Founders and Trustees

RISE India Trust

Founder and Chairman

Mr. R. Krishnan is the Founder Trustee & Chairman of RISE Foundation (USA), RISE India Trust and RISE School. He did his Bachelors in Civil Engineering in Delhi University and Masters in SUNY Buffalo, New York. He has worked in Jacobs Engineering Group and Aero Vironment as Senior Vice-President and Executive Vice President respectively. He stays on RISE campus for 3 months and provides vision and direction to the school activities.

Co-Founder

Ms Geetha Krishnan is Co-Founder and Trustee of RISE Foundation (USA), RISE India Trust. She was the Correspondent of RISE School for few years. She did her Bachelors from Madras University and Accounting from California State University, Los Angeles. She has worked in accounting roles in US and is very passionate about children and education.

Board of Trustees

V. Prasanna (Managing Trustee)

As the Head of Business Development at Apna Group of Companies, with over 20 years of experience, this trustee brings strategic expertise to the table. He has been associated with the school since its inception. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees and CEO of RISE India Trust for 9 years, overseeing operations and contributing to the school’s growth. His diverse background, including roles in marine engineering and operations management, adds valuable insights to the Trust’s mission of providing quality education in rural areas.

K.Ananthanarayanan

A former Chief Engineer with Indian Railways and Consultant for Chennai Metro Rail, this trustee has been part of RISE School since its inception. He has played a key role in setting up and continually upgrading the school library, always visiting with an armful of books to nourish it. Having worked as a teacher, professor, and in remote locations across India, he brings valuable contextual insight to decisions influenced by the school’s rural setting. His passion for education, especially instilling reading habits, is unwavering.

Swāmi Chidānandaji

Swāmi Chidānandaji is a seasoned speaker, writer, and teacher of spiritual topics, with nearly four decades of experience. He is the Founder Trustee, and chief resource person of FOWAI FORUM, an NGO dedicated to human values and spiritual studies. Inspired by Swāmi Chinmayānandaji at the age of 23, he served various organizations, including the Chinmaya Mission and the Krishnamurti Foundation India. With a postgraduate engineering degree from IIT Madras, he bridges spiritual wisdom with modern themes like emotional intelligence and leadership.

Prem Kumar

With a rich background in project and product management, this trustee brings expertise from roles at Amazon, Carnegie Mellon University, and various government initiatives. As a Senior Program Manager at Amazon, he has driven impactful projects. His experience includes building data pipelines for COVID response, launching award-winning MIS systems in government, and leading NGO operations to enhance rural education. His leadership and data-driven approach continue to shape significant programs and policies.