Narendra Raval feted by Lions Foundation

Narendra Raval receives Kibaki during the official opening of the Maisha Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd 

Mr. Narendra Raval (Guru), Chairman and CEO, Devki Group of Companies was honored by the Lions International Foundation with the Melvin Jones Fellowship in Nakuru.

The honor is the highest form of recognition given to a Lion for exemplary service to their club, their community, and to their Lions organization.

Raval, CEO of the largest construction materials producer in East and Central Africa, says that the desire to uplift the living standards of underprivileged in the society runs deep.

Devki Group has been providing water residents in Athi River Township for the last 15 years as well as supporting a children’s orphanage of over 400. The Group has also been administering food to orphans in the Temples, through the Food for Life Programme for the last 12 years.

H.E President Kibaki honored Raval in 2009 with the Elder of Burning Spear (EBS) commendation for society empowerment.  

He becomes the 12^th person in the entire world to receive such an accolade.

About Melvin Jones Fellowship

The Fellowship, which was established in 1973, is named after the founder of Lions Clubs International (LCI), Melvin Jones. It is explicitly referred to as an honor and not an award, and is the highest form of recognition to acknowledge an individual’s dedication to humanitarian service.   

Fellowship donations are largely responsible for successfully launching the Lion’s global attack on preventable and curable blindness (the LCIF SightFirst program).

Watch Below the story of the founder of Devki Steel Mills Ltd

Photo Courtesy of skyscrapercity.com

Prof. Bethwell Allan Ogot EBS

Born in August 3, 1929 in Gem, Siaya County Dr. Bethwell Allan Ogot is a distinguished historian, scholar, mentor, and a diligent public servant. He’s renowned for numerous contributions to the research of Kenya and East Africa’s history as well as his work in Luo oral traditions.

Little known of him was his contribution to Kenya’s independence, where as a leader of the Kenya Students Association he assisted the late Oginga Odinga during the 1960 negotiations in London. He is the incumbent Chancellor of Moi University, Eldoret.

RIP: Prof Caleb Okumu Crispo EBS

Prof Caleb Okumu Chrispo
(photo courtesy: kenyapolytechnic.ac.ke)

Prof Caleb died today morning at the Nairobi Hospital after being admitted yesterday. He was the chairperson of the Kenya Music Festival.

He was also the Executive Dean, Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies and Professor in Music in the School of Creative and Performing arts at Kenya Polytechnic University College (KPUC).

Prof. Okumu who was also lectured in Maseno University was in the Advisory Board of the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IJHSS).

Prof. Okumu had taught music for more than 35 years and was recently awarded the Elder of Burning Spear (EBS) by President Mwai Kibaki for his service in the field of music.

RIP

Hon. Lady Justice Njoki Susanna Ndung’u EBS

Born in 1965, she is renowned for her efforts in the successive enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2006 and Maternity and Paternity Act 2007. The former nominated Member of Parliament currently serves as a Supreme Court judge and executive Chairperson for Center for Legal Communication & Information in Kenya (CLICK).

R.I.P Prof Frederick N. Onyango EBS, MBS

Prof Frederick N. Onyango EBS, MBS

Born in 1943 in Migori County, he’s remembered for his time as the Vice Chancellor of Maseno University.

From 1963-67, he attended the University of Uppsala in Sweden for his Bachelor of Science (Fil.Kand) and later aM.Sc (Physics) at the same institution.

Dr. Arthur Moody Awori “Uncle Moody” EBS

Born 5 December 1927 in Butere, Kakamega County. He was the 9^th Vice President of Kenya from 25 September 2003 to 9 January 2008. Uncle Moody is a marriage counselor, businessman and a philanthropist.

Industrialist and Philanthropist: Dr Manu Chandaria OBE EBS (Manilal Premchand Chandaria)

A man born on March 1, 1929 is defined by his business acumen and the urge to give back to the society. Through the joint family business that spans over 45 countries with interest in almost all-household commodities production, he’s truly a Captain of Industry. He’s chairman of the lucrative Comcraft Group which is a business that over 50 years grown to a $ 2.5 billion business empire.

After attending elementary and secondary school in Mombasa, he left for India. He started his engineering profession in Jamnagar India University, Bombay BSc 1949 before leaving for Oklahoma for BSc and masters in 1950. He has served as director of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd and chairperson of Kenya Association of Manufacturers.

“Every day is a celebration. Now, you must believe in it. You cannot be believing in it and then you could be mourning. So I think that’s a philosophy.”

A quote from Manu Chandaria

He’s on the Boards of:

Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd Kaluworks Ltd Aluminum Africa Ltd (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

Uganda Baati Ltd (Kampala, Uganda)

He also sits on the Boards of:

Bank of India Advisory Committee in Nairobi (Chairman) Kenindia Assurance Co Ltd (Vice-Chair)

East Africa Reinsurance Co Ltd (Vice-Chair) University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd

He’s credited with the founding of:

East African Business Council Kenya Private Sector Alliance

The Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Center (Kenyatta University)

Apart from his service and success in the private sector, Manu has also been an eminent figure in serving the country through the many government appointments he has had. Some of his appointments include:

Trustee & Chairman of the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund

Member of the National Economics & Social Council Member of the Police Reforms Task Force

Member of the Environment Policy National Steering Committee

Member of the Capital Markets Authority Board Member of the Insurance Advisory Board

Member of National Disaster Emergency Fund Committee (This was after the 1998 Bombing)

If there is a businessperson whose name is synonymous to both charity and philanthropy, it is Manu Chandaria. His philanthropy work in Kenya and Asia has great resemblance to that of the Rockefeller Foundation. He is the chairman of the Chandaria Foundation, the family foundation with interest in Education and Health which started in 1952. Other Charitable works include:

Asian Foundation (Founding chair) Starehe Girls Centre (Chair) Limuru Girls Centre (Chair)

Kenya Ear Foundation (Chair) The Heart Foundation (Trustee) Rotary Club of Nairobi (Past Chair)

Goodwill Ambassador (Word Wildlife Fund (WWF)) Pan African Parliament (Trustee)

Undungu Society of Kenya (Trustee) Watoto Kwanza Trust (Founding Chair and trustee)

Global School Business Network (GSBN) (Advisor) World Jain Confederation (Trustee)

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with OBE (Order of the British Empire) honoured him in 2003. In the same year, His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki also awarded him with EBS (Elder of the Burning Spear). He also has many honours, notably a record three-year in a row most respected CEO in East Africa (2000, 2001, and 2002), Jawaharlal Nehru Excellence Award (1989), and Lifetime Achievement Award in Delhi India (2008).

R.I.P David Namu EBS

Born in Embu County, he graduated from the University of East Africa, Dar es Salaam with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics and History. He served in the Office of the president as an auditor and a Permanent Secretary in the ministries of Livestock Development, Agriculture and Livestock Development, Tourism and Wildlife, and Commerce and Industry. He was also appointed as Chairman of the State Corporations Advisory Committee in 2003. He was also in the Board of Trustees of Inoreero University.

Namu was the first Principal Administrative Secretary in Kenya.

He died two weeks ago.