The Dr. U.S. Awasthi Initiative in Cooperative Economics
Biography of Dr. U.S. Awasthi
Dr. Udai Shanker Awasthi is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO). He is vested with the overall responsibility of managing IFFCO’s day-to-day affairs.
In 2020, Dr. U.S. Awasthi became the first person from the cooperative sector to have been nominated to the list of 50 Most Influential Indians for 2020 in a survey conducted by Fame India, PSU Watch, and Asia Post. He was nominated because of his efforts towards strengthening the farming community in India, and his public image and decisiveness.
Dr. U.S. Awasthi is a Chemical Engineering graduate from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). After graduating in 1967, he started working with Shriram Chemical Industries in Kota. He worked with them for almost three years and then joined ZuariAgro-Chemical in 1971. Dr. U.S. Awasthi was then involved in important roles in projects with IFFCO & KRIBHCO. The projects involved the construction of Aonla and Hazira projects from 1976 to 1986. In 1986, he joined as the Managing Director and Chairman of Pyrites, Phosphates and Chemicals Ltd. (PPCL). From April 1991 to March 1992, he was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. (RCF).
With nearly 50 years of experience, Dr. U.S. Awasthi has been instrumental in making IFFCO a global leader in fertilizer production. Under his leadership, IFFCO has made rapid strides on all fronts and has diversified into several sectors like General Insurance, Rural Telephony, Rural Retail, SEZ, amongst others. Dr Awasthi also serves on the boards of several Indian and global companies.
In additional to serving as Chief Executive for IFFCO, Dr. Awasthi is also a director at Indian Potash Limited, Kisan International Trading FZE, and IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company Limited. Dr. Awasthi’s other achievements include his co-authoring of the book Fertiliser Industry in India, an honorary doctorate conferred by the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, and an honorary visiting professorship at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Dr. U.S. Awasthi is married to Rekha Awasthi, the youngest daughter of Sri Lal Shukla, an eminent Hindi writer. They have two sons. Dr. Awasthi also has a keen interest in music, paintings and other forms of art.