Mr. R.L. Lakhina , President Emeritus
- Details
- Category: Trustees
- Published on 22 August 2012
Mr. Ram Lakhina is an economist by education, a serial entrepreneur by profession and is passionate about serving the society.
He is a pioneer in developing import of fashion garments from India to the Netherlands and in promoting business and economic relations between the two countries. He is the Founder, former Chairman and now Chairman Emeritus of the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) which has played a very significant role in promoting business and economic relations between The Netherlands & India.
He is former President and currently President Emeritus of Foundation for Critical Choices for India which is committed to mobilization of intellectual and material resources of Indian Diaspora for India’s development. He was a founder, and the first Chairman of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) committed to the promotion of interest and welfare of nearly 35 million members of Indian Diaspora living in most of the countries in the world. He is the Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation (Stichting Standbeeld Mahatma Gandhi). He is one of the founders and currently the Secretary of The World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB).
Mr. Lakhina was born in Lahore, then British-India, on 1 February 1939. After the partition of India, he moved to Delhi. He completed his school and college education in Delhi with distinction, graduating with B.A. (Hons) from Delhi University, in 1959. Mr. Lakhina received a merit scholarship from Delhi School of Economics and did his M.A. first year at this prestigious Institute of higher learning. He then went on a scholarship program to the US for higher studies and graduated with a degree in M.A. Economics from the University of Minnesota in 1963. Mr. Lakhina was a student leader, Chairman of his college student union; President of Delhi University Student Union; Secretary General of the National Council of University Students of India (NCUSI) and finally Secretary General of the International Student Conference (ISC) which represented university students from 66 countries.
A widely travelled person, Mr. Lakhina has visited more than 80 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania. During these visits, he interacted with thirty Heads of States or Governments. The Indian, a publication from Hong Kong, has placed Mr, Lakhina among the top 100 Global Indian luminaries and archives In January 2009 Mr. Lakhina was honoured by the President of India with the prestigious Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award for his outstanding services to India and the Indian community outside India. Same year in September he was honoured by the Dutch Queen with the Royal Honour, Ridder in the order of Orange-Nassau. Mr. Lakhina regularly speaks and writes on issues relating to the Indian Diaspora and Netherlands India business and economic relations.
The lifetime philosophy which has shaped Mr. Lakhina’ lifestyle, is his belief that the happiest people do not necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes their way.
Mr. Lakhina and his wife Sanyukta live in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands for a long time For further information about Mr. Lakhina you may like to view his biopic on YouTube under the title: RAM LAKHINA-BIOPIC
