Dr Arun Chandan is currently working as Regional Director of Regional-cum-Facilitation Centre Northern Region-1 of National Medicinal Plants Board. Ministry AYUSH Govt of India to work on Medicinal Plants Sector Activities in 7 North Indian States Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, UP, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi.
He is a qualified Medico-Specialist in Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery and a doctorate degree. He has worked on convergence models in Medicinal Plants, Traditional Systems of health care services in Government and Non Government Sector in India with extensive experience in Project Management and Policy Planning, Advocacy, Monitoring evaluation, Governance and Gender.
He had been the Executive Director of Mountain Forum Himalayas (2009-2012). Dr Chandan had worked with the Government of Himachal Pradesh in remote and far flung areas of the state. He had been Secretary to a High Power Committee constituted by the Govt of Himachal Pradesh for the Maintenance and Management of Religious endowments of Himachal Pradesh for a period of three years.
Prior to joining the Government of Himachal Pradesh, he worked (1990-2000) as Secretary-cum-Director of Society for Environmental and Rural Awakening (ERA) and successfully accomplished a number of projects on Medicinal Plants, Environment, Natural Resources Management, Health, Traditional Medicine, Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Rural Development activities in Changar area. His research and status report of natural resources of Himachal Pradesh in 1993-94 done for Royal Norwegian Embassy (NORAD) brought in considerable funding to the state. Similar assignments were accomplished with International agencies like IDRC, IGSSS, EED.
He first time introduced and utilized the Traditional popular Folk drama popularly known as Bhagat along with a famous Bhagtia artist Shri Vishvanath Yogi Bisso Ram and his team for mass awareness on safe drinking water, sanitation and HIV and AIDS. (1993). The popular character of Bhagat Shri Krishan and Mansukha were put on the spread of awareness on soacial relevance in the traditional set of plays. Later on the Bhagatia artist were organised into an society named Himalayan Kala evam Sanskriti Manch.
He has keen interest on biodiversity conservation and management with special focus on local knowledge, eco-systems, agro and medicinal aspects of biodiversity. He has been involved in PBRs preparation, documentation of local healers. His interest in the indigenous knowledge systems and traditional medicine has helped him to develop his vision of Lok Ayurveda that believes-village wisdom true Ayurveda.
As a result he has conducted a number of activities to document, validate, protect intellectual property rights and product development in mountains. He has been an important partner of National Innovation Foundation (NIF) Ahmadabad and Honey Bee Network.
Since his childhood he remained active in print journalism, contributed articles in regional and national dailies and magazines. His action research oriented approach and pain for the downtrodden and dalits took him to the development sector.
He has Good project management skills with exceptional knowledge and skills in mainstreaming gender in program design, management, monitoring and evaluation, including application of institutional standards, with a long international experience in assessment, program development, evaluation, project proposal and skills with budget development and budget monitoring. Excellent skills and experience in capacity building, and designing and delivering training in multi-country contexts, with high intercultural sensitivity.
- Strong monitoring and evaluation skills and experience, including the development of systems and tracking of performance against program standards.
- Ability to manage workflows, balance competing priorities and work effectively in a diverse, remote and busy team environment.
- Extensive field experience in an emergency response context, with government and international agencies. Good representational skills including experience of developing networks and relationships with government, civil society and other stakeholders. Experience of setting up and maintaining efficient administrative systems, donor liaison and donor compliance (NORAD, EED,CASA)