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“Cheshire Disability Trust is a part of the Leonard Cheshire Disability Global Alliance. An NGO for the disabled in Bangalore, India committed to improving the lives of disabled individuals like me.”
An Overview

An Overview

Cheshire Disability Trust (CDT) is a member of the Leonard Cheshire Disability Global Alliance, a worldwide organization striving to better the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through economic independence and self-reliance. From the time of its inception, CDT has impacted the lives of over 3,807 people by helping them earn a living and reintegrating them into society. To achieve this, CDT focuses on employability training and placement for PWDs aged 19 to 35.

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Mission & Vision

Mission & Vision

To empower every Person with Disability in India to live a life of Dignity, Independence & Respect by enhancing their skills through training and meaningful employment.

History

History

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire was a bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He was awarded the United Kingdom's highest gallantry award - the Victoria Cross - for his gallantry during the war. After the war, he founded the organisation that we know today as Leonard Cheshire Disability after realising the need to give back to society and aid the sheer number of people disabled by the War. Leonard Cheshire Disability is a global NGO (of which CDT is a part) with presence in 54 countries worldwide. For his humanitarian work, Group Captain Cheshire was elevated to the Peerage by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth and was awarded the United Kingdom's highest civilian award, the Order of Merit.

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire came to India in 1956 and established the first Cheshire Home in India, at Mumbai to provide lifelong residential care for PWDs. Today there are 19 active homes in India. CDT was established in 2011 to enable PWDs to become economically independent. This was done through employability training, occupational placement, and post-placement support. Today CDT has impacted the lives of over 3,807 PWDs at Bangalore and other locations in the country.

<span class="arial-quote">“</span><span class="mx_quote_text">Through the holistic development of the disabled, CDT aims to improve their quality of life, eliminate the barriers that hinder them and give them access to their basic rights</span><span class="arial-quote">”</span>

“Through the holistic development of the disabled, CDT aims to improve their quality of life, eliminate the barriers that hinder them and give them access to their basic rights”

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“CDT's Trustees are an inspiration and the lynchpin that hold the organization and its values together.”
Mr. Anup Kuruvilla
Mr. Anup Kuruvilla
(Chairman)
An Investment Banker for over 35 years, Mr. Kuruvilla has worked with large multinational banks such as Citibank, ABN Amro and Royal Bank of Scotland across various international markets. A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, he uses his experience as a venture capital firm founder; 1Crowd, to aid Cheshire Disability Trust and the Cheshire Homes India National Council as their Honorary Treasurer.
Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar
Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar, PVSM  AVSM  VM  IAF (Retd)
(Vice-chairman)
From the time of his commissioning as a Pilot Officer in 1962 till his retirement as an Air Marshal in 2001, he has had a track record of distinguished service as a Test Pilot and Administrator. Post retirement, he has been active with Cheshire Homes India since 2013 and is currently the Vice-Chairman of CDT. He is also the Chairman of Cheshire Homes India (Bangalore Unit) and the National Council of Cheshire Homes India.
Mr. Chandy Koshy
Mr. Chandy Koshy
(Secretary)
A Post Graduate Diploma in Management holder from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Mr. Koshy has worked for the better part of 29 years with large multinationals such as Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Bank of America and Tata Motors. Post-retirement in 2013, he has been closely associated with Cheshire Homes India, The National Council and Cheshire Disability Trust as its Honorary Treasurer, among other roles.
Mr. Venkata Subramaniam Radhakrishnan
Mr. Venkata Subramaniam Radhakrishnan
(Trustee)
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and a Chartered Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers, Mr. Radhakrishnan started his banking career with HSBC. After HSBC and ING Vysya Bank, he spent time as MD and CEO of Janalakshmi, a micro-finance institution. He was also the Chairman of AKMI, a state-level industry body and Vice-President of MFIN, a national level industry body.
Mr. John Mathew
Mr. John Mathew
(Trustee)
A Chartered Accountant with over 35 years in FMCG, including 22 years at Unilever, 11 at Coca-Cola, and 2 at Colgate Palmolive. Led Commercial Management & Governance at Unilever and ensured global governance at Coca-Cola. Retired as Director, Corporate Audit in 2016. Served on the Boards of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Bombay, and the Cathedral & John Connon School. Currently leads governance for two Bangalore NGOs supporting differently-abled individuals.
Mr. Robinder Singh Sodhi
Mr. Robinder Singh Sodhi
(Trustee)
He is a seasoned financial professional with 32 years in financial services, including 25 years with HSBC and ABN AMRO/RBS. He holds a Business Management diploma from XLRI and a BA in Economics from Delhi University. Formerly head of RBS's Corporate & Institutional Bank for South India, since 2017 he has been advising and mentoring start-ups in Bangalore on raising capital and business growth.
Mr. Sudipto Das
Mr. Sudipto Das
(Trustee)
Connected to Bangalore Cheshire Home through his parents, Gp Captain Suranjan Das and Mrs. Veronica Das, studied at La Martiniere, Calcutta, and graduated from IIT Kharagpur in Mechanical Engineering. He worked with multinational companies, including a pioneering cellular company in Chennai. After 18 years with Verizon Wireless in the US, he returned to India to engage in select projects.
JAMUNA RAO VERGHESE
JAMUNA RAO VERGHESE
(Trustee)
Jamuna has held leadership roles across financial services, management consulting, and the impact and climate sectors, working with global financial institutions such as Citibank, ANZ Grindlays Bank, the George Soros Investment Fund, and PwC. Driven by a belief that the future lies in new paradigms for business, she implemented the ‘Inclusive Markets and Impact Investment’ practice at PwC India—well before it became mainstream.
ZACHARIAH MATHAI
ZACHARIAH MATHAI
(Trustee)
A Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary, Mr. Zachariah is a retired finance professional with 43 years of experience. He has held leadership roles as CFO and Vice President – Finance & IT at Caprihans India Ltd., Mumbai; Aujan Industries Co. Ltd., Saudi Arabia; and Al Rajhi Holding Co., Bahrain. His long tenures at each of these organizations stand as a testament to his reliability, competence, professionalism, and consistent ability to deliver results.
RACHNA AGGARWAL
RACHNA AGGARWAL
(Trustee)
Rachna is a Founding Partner at 92 Angels and a mentor and advisor to many young entrepreneurs. She is the former CEO of Indus League (the brand division of Future Lifestyle Fashion) and brings over 25 years of rich experience in brand building within the fashion industry.Rachna is currently a founder partner with 92Angels, where a group of classmates from IIM -Ahmedabad.
Mr. P. M. John
Mr. P. M. John
(Chairman Emeritus)
Mr. John, a Chartered Accountant, has been a Senior Partner at P.M. John & Company for over 35 years. He has long-standing ties with the YMCA and currently serves as Senior Trustee at St. Peter’s School, Mumbai, and Trustee at the Children of the World (India) Trust.