Sugar Event – AISTA One-Day Seminar 2025

Shri Kiran Warde has a rich history in the sugar industry, beginning his journey in 1990 at Geeta Sugar Agency, established by his father, Mr. Ishwarlal Warde, in Ahmedabad in 1983. Since becoming a partner at Om Enterprise in 2016, Kiran Kumar has played a pivotal role in introducing innovative strategies and leading in sugar trading. His profound dedication and deep industry knowledge have earned him the prestigious position of President at the Gujarat Sugar Agents Association, highlighting his commitment to advancing industry standards and benefiting all stakeholders involved.

Shri Pandurang Ramrao Patil, the Chairman of Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Sangh Ltd. (Sakhar Sangh), has dedicated over four decades to the sugar industry. With a profound understanding of sugar trade both in India and overseas, he has significantly contributed to the development and diversification of the industry. As a founder and key leader of several cooperative societies and sugar factories, including Rajarambapu Patil S.S.K. Ltd., Shri Patil has driven numerous social and economic initiatives, improving the livelihoods of many in rural areas. His leadership has garnered multiple awards, including the “Best Sugar Factory Award” and “Best Distillery Award” from Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune. In his tenure at Sakhar Sangh, he has made notable achievements through the State Level Members Purchase Committee and led significant infrastructural developments.

Shri Manoj Balgi is Vice President, Procurement at Britannia and has been with the company since 2009. He is responsible for managing procurement of raw materials, packing materials, capex and projects. Manoj holds a B.E. (Mechanical) from Pune University and a PG in Industrial Management from National Institute of Industrial Engineering.

Shri Sameep Katta, distinguished Chartered Accountant and a key professional at Om Prakash & Co., a venerable organisation with over 40 years of experience in the sugar trade. Following his specialisation in Finance from HR College, Mumbai, Mr. Katta has brought formidable expertise and leadership to our organization. He plays a pivotal role in steering Om Prakash & Co. to the forefront of the corporate sugar supply industry. Moreover, Sameep is actively engaged in expanding our presence in the packaged sugar market, overseeing nationwide distribution partnerships with various mills. His strategic vision and operational prowess have solidified Om Prakash & Co.’s reputation as a trusted supplier of quality sugar products across India.

Shri Semal Sudhir Jain is owner at M/s Jain Sales Corporation, Kolhapur is a third generation entrepreneur, after completing his B.E joined his Grandfather into the family business. M/s Jain Sales Corporation is engaged in wholesale business of sugar for central India, South India with more than 100 sugar wholesalers. He has represented our Asso. at various events and is in the panel of the advisory committee of many organizations.

Shri Bhagat Dada Patil is the founder and chairman of Garden Court Distilleries Private Limited, with over four decades of experience in the sugar industry. Building on his in-depth understanding of the sugar trade in India and overseas, he has developed Garden Court Distilleries into a leading large-volume sugar trader and exporter.

Shri G K Sood is a veteran in commodities, with experience spanning Oil and Natural Gas, Steel, the Agri Industry, and trading sectors. He has previously served on the Board of Shree Renuka Sugars, Advisor to Godavari Biorefineries Ltd, and held top positions at Noble Resources India and Louis Dreyfus Commodities India. An alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics, he has researched industrial development and contributed to policy formulation with the Government of India. He is also known for successfully turning around a struggling industrial unit. AISTA eagerly anticipates Mr. G K Sood’s vast knowledge to enrich discussions and guide the Sugar & Bioenergy industry forward.

Shri Harshvardhan Patil is one of the dynamic leaders among the senior level political leaders of this day in Maharashtra state. He has a very impressive record as an efficient Minister with capability of handling multiple portfolios and a proven record of deep knowledge of administrative governance. He is known to command respect of every senior beuracats who worked with him. His Educational qualification is B.Com, L.L.B.
Present Position:
1. President of National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd., New Delhi;
2. Founder Chairman: Nira Bhima Co-operative Sugar Factory Ltd., Shivaji Nagar, Indapur, Dist. Pune;
3. Chairman: Karmayogi Shankarraoji Patil Co-operative Sugar Factory Ltd., Mahatma FuleNagar, (Bijvadi) Indapur, Dist. Pune;
4. Chairman: Dudhganga Utpadak Sangh Maryadit, Indapur.Dist. Pune;

Shri Harshveer Singh Soni, a nominated member of Aista on behalf of Shri Dutt India Pvt ltd, one of the largest and most promising sugar manufacturing groups in the country today. Shri Dutt India Pvt ltd has been the largest exporter of sugar out of India in recent years and have stamped their presence in the global sugar map by operating a sugar refinery at Kandla. Mr. Harshveer Singh Soni brings nearly two decades of experience to Greenleaf, specializing in the research and trading of agricultural commodities, with a focus on Sugar Grains, Edible Oils, and Oilseeds. Having honed his skills in esteemed multinational corporations such as Louis Dreyfus, AWB, Noble, ED&F Man, and Bunge, Harshveer possesses a comprehensive skill set in commodity trading and market analysis. His transition into entrepreneurship over the past five years has seen him spearhead comprehensive research endeavors within the agricultural commodities sector, particularly in Sugar, Cotton, Wheat, and Rice.

Ms. Manisha Gupta, an MBA with a Diploma in International Trade Finance, is the Commodities Editor at CNBC-TV18. With expertise spanning from Crude oil to Corn, she’s renowned for her insightful coverage and policy analysis. Winner of prestigious awards, she leads commodity discussions across CNBC channels and strengthens video coverage on Moneycontrol.com.

Shri Mrituenjay Kumar Jha, the esteemed commodity editor of Zee Business, commands a remarkable 16-year tenure with the network, complemented by a noteworthy stint at CNBC Awaaz. With an extensive 18-year immersion in the commodity market, Mr. Jha’s expertise stands unrivaled. His flagship commodity program holds court as the premier choice among business channels. Renowned for his bold and impressive anchoring style, Mr. Jha’s adeptness in research and investigative prowess has unearthed numerous scams within the commodity market, illuminating issues surrounding pulses, castor, guar, jeera, and more. His incisive questioning of panelists is lauded among viewers, stakeholders, and policymakers alike.

Ms. Nandita Rajhansa is an economist and analyst at Marcellus Investment Managers, where she has been working for more than five years. She is responsible for travelling across the country and generating actionable insights for her team.She completed her BA in Economics from Fergusson College, Pune, and a Post Graduate Diploma from Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics in Mumbai, affiliated to Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder. She is author of best seller “Behold the Leviathan: the Unusual Rise of Modern India”.

Ms. Priti Premji Ruparel brings over 35 years of invaluable experience to Shri Dutt India Private Limited, where she has been a pivotal figure since its inception. Throughout her tenure, she has excelled in various key roles, including supply chain management, marketing, and procurement. Her expertise extends globally, particularly in core marketing strategies for international markets, bolstering business relationships, and contributing significantly to the company’s expansion. Under her visionary leadership, Shri Dutt has achieved remarkable milestones, becoming a registered member of SAL – Sugar Association of London and attaining recognition as a prestigious 5-star export house on the world stage. She is focused on consolidating a dominant leadership position by cultivating India’s premier network of sugar suppliers. Her strategic vision emphasizes building a robust portfolio and an agile supply chain to ensure sustained growth and excellence in service delivery.

Shri Raj Paul Bhagria is the Chief Executive Officer of All India Sugar Trade Association [AISTA], New Delhi, which is an association of all stake holders in the sugar sector. A member of elite Indian Economic Service, he has served the Government of India in various senior positions dealing with economic policy matters, particularly those relating to sugar and sugarcane. He has held the position of Advisor in the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) , a body responsible for advising the Government of India in the matter of pricing of crops and policies pertaining to the sector. He has also held the position of Chief Director, Sugar for over five years. He retired from service in July, 2012, after putting in 32 years. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer in the All India Sugar Trade Association. He is a Post graduate in Economics from Punjab University and M. Phil. (Economic Planning) from Glasgow University, U.K. He also hold the law degree from Delhi University.

Shri Sangeet Singla is a member of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (2004 batch) and is presently serving as Financial Advisor at DRDO Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi. Over the years, he has held several key positions in financial management and personnel administration, including HR management for the Defence Accounts Department, financial oversight of procurement expenditure for the Indian Armed Forces, and pay management for the Indian Army. He has also served as Finance Officer with the Indian Armed Forces at the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan and has contributed to HR development and training as Dy. CGDA (HRD) and Additional Director at the National Academy of Defence Financial Management, Pune. In addition, he played a vital role in the agri-commodity sector during his tenure as Director (Sugar).

Dr. Seema Paroha is the first woman Director of the National Sugar Institute (NSI), Kanpur, since its establishment in 1936. She holds a postgraduate degree in Biochemistry from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore, and a Ph.D. from Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur.nd North Africa. With over 25 years of academic experience, she joined NSI Kanpur in 2014 as Professor and Head of the Biochemistry Department. Dr. Paroha has significantly contributed to the establishment of NABL accredited test facilities at NSI. She specializes in alcoholic fermentation and ethanol production from alternative feedstocks and has developed waste disposal techniques for distilleries in the Ganga and Yamuna basins. Her work also focuses on improving the profitability and sustainability of the Indian sugar industry. She has published numerous research papers in both National & International Journals and also guided 7 Ph.D. and more than 40 dissertations students.

Dr. Shweta Saini is CEO at Arcus Policy Research Private Limited. She is an agriculture economist and has led/co-led various policy research and evaluation studies ranging from impact of various programs on farmer productivity, income and access to market, beside India’s ethanol blending programme. She has participated in multilateral discussions on issues pertaining to global trade. She has led cross-geography policy work with central government and state governments to suggest policy changes and design focused roadmap to improve farmer income, nutritional outcomes and farmer productivity. She has co-authored three books and several research papers. She is leading author of many papers published in various national and international journals, reports, and policy documents. She contributes opinion pieces regularly to reputed national dailies. She is an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi

Shri Somnath Chatterjee has over 30 years of rich experience in handling key positions at food industry / FMCG giants like Nestle. He specializes in commodities procurement and strategic planning with focus on implementing cost reduction measures. He has vast experience in logistics, warehouse management, distribution, transportation, production planning and inventory management. Somnath has done his post-graduation in humanities with specialization in tea and coffee tasting from J. Thomas & Co, Kolkata and Thompson Lloyd & Ewart of London. He has undergone various management courses on: Procurement psychology, Price Risk Mitigation, Internal controls, Process Management & lean management. He is a member of Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce and Indian Merchants Chamber. Somnath is a regular speaker at several national and international commodity related seminars and a visiting faculty at IIM Ahmedabad and Bangalore.

Shri Yogesh Patil, Executive Director and CFO at Athani Sugars Limited (ASL), with over 15 years of experience. He holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the UK. He oversees various operations including purchase, sales, HR, manufacturing, finance, and accounts. ASL, a family-owned business, operates five sugar mills with a total crushing capacity of 34,000 TCD. Mr. Patil has also held prominent positions in Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), Western Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA), and Southern Indian Sugar Mills Association (SISMA).