H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Humanitarian and Spiritual leader
Founder, Art of Living

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian and spiritual teacher, an ambassador of peace and human values. He is the founder of the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values. In a mere 34 years, his programs and initiatives have impacted over 370 million people in 155 countries with the premise of core values of respect for all, harmony in diversity, inner peace and service to society.

Hon. Mr. Hildebrando Tapia Samaniego
Vice-President - Andean Parliament

Hon. Mr. Hildebrando Tapia Samaniego is the Vice-President of the Andean Parliament. He was elected Congressman of the Republic by the Junin region for the legislative period first in 2006 and has since, held a number of varied responsibilities including Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Construction, Vice President of the Committee on Transport, Communications, Housing and Construction, Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Ecology and many more. As a parliamentarian he authored a number of laws including decontamination of Lake Chinchaycocha – Junín, the decontamination of the Mantaro basin and the Law of the National Youth Council (CONAJU).

Hon. Ryszard Czarnecki
Vice President of the European Parliament, Belgium, Europe

Hon. MrRyszardCzarneckiis the Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for Eastern Policy and the Eastern Partnership. He has previously been Minister of the European Affairs, Minister without Portfolio and former Deputy Minister of Culture and Arts. He has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2004 and has been Vice-President of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, as well as a member of interparliamentary forum with national parliaments of Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Hon. Smriti Irani
Minister of Human Resource Development, India

Hon. Ms. Smriti Irani is the current Minister of Human Resource Development in the Government of India and the youngest member of the Cabinet. She was a Member of the Indian Parliamentary delegation to the 126th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Elected Rapporteur, Drafting Committee of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade, IPU.

Hon. Nitin Gadkari
Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, India

Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari has been a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council since 1989. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council from 1999-2005. After serving as President of the Maharashtra Pradesh BJP, in 2009 he was elevated to the post of the BJP National President to become the youngest ever party president. Gadkari was a PWD minister in Maharashtra between 1995 & 1999. As Public Works Minister in Maharashtra, he built the Mumbai – Pune Expressway.

Hon. General Vijay Kumar Singh
Minister of State for External Affairs, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Program Implementation, India

General Vijay Kumar Singh is Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation, Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs. Previously, he served as the 26th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. In his stint in the army, he was awarded a number of bravery medals including the Yudh Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

Mr. Dominique de Villepin
Hon. Former Prime Minister, France

Mr. De Villepin was Prime Minister of France (2005 to 2007), appointed Prime Minister by President Jacques Chirac. From 1995 to 2002, he was Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic. Prior to this, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002 to 2004) and Minister of the Interior (2004 to 2005). Since 2008, he set up a firm to accompany the strategies for cross-border investment and activities particularly in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has written numerous books of poetry and fiction a well as essays on history, international relations and art.

Hon. Olusegun Obasanjo
Former President of Nigeria, Nigeria

H.E. President Olusegun Obasanjo is a former Nigerian Army General and President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. H.E. President Obasanjo is a champion for development across Africa in the areas of leadership development, capacity building, and conflict resolution. In 2009, H.E. President Obasanjo was appointed as a special envoy of the United Nations to the Great Lakes region to mediate on conflicts in the DRC. He plays a leadership role in organisations including the InterAction Council for Former Heads of State and Government; Eminent Persons Group of the African, Caribbean and Pacific; and African Progress Panel.

H.E. Kjell Magne Bondevik
Hon. Former Prime Minister, Norway; President, The Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights

Mr. Bondevik served as the Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005. Currently, he is President of the Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights. The purpose of the centre is to work for world peace, human rights and inter- religious tolerance world wide.

Hon. Mr. Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya
Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka.

Mr. Karu Jayasuriya has a distinquished career in political and private sectors. To mention a few he has served as Chairman Leadership Council of the UNP; Minister of public Administration and Home Affairs; Minister of Power and Energy. He has been Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Germany. In private sector he has served as Chairman/ CEO/ Director of 52 Private and Public quoted Companies.

Hon. Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, India

Hon. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and also the President of the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He became the state's youngest assembly member and youngest minister at 28, and served the longest term as Chief Minister of the state from 1995 to 2004.He has won a number of awards, including IT Indian of the Millennium from India Today, Business Person of the Year by The Economic Times and South Asian of the Year from Time Asia.

Hon. Arvind Kejriwal
Chief Minister of Delhi, India

Hon. Mr. Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi and the National Convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In 2006, Kejriwal was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership recognising his involvement in the grassroots movement Parivartan using right-to-information legislation in a campaign against corruption.In 2012, he launched the Aam Aadmi Party, and the party won in the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election.

Dr. Petra De Sutter
Senator, Government of Belgium

Dr. Petra de Sutter is Member of Belgian Parliament (Senate) for the Flemish Green Party, serving on the Committee of Institutional Affairs. She is a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, serving on the Committee of Social Affairs and Committee of Migration and Refugees. She is also a Board member of the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development.

Ms. Sarah Claerhout
Hon. Member of Belgium Parliament;
Chair Belgium Indian Relations

Hon. Dr. Sarah Claerhout has been a Member of Parliament, Belgium since 2014. In February 2013 she became president of Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) Ghent. She obtained a PhD in Comparative Science of Cultures at the Ghent University and was an active member of the board of directors and executive committee of Ghent University.

Hon. Ms. Bariza Khiari
Member of Senate, France.

Hon. Ms. Bariza Khiari is the socialist Senator of Paris, a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces Committee of the Senate, the Chairwoman of the France-Lebanon Friends’ Group, and the Vice Chairwoman of the France-Morocco Parliamentary Friends’ group. She is a member of the French delegation at the NATO Parliament and is the promoter of a research committee in the Senate working on the defence of religious minorities. Her distinctions include Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) and Médaille du Tourisme (Tourist Board Award).

Hon. Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi
Member of Parliament, India.

Hon. Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi is a Member of Parliament and a Supreme Court of India lawyer. She is currently an active member of the Standing Committee on Urban Development, Committee of Privileges, Consultative Committee of Commerce and Committee of Housing. Besides numerous articles in journals, periodicals and newspapers on social issues, she participates in various television shows on matters on national and international importance.

Hon. Mr. Yonadam Kanna
Member of the Iraqi National Assembly, Iraq.

A member of the Iraqi Governing Council since 2003, Hon. Mr. Yonadam Kanna is a Member of the Iraqi National Assembly, and is the Secretary General of the Assyrian Democratic Movement. He served in the Kurdistan administration in Iraq, first in its Regional Assembly, then as Minister for Public Works. He was elected to the National Assembly of Iraq as head of the Al Rafideen National List in the January and December 2005 elections.

H. E. Mr. Ayoub Kara
Member of the Knesset, Deputy Minister for Regional Affairs, Israel

H. E. Mr. Ayoub Kara is a Member of the Knesset and Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation in Israel. He was previously Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, serving as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Workers and Chairman of the Anti-Drug Committee, and was Deputy Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee. Mr. Kara served in the Israel Defense Forces Reserve, attaining the rank of Major. He earned his law degree from Ono Academic College and a Masters in Public Policy from TAU.

Ms. Yvonne Feri
Hon. Member of Swiss Parliament

Ms. Yvonne Feri has been a Member of the Swiss National Parliament since 2011, representing the Canton of Aargau. A local Councilor in Wettingen, and President of SP Frauen Schweiz, she previously served as a member of the Cantonal Parliament of Aargau (1998-2008), actively advocating on family and gender issues. From 2008 to 2012, Ms. Feri was chief executive of the Zürich Teachers Association. Aside from the day-to-day parliamentary work, she advocates the humanitarian contribution Switzerland can make internationally and seeks to improve the equality and position of working women in Switzerland.

Hon. Mr. Shailesh Lakhman Vara
Member of Parliament, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, United Kingdom.

Mr. Shailesh is a Member of Parliament and is the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,. He serves as Justice Minister and a Minister in the Department for Work and Pensions in the UK Government. Mr. Shailesh has a long history of public service, previously serving as the Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and Government Whip. Mr. Vara was educated at Brunel University and qualified as a solicitor, practicing in the City of London prior to being elected to Parliament. He was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Indian Government in recognition of his work in the field of public service and promoting ties between India and the UK.

Mr. Armin Laschet
Deputy Chairman of Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), and Head, North Rhine-Westphalia

Mr. Armin Laschet is Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and Head, North Rhine-Westphalia. As a member of the Bundestag, he served on the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development and the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union. As Member of the European Parliament, he was on the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He has held multiple ministerial portfolios including State Minister for Generations, Family, Women and Integration; State Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe and Media.

Mr. Nirj Deva
Hon. Member of the European Parliament

Nirj Deva is the first person in history to be born in one continent, elected to Parliament in another, and then elected to represent that country as a member of a multi-national Parliament (the European Parliament). In 1992 he was elected to the United Kingdom Parliament, as the Conservative Member for Brentford and Isleworth. Appointed Vice President of the Development Committee in 2009, he remains a Member of the South Asia Delegation and of the Subcommittee on Human Rights. His phenomenal international development work led to his nomination as Secretary General of the UN to succeed Kofi Annan in 2006.

Hon. Timothy John Ryan
Congressman, House of Representatives, United States of America.

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002, Congressman Ryan is serving on his seventh term. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which controls the expenditure of money by the federal government, and the House Budget Committee, overseeing the federal budget process. Congressman Ryan champions efforts to make college more affordable, revitalize America's cities and improve the health and social-emotional well-being of American families and children. He has garnered the attention of the national media, and is the author of A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit and The Real Food Revolution: Healthy Eating, Green Groceries, and the Return of the American Family Farm.

Hon. Mike Quigley
Congressman; House of Representatives, United States of America.

Congressman Quigley was elected to Congress to represent Illinois' 5th District in 2009. A former Cook County Commissioner who began his career through community service in the Lakeview neighborhood, Congressman Quigley has served his community for more than thirty years. He has established himself as a leader on many of America’s most challenging issues. He continues to fight for full LGBT equality, a woman's right to choose, and common sense gun law reforms. A member of the Sierra Club since he was 16, Congressman Quigley continues to push for strong environmental policies that protect our natural resources and address the growing threat of climate change.

Hon. Edward Baillieu
Former Premier of Victoria, Australia.

Dr. Jacques Attali
President of Positive Planet Foundation and Group A&A

Ms. Arundhati Bhattacharya
Chairwoman, State Bank of India

Ms. Arundhati Bhattacharya is the first woman to be the Chairperson of State Bank of India. She has held several positions during her 36-year career with the bank including working in foreign exchange, treasury, retail operations, human resources and investment banking. She has been Chief Executive of the bank's merchant banking arm- State Bank of India Capital Markets; Chief General Manager in charge of new projects.

Mr. Sam Pitroda
CEO of T-DOT and Former Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations

Dr. Sam Pitroda is an internationally recognized telecom inventor, entrepreneur, development thinker, and policy maker who has spent 50 years in information and communications technology (ICT) and related global and national developments. He is a founding Commissioner of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development and Chairman of the International Telecommunication Union’s m-Powering Development Board that looks to empower developing countries with the use of mobile technology and was also the founder and first Chairman of India’s Telecom Commission.

Mr. Michael S. Perlis
President and Chief Executive Officer of Forbes Media LLC. United States of America.

Mr. Michael S. Perlis has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of Forbes Media LLC since December 2010. Since taking over, he has focused on the brand's digital footprint, overseeing the magazine's digital growth to over 30 million unique users a month. Previously, he was President and CEO at Ziff-Davis Media Inc, and has held senior leadership positions in other companies like TVSM, Picaboo, Zinio and many others. He entered the venture capital industry in 2000, when he accepted a role as Special Partner of Softbank Capital, and was a Venture Partner at GrandBanks Capital.

Mr. Tarek Fatah
writer and broadcaster, Canada

Mr. Tarek Fatah is a weekly columnist for the Toronto Sun in Canada and an award-winning author of two books, "The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State (2008)" and "The Jew is Not My Enemy (2010).” He is currently writing his third book "The Hindu is Not My Enemy.” He was educated in Pakistan, beginning his career in journalism, first as a newspaper reporter and later with Pakistan Television.

H.E. Michael A.S. Adhin
Vice-President of Suriname

A member of the National Democratic Party, H.E. Mr. Michael Adhin has been the Vice President of Suriname since 2015, the youngest ever Vice President of the country. A former education minister, Adhin holds a degree in information technology and was a professor at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname. He enjoys music and yoga.

Mr. B. Ashok
Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., India.

Mr. B. Ashok is Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. and also heads IndianOil's group companies, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and IOT Infrastructure & Energy Services Ltd., and industry organisations such as Petroleum Federation of India (PetroFed).

With over 33 years' expertise in the oil & gas sector, Mr. Ashok has wide experience in various roles of the Corporation's Marketing Division and considerable global exposure, having headed IndianOil's overseas business in Southeast Asia successfully.

Mr. Amit Dalal
Executive Director, Tata Corporation, India

Mr. Amit Dalal has been Executive Director of Tata Investment Corporation Limited since 2010, and was appointed as an Non-Executive Independent Director on 19th June, 2008. He obtained his MBA from the University of Massachusetts, and is a member of the Bombay.Stock Exchange. Mr. Dalal is Managing Director of ANSec Ltd., one of the top stock broking companies. He was formerly a partner of the erstwhile broking and merchant banking firm, Dhirajlal Maganlal & Sons. Mr. Dalai is also Joint Managing Director of Kapsales Ltd. and sits on the board of several companies and charitable institutions.

Ms. Brigitte Van Baren
Founder, Inner Sense,Netherlands.

Ms. Brigitte van Baren is the founder of Inner Sense, which offers a personal development programme for business leaders in the public and private sectors. She is the inventor of the widely acclaimed “Show Your True Colours” management improvement methodology, and provides coaching and training for international business leaders, managers and teams. She is also an author and Zen teacher of the Sanbo Zen Society, Japan.

Mr. Avnish Goyal
Owner and Managing Director, Hallmark Care Homes, United Kingdom.

Avnish Goyal is the Managing Director and Founder of Hallmark Care Homes; a family business which was established in 1997 operating 17 care homes across England and Wales.He is also the Chair of Care England the representative body for care homes in the UK and the Founding Trustee of The Hemraj Goyal Foundation, a registered charity based in Essex operating in the UK and worldwide.

Dr. Kiran Bedi
Politician and Social Activist, India.

Dr. Kiran Bedi is the first women officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) and a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay award for her reforms in prisons. As a teenager, she was the national junior tennis champion and won several titles at national and state-level championships. She became the first woman to be appointed the United Nations civilian police adviser. She has written several books, and runs the India Vision Foundation.

Mr. Himanshu Gulati
State Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture in Norway

Mr. Himanshu Gulati (age 27) is a State Secretary to both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture in Norway. At the age of 25 he was appointed as State Secretary to the Minister of Police and Public Security, and has prior to this been the youth leader of the Progress Party in Norway. He is born and brought up in Norway to parents from New Delhi.

He received a bachelor degree in Economy and Leadership from BI Norwegian Business School

Ms. Blake Peterson
Senior Policy Adviser for Women, Peace and Security, U.S. Department of State, Washington D.C., Metro Area, United States of America

Blake Peterson is a policy advocate promoting women's empowerment across global diplomatic and advocacy initiatives that address global security. Focusing on the way new tools and partnerships can help us tackle emerging global challenges, she has worked toward inclusive approaches to youth empowerment, human security, and human rights. Blake currently manages a multi-partner initiative at the U.S. Department of State that aims to promote women's active participation in peace processes, conflict resolution, and violence prevention.

Mr. Wadia Hamza
Senior Manager and Global Leadership Fellow, World Economic Forum, Geneva Area, Switzerland

Hon. Lord Stone
Member of Parliament, United Kingdom

Lord Stone retired from his position as joint Managing Director of Marks & Spencer in 1999 and now focuses on projects that interest him, including the promotion of cooperation and enterprise in the Middle East. He also has a deep interest in Arts and Science, Mindfulness and 'spirituality'. He is Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences as well as Mindfulness.

Hon. Mr. Hernán Penagos Giraldo
Member of Colombian Parliament, Colombia

Hernan Penagos Giraldo is a Member of the Colombian Parliament, a member of the First Commision, President of the Peace Commission of Colombian Congress, and a member of the National Council for Peace. A lawyer and professor specializing in administrative law and public services, he is the former president of the assembly of the State of Caldas, as well as Former President of the House of Representatives of Colombian Congress.

H.E. Mr. Joaquim Alberto Chissano
Former President of Mozambique

As President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano devoted 40 years of his life to carving a stable, independent Mozambique from a former Portuguese colonial backwater. Chissano is responsible for Mozambique's foreign policy of political nonalignment. An articulate leader who is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, and Swahili, Chissano maintains a deliberately understated profile. He piloted Mozambique through the transition from a Communist to a capitalist ideology, won his country's first and second multiparty elections, and made history by deciding not to run for his final term in office.

Mr. Samarth Bedi
Executive Director, Forest Essentials, India

Mr. Samrath Bedi is the Executive Director of the niche Ayurveda luxury skincare products company, Forest Essentials. He previously worked with Dean Witter Morgan Stanley and the Standard Chartered Bank in New York, before returning to India to join Forest Essentials in 2000. Mr. Bedi graduated from the University of Rochester with degrees in Economics and Psychology.

Hon. Dace Melbārde
Culture Minister of Latvia, Latvia

Hon Ms Dace Melbarde, is the Latvian Minister of Culture and former Director of the Latvian National Centre for Culture. Previously, she was Country Manager of the British Council in Latvi and Under-Secretary of State on Cultural Policy issues of the Latvian Ministry of Culture. She also did a stint as Secretary-General of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO, contributing successfully to its promotion within Latvia and UNESCO.

Dr. R.Seetharaman
Group Chief Executive Officer, Doha Bank, Qatar

Dr. R.Seetharaman is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Doha Bankand a prominent personality in the banking industry in the Middle East. Under his leadership, Doha Bank became a high-performing bank, a global brand and won a number of recognitions. He is recipient of multiple doctorates from leading universities, a high profile economist invited regularly by international media and has received many awards.

Hon. R.V. Deshapande
Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, India

Mr. Deshapande is the minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, India. A seven-term MLA, Deshapande started his political career in the Janata Parivar before shifting to the Indian National Congress in 1999. He served as Industries Minister for 10 years ending in 2004. Being the higher education and tourism minister, Deshapande has taken several initiatives for the development of education and tourism in the state. He has created a new draft called the Tourism Trade Facilitation Act to ensure the safety of the tourists coming to the state

Mr. Subhash Thakrar
Deputy President London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, United Kingdom

Mr. Subhash Thakrar is the Deputy President and past Chairman of the London Chamber of Commerce and a Partner at City Accountants CBW Blackstone Franks. He currently oversees affordable housing projects in Africa, having previously led other missions for the London Chamber in East and West Africa and in India. Mr. Thakrar is a trustee and board member of several of nonprofit organisations, including the Commonwealth Education Fund, the Attlee Foundation, and the 3R’s Trust.

H.E. Robert Peneux
Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Suriname

H. E. Robert Peneux is the current Minister of Education, Science and Culture for Suriname and is the Advisor of the IMEAO Reform Steering Committee. Previously, Mr Peneux was the Permanent Secretary of Education at the Ministry of Education and Community Development, and was the Interim Director of the Center for Agricultural Research and Policy making at the Ministry of Education and Community Development. He has served as the training coach of Vocational Education and Lecturer Methods and Techniques. He has received a number of academic distinctions including Diploma Doctorandus (MSc.) Faculty of Economics and Diploma MO-A Pedagogics.

Mr. Nirvana Chaudhary
Managing Director, CG Corp Global and Chaudhary Group, Nepal

Princess Raden Dato’Seri Maria Amor Torres DK DD
Founder and President, We Care for Humanity, United States of America

H.E. Dr. JawadAnani
Former Deputy Prime Minister, Jordan

Dr. Jawad Anani is the former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in Jordan. He is now the president of the Jordan Economic and Social Council. During his career, he was a constant member of the overall planning committees, responsible for creating and recreating some of Jordan’s strategic institutions like Social Security, Vocational Training, and Higher Council for Science and Technology. Al-Anani has more than 100 scientific studies to his credit and has delivered several lectures on political and economic subjects. He published three scientific books and two collections of stories.

Sir Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group, United Kingdom

Sir Branson is the founder of more than 100 Virgin companies worldwide, employing approximately 60,000 people in over 50 countries. Of these, Virgin Records is the biggest independent label in the world, and Virgin Atlantic, a leading global airline. He is credited with building Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline. He is the world’s most social CEO and the world’s most followed person on LinkedIn. His foundation, Virgin Unite, tackles tough social and environmental problems. Branson was awarded a knighthood in 1999. He lives on Necker Island with his wife Joan and two children, Holly and Sam.

Hon. Kate Osamor
Member of Parliament, United Kingdom

Hon. Nana Akufo Addo
President, New Patriotic Party, Ghana

H.E. Prof. Adnan Badran
Former Prime Minister, Jordan

Dr. Badran served as the Prime Minister of Jordan, the Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, and as Minister of Agriculture, Education and Defense. In 1990, he became the Assistant Director General for Science at UNESCO. Dr. Badran is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education Science, Culture and Media, and President of the National Center of Human Rights. He is the Vice President of The World Academy of Sciences, on the board of the International Union of Biological Sciences, on the International council of Scientific Union, and a member of the American Association for The Advancement of Science.

Hon. Shri Venkaiah Naidu
Minister for Urban Development, India

Shri Venkaiah Naidu is the Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs for the Indian Government. He has been a longtime active member of India's BJP party, and served as the party's national president from 2002 to 2004. In addition to being a politician, he is also an agriculturalist and social worker. Shri Naidu has devoted his life to rural development and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Rana Mehta
Partner & Leader Healthcare, PwC

Dr. Rana Mehta heads the Healthcare Advisory for PwC in India. He has more than 19 years of experience in strategizing, planning and operation of over 50 hospitals and healthcare systems in Asia. He also advises clients in the mobile and remote healthcare space to implement healthcare changes in a rapidly changing, information-intensive environment. Dr. Mehta holds a Master of Hospital Administration (MHA) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India and Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Medical College, Kolkata, India.

Hon. Mr. Sarunas Birutis
Minister of Culture of Lithuania

Šarūnas Birutis is currently a Member of Parliament and the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. He is also a member of the Committees on Education, Science and Culture, and European Affairs. Previously, Mr. Birutis was a member of the Vilnius City Council and from 2004 to 2009 he served as a member of the European Parliament, Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), European Energy Forum and FORATOM. Mr Birutis studied economics at the Vilnius University and law at the Law University of Lithuania.

H.E. Mr Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya
Governor of Nagaland & Assam

H.E. Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya has been the appointed Governor of Nagaland and the Governor of Assam since 2014. A native of Udupi district in Karnataka state, Bharat, he graduated from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College (MGM College) in Udupi, after which he worked in Mumbai city, was associated with ABVP, and was a member of Mumbai University's Senate. Mr. Acharya is credited for planning University of Delhi's Gyanodaya Express to North East of India.

Jorge Mario Andrino Grotewold
National Representative for Human Rights in Guatemala

Mario Jorge Andrino Grotewold is the Secretary General of Guatemala’s oficina del Procurador de los Derechos Humanos, the office of the Counsel of Human Rights. He was previously a professor at the Universidad Rafael Landivar for 17 years, as well as a legal consultant for Acción Ciudadana (Citizen Action) where he dealt with transparency issues. Mr. Grotewold served as coordinator of modernization for the Presidential Commission on Reform and Modernization of the State. He was also an external consultant of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Mr. Grotewold holds degrees in Law as well as a masters degree in Human Rights from Universidad Rafael Landívar.