Trustees

Dr. Abhay Firodia serves as Chairman of the Gandhi National Memorial Society, bringing to the institution a rare blend of industrial leadership, social conscience, and deep-rooted respect for Gandhian values. Known nationally for steering Force Motors into one of India’s most respected automotive brands, he extends the same clarity of vision and executional discipline to GNMS, ensuring that the organisation’s legacy is preserved with integrity and its future built with purpose.

At GNMS, Dr. Firodia champions initiatives that translate Gandhian ideals into tangible impact: womens’ vocational training, community empowerment, cultural preservation, and value-based education. His leadership prioritises sustainability, institutional strengthening, and programs that enable individuals to become self-reliant, echoing Gandhi’s call for purposeful, community-centered progress.

His long-standing commitment to nation-building, industry transformation, and philanthropic engagement positions him as a steady, future-ready voice within the Society. Under his stewardship, GNMS continues to evolve from a historical memorial into a living institution, one that not only safeguards the past but actively shapes social progress in contemporary India.

Dr. Firodia’s presence at GNMS signals a powerful alignment: legacy guided by wisdom, and progress led by values. As he once noted, “Our generation had unquestioned reverence for Gandhi. But the new generation tries to understand his works and principles, and reveres him for his vision.”

Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar is one of India’s most respected scientists and innovation leaders, bringing his distinctive “Gandhian Engineering” ethos to the Gandhi National Memorial Society. A Padma Vibhushan awardee and former Director-General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), he has spent his career championing inclusive innovation solutions that are high-impact, accessible, and designed to uplift the many, not just the few.

At GNMS, Dr. Mashelkar plays a pivotal role in connecting Gandhi’s timeless principles with a future-ready vision for India. His belief in “More from Less for More” mirrors the Society’s commitment to empowerment, self-reliance, and social transformation. He brings strategic leadership grounded in scientific excellence, institutional building, and a deep personal commitment to nation-building.

Dr. Mashelkar’s journey, from humble beginnings in Mumbai’s chawls to becoming a global voice in science policy, embodies the spirit of resilience and purpose that GNMS stands for. His guidance strengthens the Society’s mission to preserve Gandhi’s legacy while driving contemporary impact through education, community development, and value-driven initiatives.

Through his association with GNMS, Dr. Mashelkar reinforces a powerful message: true innovation is not just technological, it is moral, human-centric, and deeply aligned with Gandhian ideals.

Shribala Chordia brings to GNMS a blend of legacy, leadership and action. As Trustee-Secretary of GNMS, she plays a key role in steering the Society’s mission of preserving the Gandhian heritage while driving meaningful community impact.

Under her governance, initiatives such as the women-training centre at the Kasturba Mahila Khadi Gramodyog Vidyalaya (KMKGV) have expanded their reach, enabling tens of thousands of women and marginalised community members to access skill-development and livelihood opportunities. Her commitment serves as a bridge between GNMS’s heritage mandate and a modern-day empowerment agenda.

Shribala’s background, rooted in entrepreneurship and civic engagement, informs her approach: structured, strategic, and always aligned to impact. Her role at GNMS is characterised by translating the vision of Gandhi into frameworks of action, exhibitions, training programmes, youth-engagement events that equip learners, leaders and communities.

With her at the helm of key organisational functions, GNMS is positioned not just as a memorial institution, but as a living, evolving organisation that honours the past and drives future-ready social change.