Tejaswini AnanthKumar
ತೇಜಸ್ವಿನಿ ಅನಂತಕುಮಾರ್
Husband: Late Shri H N AnanthKumar, six times MP (Member of Parliament) from Bengaluru South. He was a Central Cabinet Minister in Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Govt and Shri Narendra Modi Govt, holding important portfolios and was the National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mother: Smt Pratibha Oak
Father: Late Shri Prabhakar Oak
Date of Birth: 11-Mar-1966
Education
- B.E. [Electronics and Communication], with Distinction, from B.V.B College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli, affiliated to Karnatak University.
- PG Diploma in Indology from Bengaluru University.
- Honorary Doctorate from Rani Channamma University, Belagavi in the field of “Social Work and Innovation.”
Current Responsibilities
- Managing Trustee, Adamya Chetana Foundation
- Secretary, Ananth Kumar Pratishthan
- Chairperson, Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology, Shibpur, West Bengal
- Chairperson, Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Haryana
- Member, Expert Appraisal Committee – Industry 1, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India
- Founder Trustee, Sri Sankara Cancer Foundation & Research Centre, Bengaluru
- Member, Board of Governors, IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand
- Director, Vibhava Industries Pvt Ltd, Hubballi
- Director, Shashwati Consultants, Bengaluru
- Consultant, SLN Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru
1983–1989:
While in college, played an active role at different levels in organizing various student activities of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Served as State Joint Secretary & National Executive Member of ABVP.
1988–1993:
Lecturer at SDM College of Engineering, Dharwad and BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, and Software Engineer at Srujana Technologies, Bengaluru.
1993–1997:
Scientist at Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), worked on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA – Tejas) project in the Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) department. ADA was then headed by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
1997–Till Date:
President, Adamya Chetana Foundation.
Adamya Chetana was founded in 1997, in fond memory of Smt. Girija Shastry, Late Sri AnanthKumar’s mother, as a tribute to her indomitable spirit. The projects of Adamya Chetana have worked towards positively impacting the nourishment, learning and health of thousands of underprivileged children – Anna, Akshara and Arogya.
Mid-Day Meal Initiative
As an NGO, Adamya Chetana feeds over 1,60,000 underprivileged school children daily with Government and donors’ support. The hot nutritious midday meal is cooked at four central kitchens in Bengaluru, Hubballi, Kalaburgi in Karnataka and Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
- 42,000 children of 260 schools – Bengaluru – since 2003
- 65,000 children of 374 rural schools around Hubli-Dharwad-Haveri, covering the most remote schools – since 2005
- 9,000 children of 67 rural & urban schools of Kalburgi district – since 2006
- 38,000 children of 240 schools in Jodhpur, Rajasthan – since 2006
Nitya Annadaan:
Under this project, a total of Nine Nitya Annadaan food distribution camps are being run: 5 in Bengaluru city, 1 in Hubballi, 1 in Kalaburagi, 2 in Jodhpur and 1 in Ayodhya. At every camp, hot nutritious lunch is served to over 150 to 200 people every day without any charges.
This Nitya Annadaan program was conducted in Ayodhya from Pranapratishthapana day (22 January 2024).
With an innovative and path-breaking approach, Adamya Chetana’s mid-day meal program has become a role model for other mid-day meal providers across the country.
Concept of Green Kitchen
The major achievements of the mid-day meal kitchen of Bengaluru are:
- ZERO GARBAGE KITCHEN – since 2011, no waste has been given to BBMP for disposing.
- The fuel used for cooking is “FOSSIL FREE” fuel. There is no Diesel, no LPG and no Firewood – 100% biofuel from waste material since 2009.
Adamya Chetana has gained expertise in cooking and serving for large numbers with zero garbage and the use of non-fossil fuels.
Other Initiatives of Adamya Chetana
Monthly Magazine for Children:
One of its kind wall magazines for young children, carrying informative articles about environment, science and culture. It is distributed to over 1,000 schools across Karnataka since 2008.
Plate Bank:
Adamya Chetana has set up a “Plate Bank” from where one can borrow steel plates, cups and spoons free of cost for conducting events at home, office or community centres. This substantially reduces the garbage created during public gatherings.
Plate Bank operates at more than 33 places across India. The Plate Bank at Bengaluru has over 20,000 sets of plates. The Plate Bank has supported thousands of events in reducing waste.
Green Sunday:
A citizen initiative to improve the tree cover of Bengaluru city. Every Sunday, native species tree-planting drives are conducted in different parts of the city since 2016.
As of February 2026, 530 consecutive Green Sundays have been completed. This has also inspired green volunteers to start similar projects in Raichur, Bellary and Hubballi.
COVID Relief Activities
As the first mega kitchen in Bharat to start its operations during COVID lockdown:
- Over 15,000 meals per day were cooked during the first wave.
- 75,000 food packets per day were prepared during the second wave.
- Over 30,000 kits, each containing 15 kg of groceries, were packed and distributed to the needy.
- Food was supplied to frontline COVID warriors, crematorium workers, hospitals, police stations and vaccination centres.
These activities were carried out with the support of Wipro Foundation, BBMP, Youth for Seva and other NGOs.
AnanthKumar Pratishthan
2019–Till Date – Secretary, AnanthKumar Pratishthan
“Grama Chetana”:
Through AnanthKumar Pratishthan, training modules were designed and workshops were started with women Panchayat members to train them on constitutional values, leadership skills, communication, local history and environmental sensitivity.
The organization runs a monthly magazine Ananth Patha and regularly organizes a national-level webinar series called “Nation First Dialogues”, bringing leaders, policymakers and the general public together on highly relevant topics.
Sri Sankara Cancer Foundation
2008–Till Date: Founder Trustee of Sri Sankara Cancer Foundation.
It runs one of the leading charitable cancer hospitals of India. Two state-of-the-art hospitals, one in Bengaluru and another in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, provide quality care for thousands of patients.
Institutional Responsibilities
2023–Till Date:
Appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology Shibpur, West Bengal by the Hon. President of India. IIEST, the erstwhile Bengal Engineering College, is India’s second oldest engineering institution.
2024–Till Date:
Member, Board of Governors, IIT Roorkee.
2025–Till Date:
Appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Governors, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Haryana by the Hon. President of India.
Contact Details
Residence:
- Sumeru, #12, M. N. Krishnarao Road, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru – 560004
- 080-26568484
Office:
- Adamya Chetana Foundation, BBMP Samudaya Bhavan, Near Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, K. G. Nagar, Bengaluru
- 080-26620404