & soft spoken farmer, a super facilitator in organising farm trails, workshops or events. A vibrant air to her, no reason to fret nor worry for every single detail is taken care off. Her ability to grasp is amazing. She concocts delicious recipes by foraging wild edible weeds that leaves us all in awe. A Master Chef with incredible recipes from Indian, Italian, Asian to Mediterranean cuisines. She brings her passion and versatility to baking with exquisite oatmeal biscuits, cookies, cakes & quiches to most delicious passion fruit peel marmalades, diversity of pickles, conserves for pasta and more.
Suresh T
Master Trainer – Annadana, Western Ghats
Suresh, is a skilled, jovial, self motivated farmer steering Annadana Western Ghats since inception. A master trainer with a tenacity to make tactical decisions in sustainable farming. His focus and cheerful disposition makes him a strong collaborator with the local farmers in the region. His positive attitude “Anything is achievable” makes his team look up to him for proactive solutions.
Lakshmi T
Overall Management – Annadana, Western Ghats
Lakhmi is a passionate farmer of grit, courage & maturity. A lead trainer at Annadana Western Ghats, whose multi- tasking activities from field management, seed saving to handling our community kitchen all done with remarkable ease & commitment. She maintains a mini dairy along with Suresh, her husband in addition to managing the vast expanse of the farm.
Advisory Board
Annadana acknowledges the valuable efforts of interns, volunteers, friends of Annadana & family who generously contribute towards evolving our Best Practices.
C. N. Shobha Nagathihalli
Shobha C S has more than two decades of experience working in the IT industry handling Project Management, Quality, Training and Knowledge Management. She has travelled extensively and has handled many international projects.
After a long and successful career in the corporate world, she has started Tent Cinema, a film school in Bangalore with her husband, a well known writer and Kannada film director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar. This school trains young minds who aspire to join the entertainment industry.
She is avid follower of organic farming, sustainability and spirituality.
Anita. J. Nayar
Anita Nayar is a Practitioner of Bowen Technique, Reiki and Nutrition therapy in UK, with a strong belief in Naturopathy and its powerful ability to facilitate the body’s capacity to heal itself. Leaving behind a long career in the corporate world, she turned her attention to her invest and work in the field of complementary medicine, where her passion lies.
It has been her life-long vision to collaborate with visionaries who share a holistic approach to sustainability of life, nature and spirituality in a harmonious and unifying role - one that leaves a lasting legacy to the community.
Anita has been a well-wisher of Annadana ever since its inception following its progress with quiet pride.
Shobha Bhavakatti
Shobha is our Legal Adviser, a senior Advocate with experience of over 30 years involving Civil, Criminal and other cases. Her ability to accurately relay critical legal information using a tactical & strategic approach is admirable.
Although soft spoken, her personality conveys one of conviction, grit & compassion.
She has a penchant for healthy food, an appreciation towards grass root sustainable agriculture. We are honoured to have her on board.
Annadana acknowledges the valuable efforts & support extended by our advisors over the years. We also take this opportunity to acknowledge our interns, volunteers, farmers, friends of Annadana & family who have generously contributed towards evolving our Best Practises.
