Chicago-based Indian-American Industrialist Shalabh Shalli Kumar has been appointed as the President of Gandhi Mandela Foundation, United States. The Gandhi Mandela Foundation is a New Delhi based non-profit organization, under the aegis of Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (A Govt. of India Recognized 80G, 12A Complaint), committed to the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Gandhi Mandela award is a highly prestigious International award, for promoting Gandhian and Mandela’s values, community service and social development (in Asia & African countries).
Born in Ambala, in the state of Haryana, India, Kumar immigrated to the United States when he was 20, attending the Illinois Institute of Technology for his Masters. In 1975 he founded the AVG Group of Companies, which designs and manufactures electronic components and products used in variety of industries such as automation and telecommunications. With its headquarters in Chicago, AVG Group has operations all over the world. Shalabh Kumar also founded the National Indian American Public Policy Institute (NIAPPI), a think tank focusing on issues relevant to Indian Americans. Shalabh is a huge supporter of Indian PM Narendra Modi. In July 2016, Kumar became a public supporter of the Republican candidate Donald Trump's candidacy in the 2016 Presidential Election, emerging as one of the biggest donors.
Expressing his contentment on being selected as the US Head of Gandhi Mandela Foundation, Shalabh Kumar shared the letter of appointment written by Sh. Nandan Jha, Secretary General of Gandhi Mandela Foundation on his twitter account and wrote, “Honored, delighted to join the Board of Gandhi Mandela Foundation as US head. #GMF leadership among others like #BRD is made of Ex SC justices. #Gandhi #NelsonMandela were not only fathers of India & South Africa, as champions of non violence, they changed human behavior forever.”
Honored, delighted to join the Board of Gandhi Mandela Foundation as US head. #GMF leadership among others like #BRD is made of Ex SC justices. #Gandhi #NelsonMandela were not only fathers of India & South Africa, as champions of non violence, they changed human behavior forever. pic.twitter.com/8ft8dg1fM2
— Shalabh Shalli Kumar (@iamshalabhkumar) September 5, 2020
Gandhi Mandela Foundation is an initiative of Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (a Govt. of India recognized 80G, 12A, 8A-compliant), its Head office is based at New Delhi and global presence includes America, Africa, Russia, London, Switzerland, China, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The chairman of the foundation is India’s Hindu Spiritual Leader Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj (President of Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha & a Board Member of the World Council of Religious Leaders) and the Secretary General is Sh. Nandan Jha. The award ceremony takes place annually. The Jury committee of the Gandhi Mandela Award includes Chairman Justice K.G. Balakrishna (Former Chief Justice of India & Former Chairman, HHRC India), Vice-Chairman Justice Dipak Misra (Former Chief Justice of India), Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India). The jury members include Justice Kedarnath Upadhyay (Former Chief Justice of Nepal & Former Chairman, HHRC Nepal), Justice Tafazzul Islam (Former Chief Justice of Bangladesh).
