Deep Joshi appointed new IRMA, Anand chairman

The Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) got its new chairman on Friday. The board of governors of India’s first rural management institute decided to appoint Dr Deep Joshi, Magsaysay award winner and member of the National Advisory Council as the new chairman of IRMA.

Eminent economist YK Alagh’s term as chairman ended this month. Dr Joshi becomes the third full-time chairman. Founding chairman late Dr Verghese Kurien held the post till June 2006.

An official communique from the institute says that IRMA had formed a three-member search panel comprising Dr Mihir Shah, member of the Planning Commission, Hasmukh Shah, former chairman of Gujarat Ecology Commission and Dr Sudarshan Iyengar, vice chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapith.

Dr Joshi was a board member at IRMA. He served Pradan, a voluntary organisation promoting and strengthening livelihood of poor, rural families in various capacities. He was its executive director for two terms of five years each.

He was conferred with Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2009 and the Padma Shri in 2010, states the communique. He also received the Harmony Silver Award in 2007.

Dr Joshi is a member of the National Advisory Council, chair of the National Foundation of India and has served on several government committees concerned with rural development.