Ram Labhaya Lakhina
Encyclopedia
Ram Labhaya Lakhina is an India
n entrepreneur
and community leader based in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands. He was the first Chairman of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). He is the Founder and present Chairman of The Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT), serves as a Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation, and is one of the founders of The World Forum for Ethics and Business.
In January 2009 he became the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
award conferred on him by the President of India, Her Excellency Pratibha Patil
, in acknowledgement of his exceptional and meritorious contribution in the field of community service.
In September 2009 he was bestowed upon the Royal honorary title Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau
, by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, for his special merits to society in the field of cultural and economic relations between India and The Netherlands.
The lifetime philosophy which has shaped Ram Lakhina's 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.
Ram Lakhina was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, on 1 February 1939. After the partition of India, he went to Delhi. He completed his school and college education in Delhi with distinction, graduating with B.A. (Hons) from Delhi University, in 1959. Ram 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 U.S. for higher studies and graduated with a degree in M.A. Economics from the University of Minnesota
in 1963.
While attending Delhi University, Ram was elected Chairman of his College Union. He was also elected President of Delhi University Students Union
and Secretary General of the National Council of University Students of India.
He was also the Editor of the University Mirror, Delhi University from 1958-59. He co-edited a publication called Fifty Years of Indo-Dutch Cooperation in 1999.
A widely travelled person, Ram has visited 73 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceana. During these visits, he interacted with twelve Heads of States or Governments.
Ram Lakhina's knowledge of economics, awareness of global issues and trends and commitment to Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs), has brought him many laurels, postings and appointments for the benefit of the community.
(GOPIO) from 1994 to 2002. GOPIO is a non-partisan, secular global organization engaged in promoting the well being of People of Indian Origin (PIO's), enhancing cooperation and communication between Indians living in different countries. As a representative of about 25 million overseas Indians, Ram Lakhina did exceedingly well to project their viewpoints, aspirations and problems at every level. He drafted the constitution of GOPIO and steered its adoption by the world body.
.
In his capacity as Associate Secretary of ISC for Asia from 1964–66, Ram was responsible for development of programmes and promotion of policies of ISC in Asia. He was also the Director of the Seminar on Democracy in Asia held in Manila
in 1966 which was attended by representatives from many countries in Asia.
Ram was appointed as Secretary for Research and Information Commission (RIC) of the ISC from 1963-64 which was responsible for studying cases of political, social and economic oppression in the world and producing objective reports. During his tenure in office, Ram coordinated and administrated research studies and edited 18 reports concerning many cases of oppression including Apartheid in South Africa
; Colonialism
in Angola
and Dictatorship
in Paraguay
, Portugal
and Spain
.
As a member of ISC, International University Delegation to Africa in 1961, he visited 22 countries in Africa to interact with university students and teachers, policy makers, opinion leaders and political leaders in those countries and explained to them the work of the ISC. During those visits he personally interviewed President Habib Bourguiba
of Tunisia
, President Ahmed Sékou Touré
of Guinea
, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
, later President of Tanzania
Julius Nyerere
, later Prime Minister of Kenya
Jomo Kenyatta
and the Prime Minister of Nigeria
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and community leader based in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands. He was the first Chairman of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). He is the Founder and present Chairman of The Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT), serves as a Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation, and is one of the founders of The World Forum for Ethics and Business.
In January 2009 he became the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is an award constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas , to honor exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession...
award conferred on him by the President of India, Her Excellency Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
, in acknowledgement of his exceptional and meritorious contribution in the field of community service.
In September 2009 he was bestowed upon the Royal honorary title Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
, by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, for his special merits to society in the field of cultural and economic relations between India and The Netherlands.
Biography
Ram Lakhina, is an admirable personality who has achieved several firsts in his career in diverse fields of activity with his unending quest for scaling the heights of success, be it in academic pursuits, business endeavours, community work or social responsibilities.The lifetime philosophy which has shaped Ram Lakhina's 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.
Ram Lakhina was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, on 1 February 1939. After the partition of India, he went to Delhi. He completed his school and college education in Delhi with distinction, graduating with B.A. (Hons) from Delhi University, in 1959. Ram 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 U.S. for higher studies and graduated with a degree in M.A. Economics from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1963.
While attending Delhi University, Ram was elected Chairman of his College Union. He was also elected President of Delhi University Students Union
Delhi University Students Union
The Delhi University Students Union, generally abbreviated DUSU, is the umbrella student organisation at the University of Delhi.DUSU elections are considered most high profile student union elections in country as it provides opportunity to enter directly into national politics. The University of...
and Secretary General of the National Council of University Students of India.
He was also the Editor of the University Mirror, Delhi University from 1958-59. He co-edited a publication called Fifty Years of Indo-Dutch Cooperation in 1999.
A widely travelled person, Ram has visited 73 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceana. During these visits, he interacted with twelve Heads of States or Governments.
Career
As Managing Director of Lakhina Enterprises B.V. (Ltd.), Ram is presently engaged in international trading, particularly imports from India. He specializes in knitted garments. At one stage, along with his wife, he set up a chain of nine gift stores in Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands catering to the tourist trade. Ram is also active in wealth management and in the real estate business in India.Ram Lakhina's knowledge of economics, awareness of global issues and trends and commitment to Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs), has brought him many laurels, postings and appointments for the benefit of the community.
Indo-Dutch Chamber of Commerce
Ram Lakhina, with his spirit of service to the business community in Netherlands, founded the Indo-Dutch Chamber of Commerce to promote business relations between India and The Netherlands. He was President of the Chamber from 1979 to 2003.Foundation for Critical Choices for India (FCCI)
In 1980, Ram Lakhina co-founded the Foundation for Critical Choices for India (FCCI). He was the President of the Foundation from 1983 to 1991 and then again from 1994 to 2003. He is the President Emeritus of the Foundation at present. The Foundation is the only think tank of its kind devoted to identifying critical issues and problems facing India; and mobilizing intellectual, moral and material resources of the non resident Indians for the solution of these problems. The Foundation promotes its ideas by interacting with the policy makers and opinion leaders in India. Over the years it has placed several issues on India's national agenda, suggested policy options and succeeded in getting many of its policy suggestions accepted by the Indian Government.Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO)
Ram was also the first Chairman of the Global Organization for People of Indian OriginGlobal Organization for People of Indian Origin
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin is an international network of people of Indian origin .-History:GOPIO was founded at the First Global Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York in 1989...
(GOPIO) from 1994 to 2002. GOPIO is a non-partisan, secular global organization engaged in promoting the well being of People of Indian Origin (PIO's), enhancing cooperation and communication between Indians living in different countries. As a representative of about 25 million overseas Indians, Ram Lakhina did exceedingly well to project their viewpoints, aspirations and problems at every level. He drafted the constitution of GOPIO and steered its adoption by the world body.
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation
Ram is the Chairman of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation (Stichting Standbeeld Mahatma Gandhi), Amsterdam since 1999. This Foundation has established the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the centre of Amsterdam and is involved in promotion of Gandhian ideas and values in The Netherlands.Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT)
Another organization, with which Ram has been closely associated for a long period, is the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) which came into being as a result of the merger between the India Trade Council and the Indo Dutch Chamber of Commerce and Trade. The objective of this organization is to promote economic and trade relations between India and The Netherlands. It is a focal point for contacts and information concerning business and economic relations between India and The Netherlands. Ram is the Founder and has been the Executive President since its establishment in 2003 up to April 2010. He now serves as the Chairman of the NICCTNICCT
The Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce & Trade is a non-commercial, voluntary association of business concerns and professionals with an interest in business and economic relations between India and The Netherlands...
.
The World Forum for Ethics and Business
A recent organization Ram co-founded is The World Forum for Ethics and Business, a Belgium based foundation which mandate includes all manners of pursuing and establishing the indispensable ethical foundations of business in a globalized world. The Forum has grown out of the International Business & Leadership Symposium on Ethics in Business convened annually by the International Association for Human Values. Its objectives are to provide a platform for the promotion and defence of ethical approaches to business enterprise and corporate governance; facilitate global dialogue and foster cooperation among the private sector, the academic world, government agencies, international organisations, the media, spiritual as well as secular communities and all other stakeholders with the end in view of fostering decency, maximising human values and building wider public trust in business; recruit the broadest possible support for trends, initiatives and projects that would encourage or enhance ethical and/or spiritual motivations, practices, norms and goals in the business world; and assume responsibility for continuing the International Leadership Symposium on Ethics in Business.Other
He has also served as a member on the high level committee of Non-Resident Indians appointed by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India to promote India's foreign trade from 1988 to 1991.International Student Conference (ISC)
Ram was closely associated with the International Student Conference (ISC) - an international organization of national university student unions from 66 countries - from 1963-68. As its Secretary General during 1966-68, Ram was the executive head of a major international organization with substantial budget and was responsible for implementing the decisions of the International Student Conference. His duties included coordination and supervision of the work of Associate Secretaries for Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America; coordination and supervision of the work of the heads of specialized agencies of the Conference such as International University Exchange Fund and Research & Information Commission; presentation and articulation of the views of the organization personally and through the press, radio and television; and interaction with policy makers and opinion leaders in various countries at high levels including heads of states and governments.In his capacity as Associate Secretary of ISC for Asia from 1964–66, Ram was responsible for development of programmes and promotion of policies of ISC in Asia. He was also the Director of the Seminar on Democracy in Asia held in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 1966 which was attended by representatives from many countries in Asia.
Ram was appointed as Secretary for Research and Information Commission (RIC) of the ISC from 1963-64 which was responsible for studying cases of political, social and economic oppression in the world and producing objective reports. During his tenure in office, Ram coordinated and administrated research studies and edited 18 reports concerning many cases of oppression including Apartheid in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
; Colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and Dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
As a member of ISC, International University Delegation to Africa in 1961, he visited 22 countries in Africa to interact with university students and teachers, policy makers, opinion leaders and political leaders in those countries and explained to them the work of the ISC. During those visits he personally interviewed President Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman, the Founder and the first President of the Republic of Tunisia from July 25, 1957 until 7 November 1987...
of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, President Ahmed Sékou Touré
Ahmed Sékou Touré
Ahmed Sékou Touré was an African political leader and President of Guinea from 1958 to his death in 1984...
of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, later President of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
Julius Nyerere
Julius Nyerere
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian politician who served as the first President of Tanzania and previously Tanganyika, from the country's founding in 1961 until his retirement in 1985....
, later Prime Minister of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
and the Prime Minister of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE was a Nigerian politician, and the only prime minister of an independent Nigeria. Originally a trained teacher, he became a vocal leader for Northern interest as one of the few educated Nigerians of his time...
.
Family
Ram married Sanyukta in 1966, who is also the President of the Indian Ladies Club in the Netherlands. They have two children - daughter Kavita (1972), who works in the family business; and son Lavesh (1975), who manages his own company HumanR BV (Ltd.) and is the Founder and Executive President of the Indian Expat Society.Awards & recognitions
- 2009: Knight in the Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(24 September 2009) - 2009: Pravasi Bharatiya SammanPravasi Bharatiya SammanThe Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is an award constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas , to honor exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession...
(9 January 2009) - 2008: Pravasi Bharatiya Community Service AwardPravasi Bharatiya Community Service AwardThe Pravasi Bharatiya Community Service Award is an Indian non-governmental diasporic award granted annually by the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin , to honour persons of Indian ancestry for their contributions to countries they are members of.One of the 2004 awards went to Mahendra...
- The publishers of "The Indian" based in Hong Kong have named Ram Lakhina as one of the "100 Global Indians- luminaries, achievers and entrepreneurs".