Pravir Krishna

Pravir Krishna, an IAS officer of 1987 batch (Madhya Pradesh cadre) is one of the handful bureaucrats to have made it to the list of '50 Most Influential Indian 2020', prepared by Fame India, Asia Post and PSU Watch. Mr. Pravir before his retirement was working as Managing Director, The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED). Both, his inclusion in the list and MDship of TRIFED have an interconnected reason. Krishna, having worked in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh (then part of undivided Madhya Pradesh) and MP for the bigger part of his career is undoubtedly a most suitable person to drive TRIFED. And his passion to a permanent change in the trade-cycle of forest produces in favour of rightful tribals is visible in his ongoing tenure with TRIFED.
Most of the respondents resonated his significant contribution to the value chain of forest produces for tribals. Before taking over as MD-TRIFED Pravir Krishna was Joint Secretary, Ministry of Shipping. He has also served as a part-time official director at the Shipping Corporation of India Limited and Dredging Corporation of India Limited. Earlier than that he has served as Government Nominee Director of Kamarajar Port Limited from February 23, 2016, until May 1, 2017. His book, Tryst with the Tribes -Tales from Tribal Heartlands is well received. The book encapsulates 35 years of a transformational journey, filled with unique experiences that connected the author with the tribal heartlands of the country.

• Author of Two Books

1.Price Behaviour in Planned Economy (1986)

2.Tryst With The Tribes:Tales from Tribal Heartlands (2021)

• Published more than 30 Articles in National Dailies and Journals

• Professional Accomplishments

Team-Building

Given Charge of Ambikapur, Bastar as District Magistrate and the Madhya Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation & TRIFED as Managing Director and Deparrtment of Health Government of Madhya Pradesh as Principal Secretary when they were floundering under the pressure of major problems such as non-performance and lack of organizational thrust. Turned them around as top performers which were recognized Nationally and Internationally.

Creating Infrastructure

Planned for the construction of 1000 bridges and culverts for improving the connectivity in the District of Ambikapur ,Madhya Pradesh.This greatly helped in the communication and delivery of goods and services to the rural population which remained cut-off for large parts of the year.

Health Sector

Conceptualized and Implemented the 'Health for all Policy' in the State of Madhya Pradesh.Introduced the practice of Generic Drugs to provide free drugs, diagnostics , diet and transport to 5 Lakh people everyday through 15,000+ Public Health Centres.

The Mamata Abhiyan for reducing Infant and Maternal Mortality brought it down by 3% points during the period 2012-2015.

Rural and Tribal Development

Initiated the Imli Andolan in Bastar for organizing the trade of Non-Timber Forest Produce which led to formulation of a National Policy namely 'Scheme of Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces and Development of Value Chain'

Conceptualized and Set up 52,000 Van-Dhan Tribal (Self-Helf Group ) Startups for aggregation,value addition, packaging & branding and marketing of tribal products including handlooms,handicrafts,non-timber forest produces,agriculture,horticulture and other allied products.The programme has now been converted into a Mission Mode under the'Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission' to institutionalize it. This is based on convergences with 30 State Governments & various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India ,the Agencies of the United Nations, Public Sector Undertakings and Corporates.

Conceptualized 'TRIFOOD' to promote largescale production of Tribal Products mentioned above and create an industrial ecosystem for the same.

Digital Transformation

Created a Digital Platform to implement and monitor livelihood schemes with an outreach of almost 25 Lakh people

Created the E-Commerce platform -www.tribesindia.com to promote marketing of tribal products

Created the Website -www.trifed.tribal.gov.in to showcase the schemes for development

• CEO and Founder, Catalyst Development Consultants-Advising Multiple State Governments and Organizations
• Member, Advisory Board -University of Petroleum and Energy Sources(School of Law) -Uttarakhand
• Forged Alliances with 3O State Governments & Ministries/Departments of the Government of India
• Partnered with International Organizations like UNICEF, LinkFund etc.
• Academic institutions like Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur/Delhi/Roorkee , Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences
• Multiple Corporates/ Public Sector Undertakings( under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives);
• Reputed Not for Profit Organizations affiliated with the Social Sector for promoting 'Technology and Development for Tribals'