Mentors

Shri Ashok is Post Graduate in Electronics engg and Management education from Babson College, Boston, USA having 25+ years of experience in Electronics, Semiconductors and Automotive. Having led leadership positions for India and Asia in Sales Management, Business Development, Automotive vertical , EMS/ ODM, Ecosystem Development. Strong ecosystem relationship across all Industry verticals, Startup ecosystem, Industry Bodies, Technology companies, Incubators, Universities, etc. He has been Chairman of India Electronics Semiconductors Association (IESA), Co-Chairman of FIDO Alliance, President of Smart card forum of India. Worked for NXP Semiconductors, Infineon technologies, Motorola, etc in last 25 years and Managed multi-locational/ cross-cultural/ cross functional teams across Asia. More than 200 Speeches in Conferences and events and Media Interviews.

Shri Prashant Maniar is Managing Partner of Encito Advisors LLP, a boutique investment bank providing strategic and financial advisory services, based in Mumbai India. The firm specializes in Sustainability, Cleantech and Mobility sectors, providing clients’ advisory services for growth capital syndication via Private Equity (PE) or Venture Capital (VC), Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), International Joint Ventures (JV), Debt/Project Finance syndication, India Entry Strategies and Project Development Advisory. Shri Maniar has 20+ years’ experience in Clean Energy, Environment and Technology industries’ during which he has consistently delivered successful results in operational and advisory roles. Earlier Shri Maniar, while based in California USA, held the position of Cross-border practice head at Cipher Capital. Prior to that, he was co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Stratosphere Solutions, where he was instrumental in signing up Fortune 50 companies as customers, raising capital and setting up global alliances. Shri Maniar holds a MBA, specializing in Entrepreneurship, from Santa Clara University (USA), a M.E. in Electrical Engineering from University of South Carolina (USA) and a B.E. in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University (India). Shri Maniar, has presented at many marquee conferences, writes articles on a regular basis and has participated as a judge in many reputed competitions. He devotes considerable time mentoring entrepreneurs. Shri Maniar co-chair’s Global TiE Sustainability SIG, has Chaired the TiE-Mumbai Clean Energy & Environment special interest group and served on the Board of Directors of 700 for Science, a global non-profit organization connecting investors and disruptive technologies in biotech and cleantech. His detailed profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashantmaniar and further information on Encito Advisors can be found at www.encitoadvisors.com.

Summary:

• 24+ years of experience in venture capital, private equity, management consulting and investment banking.

• Co-founder of ThinkAg – a platform for accelerating the adoption of innovations in agriculture space

• Invested in several early stage AgriTech and mid-sized companies

• Mentor, Investor, Board member and adviser in many AgriTech startups

• Management graduate from IIM (Ahmedabad) and Agricultural Engineer from Rajasthan Agricultural University

• Hemendra in his career has invested in several early stage AgriTech and mid-sized companies in the agricultural supply chain.

Highlights:

• Hemendra in his career has invested in several early stage AgriTech and mid-sized companies in the agricultural supply chain.
• He is a mentor, investor, board member and adviser in many food and AgriTech start-ups working on innovations in areas such as Agri-inputs, market linkages, mechanization, food nutrition and value chain financing.
• He is currently working as Venture Partner with Bharat Innovation Fund –investing in early stage deep-tech start-ups across sectors.
• Hemendra is also co-founder of ThinkAg – a platform for accelerating the adoption of innovations in agriculture space.
• He also is the Chairman of FICCI Task Force on Agri Start-ups. He is also an advisor to a few Foundations, Multilaterals and Funds with interest in Indian food and agribusiness sector.
• He has authored many papers on the subject and speaks regularly at conferences pertaining to food and agribusiness sector as well as start-up ecosystem.

Summary:

• 21 years of experience in Research, Teaching and Training including six years of experience in working at International Project.

• Research area are Protected cultivation technology, Water resource management, Vertical and smart farming and Pressurized drip Fertigation.

• Received International fellowship from MASHAV, Israel and World Bank

• Technical expert and member in DST-TIFAC GOI, National Water Mission, Ministry of Water Resources, Bureau of Indian Standard BIS and National Horticultural Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India.

• Published more than 100 research papers, technical articles, reports, seminar proceedings, bulletins etc.

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from IARI, New Delhi

Highlights:

• Dr. hasan has taken international training from Israel and Spain in greenhouse and fertigation management.
• He has been awarded Diploma from ETIFA NOVADADES AGRICOLAS, Spain.
• He has received international fellowship from MASHAV, Israel and World Bank for PDF assignments in Israel and Spain.
• Dr Hasan is the life member of ISAE (Indian society of agricultural engineering), ISWM (Indian society of water management) and ISPC (Indian society of protected cultivation).
• He has been awarded Management Development Program MDP certificate by Indian Institute of Management, IIM Lucknow.
• He is the faculty member in the Division of Agricultural Engineering, IARI.
• He is actively involved in M.Tech and Ph.D courses related to Irrigation Engineering and Soil and Water conservation Engineering.
• He has guided 20 M.Tech & Ph.d students at IARI.
• Dr Hasan has coordinated 15 International and National funded projects funded by DST, World Bank, ICAR as CPI and Co-PI related to Protected cultivation technology and water resource management.
• He has given 50 Live and recorded Programs on National Doordarshan, DD KISAN Channel for extension and technological support related to Greenhouse farming, Drip Fertigation and water resource management.
• Dr. Hasan received acknowledgement from Centre for International Co-operation MASHAV (Israel) and NOVADADES AGRICOLAS, Spain for the work done in the area of Protected Cultivation and Drip Fertigation at IARI New Delhi.

Summary:

• 26+ years of experience at Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal (ICAR)
• Specialization in Farm Machinery and Power, Ergonomics, Conservation Agriculture and Instrumentation
• Has been associated in formulation and implementation of a GOI scheme on Profasal of Agricultural Mechanization and Machinery
• Member of Technical Working Group on Power Tillers of Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM), sectional committees viz
Agricultural Tractors & Power Tillers (FAD 11) and Ergonomics (PGD 15) of Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi
• Published over 250 papers including 34 in referred international journals, 18 in referred Indian journals, 3 policy papers, 38 books/book chapters, 40 technical bulletins and presented more than 100 papers in conferences/workshops
• Ph.D. from IIT, Kharagpur

Highlights:

• Recognition Award, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), New Delhi (2019-20)
• Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding All India Coordinated Research Project Award, ICAR, New Delhi (2018)
• ISAE Fellow, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi (2012-13)
• Team Award, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi (2006-07)
• Commendation Medal, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi (2005-06)
• Distinguished Service Certificate, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi (2002-03)
• AET Best Paper Award 2018, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi (2018)
• Cooperating Editor, Agricultural Mechanisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America (A 092) (2011 to date)
• Chair, Technical Working Group on Power Tillers of Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) (2018 and 2019)
• Member, Ergonomics Sectional Committee (PGD 15), BIS (2012 to date)
• Member, Preparation of IEC Material for In-situ Paddy Straw Management committee constituted by ICAR on the directive of PMO for preparation of the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material for in-situ paddy straw management for avoiding burning of straw (2018 to date)
• Member, Expert committee constituted by DOAC&FW to look into various issues of power tillers (2016-17)
• Member, Consultancy Evaluation Committee of DOAC & FW for engagement of consultant (2015-16)
• Member, Working group for Review of Dangerous Machines (Regulation) Act. 1983 of DOAC&FW (2016-17)
• Member, National Steering Committee of KRITGYA – A national level Agtech Hackathon on “Promoting Innovation in Farm Mechanization” organized by ICAR, New Delhi (2020)
• Convenor, “Automation of Farming System” session under “Precision Agriculture” under VAIBHAV (Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik) Summit on 6 Oct., 2020 by ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal.
• Member, Research Advisory Committee [Engineering], National Innovation Foundation, Gandhinagar, India (2021-)
• Member, Research Advisory Committee, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal (2020-)
• Member, Academic Council, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (2020-)
• Member Secretary, ICAR Regional Committee No. VII (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh & Goa) (2021-)

Summary:

• Successful farmer, working since 1976 to date
• Innovated & developed new techniques related to Agri & Agro-Tourism
• TEDx Speaker
• Krishi Bhushan & Krishi Ratna Awardee

Highlights:

• Developed Saguna Rice Technique (SRT) - A technique where no plowing, puddling and transplanting is required and get best crop and protect& improve fertility of soil.
• Developed easiest, quickest, chipset, confidence building method to control crab problem in rice paddies and to protect environments from erosion.
• Developed a technique to produce rice with drip irrigation and poly mulch film to reduce water requirement by 50%.
• New concepts in tourism such as Pond House and W B Ride i.e., Water Buffalo Ride (integration of aquaculture with tourism)
• Developed an easy technique to control menace of some aggressive foreign vines weeds (e.g. Chromolaena odorata…..comunist weed)
• Developed two rice varieties through Genetic mutation thru radiation technique
• Member of Research Advisory Committee of Central Mushroom Res Insti, Solan (2009 and 2010), Director of Rice Research, Hyderabad (2010 & 2011).
• Member of the award Selection Committee. , Jagjivan Ram Kisan Puruskar, ICAR, N.D.
• Life member: Association of Food Scientists & Technologists of India and Asian Fisheries Association

Awards & Achievements:

• Innovative Farmer, Indian Society of Extension Education, N Delhi 1992
• Vasantrao Naik Puraskar, Pusad 1994
• Krishi Bhushan, Govt of Maharashtra, 1998
• L M Patel Farmer of the Year Award, Aspee Foundation, Mumbai 2001
• Asian Fisheries Puraskar, CIFE, Mumbai 2002
• Arekar Pratishthan Puraskar, Karjat 2004
• Jagjeevan Ram Kisan Puraskar, ICAR, N Delhi 2004
• Inovative Rice Farmer, Director of Rice Res., Hyderabad 2011
• Udyog Shree Puraskar in the hands of Dr Anil Kakodkar, Mumbai, Jan 2012
• Vasantrao Naik Pratishthan Puruskar, Mumbai 1st July2014
• Hutatma Gaurav Puraskar, 2015, Raigad Press Club
• ABP Maza Sanman Puraskar, Mumbai, 30th Jan 2015
• Speech at Cornell University, Ethica, “Growing No-Till Rice with SRT : Increasing Productivity with the Saguna Rice Technique” May 5th, 2015

Summary:

• 27+ Years of experience in the area of Machinery Development in Agri sector
• Developed and upscaled proven technologies which have reached to more than 17 states of country
• Established Design Innovation Centre in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology for developing innovative solutions for Indian farmers
• Published more than 140 research papers and other publications in peer reviewed national and international journals.
• Actively involved in mentoring of various incubatees and Start-ups related farm technology
• Prof. Indra Mani has been bestowed a number of awards