Leadership

Ajaya Kumar Pathak

Chairperson · Aviation professional · Educator · Community servant

Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

About the Chairperson

Ajaya Kumar Pathak is the Chairperson of Maharshi Bhardwaj Charitable Trust. A retired senior aviation professional from the Airports Authority of India, he superannuated in June 2024 as In-Charge, ATS and Airside Operations, at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi. With more than 32 years of experience at 13 airports, including Delhi, Guwahati, Patna, Udaipur, Varanasi, Kargil, and Lengpui, he is an ICAO-qualified course developer (TRAINAIR PLUS), a Senior ATC Instructor, and a former Consultant (Quality, Placement and Collaboration) at Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University, Amethi.

Career highlights

Superannuated from AAI as In-Charge, ATS and Airside Operations, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi (June 2024), after more than 32 years at 13 airports.
Airports served include Delhi, Guwahati, Patna, Udaipur, Varanasi, Kargil, and Lengpui.
Former Consultant (Quality, Placement and Collaboration), Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University, Amethi.
ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS qualified course developer and Senior ATC Instructor - Safety Management, Human Factors in ATC, and instructional techniques.
Initiated the extension of Allahabad Airport and construction of a new civil air terminal at Jhalwa, with an instrument landing system and a civil apron. He formed the first Airport Advisory Committee in 2010; at its meeting on 12 July 2010, the committee resolved to construct a new civil terminal as a short-term plan for the airport’s development.
In 1995, as In-Charge of Kargil Airport, he met the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief at Kargil after seeing the transport difficulties people faced in the Himalayan terrain.
Chief, Course Development Unit at CATC Prayagraj; quality manager for ICAO USOAP audit of CATC (2017).
Led ATS / airside readiness supporting Ayodhya Airport operations during Pran-Pratishtha (January 2024); appreciated by AAI Northern Region.
Invited speaker at Eastern UP Chamber of Commerce on Prayagraj Airport’s path to an international gateway.
Special guest at the International MSME Day Conclave 2026 organised by EUPCCI. The chairman of the meeting was a minister, who could not attend.

Recent appearances

Professional and civic engagements of the chairperson - shown as personal appearances, not as trust-organised conferences.

Office bearers

Trustee

Dr. Ayush Pathak

Dr. Ayush Pathak is a Trustee of Maharshi Bhardwaj Charitable Trust. He is a scientist and environmentalist with a distinguished academic background. He holds an MSc in Microbiology from Imperial College London and a PhD in Microbiology from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and is recognised for his pioneering work in evolution. A passionate advocate for animal rights and environmental protection, he brings scientific rigor, global exposure, and compassionate activism to the trust. As a Trustee, he guides the trust’s vision with a scientific temperament, ecological consciousness, and a commitment to education, sustainability, and humane values inspired by Maharishi Bharadwaj’s legacy.

Treasurer and Secretary

Vandana Pathak

Vandana Pathak is Treasurer and Secretary of Maharshi Bhardwaj Charitable Trust. She brings a legacy of academic leadership and disciplined service. Before joining the trust, she served as a teacher at Delhi Public School, Allahabad, and later as Head Mistress at Air Force School, Bamrauli, Prayagraj, where she earned respect for her commitment to quality education, strong administration, and value-based learning. With more than two decades of experience in education and institution management, she now uses that expertise to strengthen the trust’s financial integrity, operational transparency, and its education and skill-development work for rural children.

Joint Secretary

Animesh Pathak

Animesh Pathak is Joint Secretary of Maharshi Bhardwaj Charitable Trust. He holds a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering and is a self-employed professional. With a background in technology, innovation, and youth-oriented thinking, he brings a modern and digital perspective to the trust. As Joint Secretary, he takes a key role in planning, execution, and outreach of the trust’s education, skill-development, and social-welfare initiatives, especially those that help rural youth gain technology and employable skills.