Anand Rathi, born on 27th May 1987, is the Director of Empire Spices & Foods Ltd., a leading name in the Indian packaged food industry, known for its trusted household brands Rambandhu and Temptin’.

An alumnus of Silver Oak School, Nashik, Anand spent a transformative year in Belgium through the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program before graduating from Elphinstone College, Mumbai. He went on to complete his post-graduation in Marketing from the Management Development Institute of Singapore.

With over 15 years of experience in the family business, Anand has worked across multiple functions, driving innovation, operational excellence, and strategic growth. In his current role, he plays a pivotal part in shaping the company’s long-term vision, expanding market presence, and building strategies for sustainable growth.

Beyond business, Anand is deeply committed to social impact and nation-building. He actively contributes to platforms like ASCENT, Young Indians, and Nashik Round Table 107, aligning his leadership with community development and collaborative progress.

Mahesh Chaware

General Manager –Patel’s R Mart

With over 27 years of experience in retail leadership, Mahesh Chaware serves as the General Manager at Patel’s R Mart, one of the most prominent and fast-growing supermarket chains in Western India. His career reflects a strong command over retail operations, merchandising, supply chain efficiency, and consumer engagement, driving consistent growth and operational excellence across the organization.Under his leadership, Patel’s R Mart has strengthened its Omnichannel retail model, blending in-store, quickcommerce, and e-commerce operations to meet evolving customer needs. Mahesh has been instrumental in enhancing private label portfolios, optimizing category performance, and implementing technology-driven solutions for inventory and customer management.

His people-centric approach and focus on developing strong, execution-driven teams have helped the company achieve improved productivity and service benchmarks. Known for his strategic foresight, disciplined execution, and customer-first mind set, Mahesh continues to steer Patel’s R Mart toward greater scalability, profitability, and regional market leadership.