Sh. Vinai Kumar Saxena,
Chancellor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi
Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena took over as the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on 26th May 2022. Shri Saxena comes with over three decades of vast experience in the corporate and social sectors and is the first corporate man ever selected for such gubernatorial post. Prior to his appointment as the LG of Delhi, Shri Saxena served as the Chairman of Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) from October 2015 to May 2022. At KVIC, Shri Saxena diversified the Khadi and village industry sectors, employed scientific techniques and implemented several innovative projects that brought about a sea change in the lives of the Khadi artisans and strengthened several allied industries.
Born on 23rd March 1958 in an educated and reputed family of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Saxena graduated from Kanpur University in 1981 and holds a Pilot Licence. His leadership abilities on a diverse range of social and corporate matters fusioned with technical, legal, social and cultural skills make him a philanthropist in vision and corporate scientist in action. With his business leadership on a diverse range of corporate matters such as industries, MSMEs, petroleum and ports - fusioned with technical, legal, social and cultural skills, Shri Saxena has always led from the front in every issue related to social development like water resource development, fighting the social malpractices, disaster management support or clean development of the city space.
Shri Saxena started his career as an Assistant Officer in Rajasthan with JK Group and having worked for 11 years in different capacities with its White Cement plant, he was elevated in 1995 as General Manager to look after the proposed Port Project in Gujarat. He then rapidly rose to become the CEO and later elevated as Director of the Dholera Port Project.
In October 2015, Shri Saxena was appointed as the Chairman of KVIC not only explored the untapped streams of Khadi and Village Industries, but also implemented many innovative schemes like 'Honey Mission', 'Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana' and ‘Leather Artisans’ Empowerment Scheme’ – that brought about a sea change in the lives of the poor and the marginalized. Shri Saxena was instrumental in the innovation of Plastic-mixed Handmade Paper and Khadi Prakritik Paint – India’s first wall paint made of cow dung – for which he got patent certification.
Compared to the year 2015-16, when Shri Saxena took the reins of KVIC and through the next six-and-half years, he steered Khadi from neglect to global fame and made it the most recognizable and acceptable Indian brand worldwide. Under Shri Saxena’s leadership, KVIC’s turnover registered a massive growth of 248% while a whopping 43 lakh new employment were created in less than 7 years. It was during the tenure of Shri Saxena, that KVIC, for the first time, clocked a historic turnover of Rs 1.15 lakh crore in 2021-22, the highest by KVIC and by any FMCG company in India so far. Shri Saxena successfully ensured the distribution of 55,000 New Model Charkhas and 11,000 modern looms, which is a record itself in the history of Khadi Commission.