About AHIMSA
Association for Human Integrated Massive Social Action was instituted in 1989. It was registered under Section 10 of the Society Registration Act 27 of 1975, of Tamil Nadu and under FC(R)A, Govt. of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The primary focus of the organization is to identify & alleviate problems faced by marginalized farming communities & landless laborers.
Established by the Late Mr. P.A. Ignacy, the Founder Director of AHIMSA, the organization has its office in Vaiyampatti, which is part of Tiruchirapalli district in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. AHIMSA has a team of committed men and women who are trained to design, implement and monitor projects that focus on key issues such as, conservation, biodiversity, women empowerment, skills enhancement, vocational education, employability etc. The underpinning focus is to work towards improving the quality of life in marginalized communities.
In collaboration with likeminded organizations and with the support of generous funding agencies, AHIMSA has worked in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu since 1989.
Founder Profile
Mr.P.A. Ignacywas found Association for Human Integrated Massive Social Action (AHIMSA) on 21 st February 1989. Before his social development he was working teacher for thirty years. After his retirement he fully involved social development activities. 1990 he was attuned national level Trainers Training (ToT) on Ecological Agriculture Development at Pondicherry organized by Agriculture Man and Ecology (AME). After the training he involved agricultural development activities around Vaiyampatty Block, Trichy District, Tamilnadu. In his intervention of development sector he established Pesticide free villages, NGO Based System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on Paddy, Cotton, and Vegetables. He father of revived traditional small and minor millets in this region and established People based Seed Banks. He was play roll as District Convenor (Trichy District) of Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) Network Tamilnadu. He is well experienced person in social development sector in Tamilnadu. 30 years of his social development sector, he passed away on 11.06.2019.
Some of our project locations
Core Values
To achieve this vision, AHIMSA encourages its members to imbibe and sustain these core values:
- Dedication – applying knowledge and skill in a concerted effort to achieve set targets
- Responsibility – implementing assigned duties with a deep sense of accountability
- Empathy – stepping into the shoes of every beneficiary to fully understand and address challenges faced
- Resourcefulness – creatively utilizing available resources with the vision of the organization and the needs of the project in mind
ADVISORY TEAM
Mr Oswald Quintal
With a career spanning over three decades in the NGO field, Mr Oswald Quintal has pioneered the cause of sustainable agriculture and social uplift of marginalized communities in multiple locations in Tamil Nadu state and other parts of the country as well. His organization, KUDUMBAM continues to be a beacon of hope to underprivileged communities, by engaging them in viable, sustainable livelihood initiatives and practices. Mr Quintal has been associated with AHIMSA since its inception and has worked closely on several projects, as an advisor and as the head of the LEISA network.
Dr Rangan Varadan
Dr Rangan Varadan brings with him extensive experience in the financial services domain. His current focus is on taking branchless banking services to villages in the most efficient manner through technology and field partnerships. Prior to this, he was the Head, Banking and Capital Markets Domain Competency Group at Infosys Technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in finance and economics from Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, USA and is also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Through MICROGRAAM, Dr Varadan endeavours to bridge gaps in the financial need marketplace, facilitating small loans at affordable rates.
Dr R Krishnamani
Dr R Krishnamani, a professional Rainforest Ecologist is also a Landscape Photographer, and an Open Access web portal guru, based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He has a Ph.D. in Zoology on the Phyto-ecology of the endemic lion-tailed macaque habitats in the Western Ghats of southern India. He runs a not-for-profit organization, The Rainforest Initiative, to foster research on the mosaic of the Western Ghats’ vegetation. Kicha is a self-taught photographer, excelling in the nuances of Landscape Photography. Currently, he works at photo-documenting landscapes, flora and fauna, to support organizations in the field of conservation and environmental protection.
Ms Viola R Krishnamani
Ms Viola R. Krishnamani, an academician and edu-business strategist, is the Managing Director of Scholarius EdSer Private Limited, an organization offering wide-ranging solutions to schools, training institutes & NGOs. Viola works extensively with international boards of education, like CAIE, Pearson Edexcel, UK & national boards like the CBSE & CISCE. She is an accomplished teacher-trainer and academic systems auditor, advising individuals & corporates in the education sector. Viola works with multiple NGOs, advising them on documentation, organizational systemization and QA protocols. Viola is also an International Standards Verifier with Pearson Edexcel, UK and continues to present papers on learning and education management.
Dr. KOWSHIKA N
She is founder of ELIXIR Consultancy Service. Through this firm she is supporting Project Planning, Documentation, Reporting and Technical support to AHIMSA, Farmers Producers Companies, Private companies and NGOs. Highly motivated professional hands-on experience in various domains of Agrometeorology. Demonstrated expertise in weather forecasting, climate change impact assessment and adaptation strategies, GHGs emissions and crop simulation models, weather and hydrological models. Possess a strong academic and professional track record of achieving and exceeding targets, driving operational efficiency, and delivering exceptional client satisfaction. Adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams, managing projects, and adapting to dynamic work environments.
Dr. V. Karuppuraj
Dr. V. Karuppuraj, M.Sc., Ph.D., is an accomplished academician, researcher, and extension specialist with over 16 years of experience in Microbiology, Organic Agriculture, and Mushroom Science. He currently serves as Assistant Professor at Sethu Bhaskara Agricultural College and Research Foundation, affiliated with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. His core expertise includes edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation, nutraceutical research, organic and biodynamic farming, and agricultural microbiology. He has successfully led and coordinated several national and international research and farmer-empowerment projects, including DBT and Sweden-sponsored initiatives.
Dr. Karuppuraj has filed two patents, published numerous research articles in reputed journals, and authored books and manuals on mushroom cultivation and organic farming. He has trained thousands of farmers, students, and SHGs, contributing significantly to rural livelihood development. His work emphasizes sustainable agriculture, value-added agro-products, and eco-friendly technologies. He is also actively involved in product development, research proposal writing, and capacity-building programs for farmers and youth.
Gerrit Impens
Gerrit Impens born in the Netherlands in 1959, he brings over four decades of international experience. He studied Human Resource Management at the Social Academy in the Netherlands. His education continued at Emerson College, UK, focusing on Rural Development and Biodynamic Agriculture.
Gerrit has worked on biodynamic and organic farms across Europe.
His professional journey includes Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, France, and Greece. He has also worked as a therapeutic farm practitioner with disabled adults. This work took place in Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, and Poland.
He has experience as a chef in organic and biodynamic cafeterias.
Gerrit has been actively involved in rural development programs in India.
He trained and studied in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.
He conducts workshops on organic farming, farm design, and landscaping.
These trainings have been delivered in both Europe and India.
His interests include history, geopolitics, and human development.
He also has a deep interest in spirituality and modern western music.
Currently, he works at Thiru Valagum Farm in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
Krishnamurthy Naidu
Krishnamurthy Naidu is a Financial Inclusion Architect with 33+ years of experience in operations, rural credit systems, and NBFC leadership. He specializes in building sustainable financial ecosystems that strengthen access to credit for underserved communities and rural enterprises.
His work bridges the intersections of financial inclusion, regulatory compliance, program management, and institutional development. A seasoned practitioner in the BFSI sector, he has led NBFCs and microfinance institutions through regulatory approvals and RBI compliance systems.
He has collaborated with NGOs, foundations, FPOs, SHGs, and community platforms to drive large-scale financial inclusion programs. Krishnamurthy has designed innovative financial products and strategic risk management frameworks to empower rural credit ecosystems.
His experience includes managing licensed NBFC-P2P entities and forging alliances with banks and financial institutions for impact financing.
Krishnamurthy Naidu- Sum…
He is committed to impact-driven finance, enabling institutional growth with measurable outcomes and long-term sustainability. Across his career, he has championed transformative initiatives that promote financial resilience and socio-economic development. Driven by a mission to expand equitable financial access, he continues to support organizations and communities in achieving inclusive growth.
Ms. S. Poornam
Ms. S. Poornam, M.Sc., M.Phil., is an experienced academician, entrepreneur, and social activist with a strong background in Bioinformatics, Microbiology, and Biotechnology. She holds a Master of Philosophy in Bioinformatics from Vinayaka Mission University and has over six years of teaching experience as an Assistant Professor. She currently serves as a Guest Lecturer at the Department of Energy, Environmental Studies, and Marine Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University. Ms. Poornam is the Proprietor of Orish Tech, a mushroom farming and food processing unit, promoting sustainable Agripreneurship.
She is also actively involved in entrepreneurship and academic training programs. As a Project Coordinator at Magaram Foundation, she has contributed to community development initiatives since 2018. Her areas of expertise include drug designing, molecular modeling, e-learning resource development, and virtual laboratory creation. She has submitted four NCBI 16S rRNA sequences, reflecting her research engagement. Ms. Poornam has served in various institutional roles including IQAC, AARC, CTEL, and Women Cell. She is a recognized resource person in national webinars and has received multiple awards for her outstanding social service and public awareness initiatives.
Saravanan
Saravanan is a Food Processing Engineer with 8+ years of industry experience in milk and milk products, product development, and turnkey processing projects. Currently serving as Associate Vice President – Agri & Food Tech, he leads innovation and ecosystem development for food and agriculture startups.
Formerly COO at EDII-TABIF, he has driven rural entrepreneurship and incubation programs across the food sector. He has supported and incubated 110+ startups, enabling grant access, infrastructure support, market linkages, and technology validation.
A certified Lead Auditor (ISO 22000:2018) and FSSAI Trainer, he ensures high standards of food safety and compliance in product development. His corporate journey spans leading FMCG brands including Hangyo, Hatsun, and Cavinkare, managing manufacturing and quality systems. His passion lies in designing impactful food products, strengthening supply chains, and empowering emerging entrepreneurs.
Previously at Bangalore Bio-Innovation Centre as Head – Agriculture & Food Technology, he built programs at the intersection of science and market readiness. He continues to contribute to the startup ecosystem by bridging technology, industry expertise, and scalable business models.
Our Consultancy Team Members
Dr. A.SEKAR
Dr. A. Sekar is a highly skilled professional specializing in project planning and design, ensuring that initiatives are strategically developed and executed. His expertise extends to project monitoring and evaluation, allowing for effective assessment of progress and outcomes. Dr. Sekar is adept at conducting training and workshops, fostering knowledge transfer and skill development among participants. His strong coordination and networking abilities facilitate collaboration across various stakeholders, while his meticulous approach to reporting and documentation ensures comprehensive records of project activities and results. Now he is rendering of services Project Formulation, Fundraising, Facilitation and Reporting to AHIMSA, Diocesan Organization, Cristian Congregations and NGOs.
Mr. Suresh Kanna
Mr. Suresh Kanna is the Project Director at CREATE TRUST, a Non-Governmental Organization having its base in Madurai. He has 28 years of experience in development fields such as Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Local Food and Health Systems, Communication and Documentation. He has worked with organizations like KUDUMBAM, LEISA Network and Future Earth in promoting Sustainable Agriculture Alternatives, Conservation of Traditional Seeds and Agrobiodiversity among resource poor farmers in Tamil Nadu. He is also supporting for NGOs in facilitating participatory processes for project planning, implementation, review and monitoring.