Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena took over as the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on 26th May 2022. Shri Saxena, 63, comes with over three decades of vast experience in the corporate and social sectors and is the first corporate man ever selected for such gubernatorial post.
Prior to his appointment as the LG of Delhi, Shri Saxena served as the Chairman of Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) from October 2015 to May 2022. At KVIC,
Shri Saxena diversified the Khadi and village industry sectors, employed scientific techniques and implemented several innovative projects that brought about a sea change in the lives of the Khadi artisans and strengthened several allied industries.
Born in an educated and reputed family of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Saxena graduated from Kanpur University in 1981 and holds a Pilot Licence.
Shri Saxena’s leadership abilities on a diverse range of social and corporate matters fusioned with technical, legal, social and cultural skills make him a philanthropist in vision and corporate scientist in action.And his vision and action are so eternal that he always gave priority to his immense social commitment - right from the Corporate to the NGO sectors.
With his business leadership on a diverse range of corporate matters such as industries, MSMEs,petroleum and ports - fusioned with technical, legal, social and cultural skills, Shri Saxena has always led from the front in every issue related to social development like water resource development, fighting the social malpractices, disaster management support or clean development of the city space. And, for that he leaves no stone unturned in exposing any evil design; in 2000,
his brainchild National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), an NGO formed by him in 1991, established a formidable opposition to those who, driven by some vested agenda, created hurdles to stall the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) and other upcoming hydro projects on Narmada Valley since 1991.
The role of his voluntary organisation NCCL was acknowledged by the people of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh for exposing the activities of anti-dam activists.
After starting his career as an Assistant Officer in Rajasthan with JK Group, Shri Saxena never looked back. After working 11 years in different capacities with its White Cement plant, he was elevated in 1995 as General Manager to look after the proposed Port Project in Gujarat.
He then rapidly rose to become the CEO and later elevated as Director of the Dholera Port Project. As the Director of Port Project and a Founder-President of the widely acclaimed NGO-NCCL, his refined persona won accolades, even from his rivals.
After being appointed as the Chairman of KVIC in October 2015, Shri Saxena not only explored the untapped streams of Khadi and Village Industries, but also implemented many innovative schemes like 'Honey Mission', 'KumhaarSashaktikaranYojana' and ‘Leather Artisans’ Empowerment’ - which have won rave reviews across the country and abroad.
Compared to the year 2015 16, when he took the reins of KVIC,the turnover of KVIC grew by a massive 248% while a massive 40 lakh new employment were created in less than 7 years. It was during the tenure of Shri Saxena, that KVIC, for the first time, clocked a historic turnover of Rs 1.15 lakh crore in 202122, the highest by KVIC and by any FMCG company in India so far.
Shri Saxena successfully ensured the distribution of 55,000 New Model Charkhas and 11,000 modern looms, which is a record itself in the history of Khadi Commission.
Following the clarion call of 'Sweet Revolution' given by Prime Minister on December 10, 2016, while introducing Banas Honey project at Deesa in Banaskantha district of Gujarat, Shri Saxena drafted a programme named 'Honey Mission' and launched in August 2017 from the Presidential Edifice at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
After that, the KVIC started identifying the farmers, Adivasisand unemployed youths across the nation and right from dense forest areas of Assam to tribal belt of Narmada Valley and from hilly valleys of Jammu & Kashmir to Gangetic plains of Varanasi - it left no breadth and length of the nation in distributing Bee-boxes with live bee-colonies. In his ongoing regime as Chairman KVIC, nearly 1.70 lakh Bee-Boxes have been distributed between 2017 and 2022.
Apart from its mandate of creating employment and increasing honey production, the Honey Mission did a far greater benefit to the environment by adding 9000 million bees in the nature.
Before 2015, nobody had even contemplated that the potter community (Kumhaar) would have a day until the Hon’ble Prime Minister felt the need for empowering this community and reconnecting them with the mainstream of development. It was the KVIC Chairman, who took personal initiative to draft the ambitious Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojanato uplift the socio-economic condition of this marginalized community and fulfil the dream of the Hon’ble PM.
Comprehensive training to potters and distribution of 25,000 Electric Potter Wheels and other pottery apparatus led to a manifold increase in their production and income and thus a sea change ushered in the lives of the potters under the guidance of Shri Saxena. He contacted several government and non-government bodies including Indian Railways - to provide a better marketing canvass to the potters.As a result, over one lakh jobs were created for the potters’ community in less than 3 years.
Next in the line was a first-of-its-kind ‘Leather Artisans’ Empowerment’ scheme in the country that not only brought out Shri Saxena’s humanitarian side but also assumed great social significance for the cobbler (Mochi) community. He rechristened this extremely marginalized community into a more dignified name of “Charm Chikitsak”. They were provided with modern toolkits and their workplace on the roadside was named as “JooteChappalonka Beauty Parlor”.
It was none other than Shri Saxena, who took Khadi from local to global and from big cities to remotest parts of the nation - be it sleepy kraal-dominated hamlets of Leh-Ladakh region, Mishing tribes' villages of Kaziranga, tiger-widows' refuge in Bali island of Sunderban Delta in West Bengal or tribal-dominated areas of Narmada Valley. In all these places, spinning and weaving activities changed the lives of the poorest of the poor who were, since Independence, completely untouched by any government agency.
As many top economies of the world crippled under the Covid19 pandemic, Shri Saxena turned the crisis into an opportunity in India with production of its globally-acclaimed Khadi face masks. Scientifically tested, skin friendly and biodegradable Cotton and Silk face masks at an affordable price not only became the most effective tool of fighting Corona disease but also saved thousands of Khadi artisans from economic distress by providing self-employment.
Under Shri Saxena’s leadership, KVIC has created nearly 43 lakh jobs through its various schemes. This included 37 lakh jobs under PMEGP, 3 lakh jobs in Khadi sector, 1.25 lakh under KumhaarSashaktikaranYojana and 50,000 under Honey Mission since 2015-16.
Shri Saxena’s development-oriented mind and his administrative acumen is no less than a latent prodigy.
The Highlights of his career:
On 5th March 2021, the Government of India appointed Shri Saxena as one of the Members of the National Committee to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence. This Committee is headed by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and comprises former President, former Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, Governors, Chief Ministers and others as members.
In November 2020, Shri Saxena was nominated as a Member of the High Powered Padma Awards Selection Committee for the year 2021 by the Government of India. The Committee is responsible for scrutinizing the nominations received for Padma Awards.
On 9th September 2020, Shri Saxena was nominated a Member of the “Research Council” of Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –
Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology. Research Council is the topmost decision making body of the institute with the mandate of boosting bio-economy through sustainable utilization of Himalayan bio-resources and with the mission to discover, develop and commercialize processes and products from Himalayan bio-resources using cutting-edge science and technology.
On March 18, 2019, the Hon'ble President of India, in his capacity as Visitor of the University, nominated Shri Saxena as a "Member of University Court" of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, for three years. This is the Highest Body of this Institution.
From 2016 to 2020, Shri Saxenais being nominated every year by the Hon'ble Prime Minister as one of the Members of the 'Empowered Committee' for evaluation of "Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration". This High-Powered Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and the other members are Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, CEO Niti Aayog and Secretary Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances.
Awards & Achievements
September 2017: Conferred with 2017 Luxury League Award for his contribution in promotion of brand 'Khadi' in India and abroad.
May 2008: “International felicitation” by United Nations Decade of Sustainable Development (UNDESD), UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP in association with International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP), USA, (UN NGO) and Social Organisation for Health – Human & Management (SOHAM) for “Outstanding Contribution to Environment Protection and Water Security”.
May 2007: Won “Dubai International Award” constituted by UN-HABITAT for best practices to improve living environment in Ahmedabad City through his project Mission ENDURE (ENsuringDUstREduction) which was first of its kind and size in the Country launched by any NGO to reduce dust pollution with public participation.
July 2000 In recognition of his activities related to water security in Coastal Bhal region of Gujarat, UNESCO invited him to attend a Workshop on ‘Wise Coastal Practice for Sustainable Human Development’. Project successfully solved the problem of non-availability of fresh water in the Bhal region.
April 2000 Selected by the “Third World Network of Scientific Organisation”, Italy as one of the four referees for evaluation of an important Joint Research Project at Yemen titled “Characterization an Environmental Prioritisation of the Coastal region in the state of Yemen.”
Other Activities
Founded student union of Mardhan Singh Inter College Talbehat, Dist. Lalitpur, U. P. in 1975 and Elected its unopposed General Secretary.
Founded National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) in 1991 with its H.Q at Ahmedabad. NCCL is a non-profitable multi dimensional social organization registered under the Societies Act and recognized by the Ministry of Law & Justice (Dept. of Company Affairs), Govt. of India.
Under the stewardship of Shri Saxena, NCCL has actively taken up several issues of national importance against monolithic Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Private Companies, Central or State Govts., creating awareness against in justice, stopping unfair trade practices, exposing myths – taking up the issues with the appropriate authorities or courts of law – till their logical conclusions.
In the five eventful decades of his life, he has been a jet-setting corporate leader, a vociferous social crusader, an ardent environmentalist, a committed water-conservationist, an articulate votary for integrated development, and a Pilot Licensee.
On the developmental front, he has been actively pursuing a project named “Rainbow Hills” to adopt and develop villages across the Country under CSR funds.
On the cultural Front Shri Saxena keeps raising relevant issues whenever he comes across them. On 17th May, 2008, he discovered that the statue of the ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi, who is undoubtedly amongst the greatest leaders of humankind, was not placed in the wing where the statues of other illustrious world leaders were exhibited, at London’s Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
`The statue was placed on the second floor near an Ice Cream Parlour close to a dustbin. Moved by this plight of apathy towards Mahatma Gandhi, Shri Saxena took up the matter with the political leadership in UK and India. In a letter written to the then British Prime Minister Shri. Gordon Brown, Shri. Saxena wondered “is this not a paradox that the memory of the man who rallied world attention on the evil of apartheid in South Africa over a century ago is now subjected to the same scandalous contempt that we thought the world has over come? Is this not a racial bias against India and its role models of historic reverence?”
Shri Saxena requested the British Prime Minister to initiate immediate action to see that this anomaly is rectified and the “Pride of India” is restored in Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. He pursued the issue until an apology was offered by the Museum office, and the Mahatma statue was shifted to the ‘World Leaders’ Exhibition’ hall there. Brief description of initiatives taken by Shri. V K Saxena for public cause:
On 21.11.2014, NCCL launched its new Project “Rainbow Hills” from village Vanaj, in Taluka Vijaya nagar,in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat for re-constructions/repairs and modernization of tribal houses in the picturesque Adivasi Vanaj village which is situated on a small hillock facing a huge lake. The 12 selected houses in village Vanaj, were constructed by the Adivasis using mud for walls and local wood for ceiling. These dilapidated dusty houses were in unhealthy conditions to live in.
NCCL completed repair and reconstruction of these 12 houses in a record period of 3 months. Under the scheme, repairing of walls, floor, roof, Verandas, etc. were done including Construction of toilets. The aim of the scheme was to provide basic amenities to the poor Adivasis, without disturbing their lifestyle, traditions and surroundings. These Adivasis are also guided to rent out one room in these neatly re-constructed houses to the tourists interested in eco-tourism to generate income for them.
In the year 2018, this successful social experiment was replicated in Admapur Village of Varanasi. NCCL renovated 6 dilapidated mud houses of the village into concrete houses at the cost of Rs 1 lakh per unit.
To make the city of Ahmedabad dust free, NCCL in July 2004, launched an ambitious project called MissionENDURE (EnsuringDustREduction). MissionENDURE was the first ever endeavor of its kind and size in the country in which an NGO was promoting a practical, positive and participatory solution to reduce dust pollution in a large city like Ahmedabad. This eco-friendly scheme not only reduced dust pollution but also allowed rainwater to recharge the aquifer. MissionENDURE has won Dubai International Award instituted by UN HABITAT. NCCL was selected for this award from 650 entries from 140 countries. This project was showcased at World Urban Forum for Worldwide emulation.
NCCL took up the job of deepening of silted village ponds with local people’s participation in 13 villages of driest Bhal region of Gujarat during the year 1999 – 2000. Two to three meters silt was removed from the ponds which helped store enough rain water for the entire year. NCCL also supplied free water in remote villages of Bhal region of Gujarat every year since 2001 till 2005.
A severe Earth Quake hit Gujarat on 26th January 2001. NCCL took the assistance from a well-known organization “Earth Center” Hyderabad, having expertise in analyzing satellite images, to study the impact of earthquake on SSP through satellite imageries.
He was also involved in Water Resource Planning and Water Shed Management for Gujarat & Rajasthan. To catalyze the process of deeper scientific understanding of environmental matters by very competent Indian and foreign Scientists, NCCL commissioned a study in the year 2003 called “Trishna” for bringing unutilized water to the parched areas of Gujarat & Rajasthan.
Shri Saxena’s immense social and legal efforts in keeping at bay the vested interests that tried to disrupt the good work of SardarSarovar Project are also highly regarded in Gujarat, MP and Rajasthan. There are dozens of examples of his ingenuity-be it in the domain of water resource development, fighting the social malpractices, disaster management support or clean development of the city space. Any instance of anti-Development campaign will find him fighting it tooth and nail through a combination of technical, legal, social and cultural skills. Likewise, any instance of social development will find him drawn to its principle like metal to a magnet.
