Executive Committee (2021)

Dr. Archana Kokroo
President, CEO, and Chairperson of Board

“Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time ,but they have the heart.”

Archana Kokroo is a volunteer at heart and has been associated with KOA for more than 10 years Born and raised in Kashmir ,Archana was a part of Exodus in 1990 and saw first hand the struggles our community faced during those years .That instilled in her the commitment and passion to work for the community.

In her younger years she was greatly influenced by her grandfather who ingrained in her the spirit of hard work .

She’s a graduate of Government Medical College Srinagar and currently runs a private practice in Pennsylvania. Her husband Dr. Tej Kokroo also a physician by profession are proud parents of Aushim and Ayushi .Archana has served as the director of Zone 3 prior to taking her role as the president of KOA.

In her spare time Archana loves to cook,write and sing. She has also been involved in charitable work for other nonprofit organizations.

“The-best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

MK Gandhi

Nidhi Kaul
Vice-President

Nidhi Kaul was born and brought up in Kashmir and is the youngest of the 3 children born to Late Mr. Tej Bahadur Bhan and Late Mrs. Rani Bhan. Nidhi spent her growing up years in the beautiful suburban town of Baramulla.

She is married to Sushil Kaul and is blessed with 2 children, Kashyap and Rishab. She first came to North Carolina in 2007. After staying there for 2 years, she moved to New York and has since been actively involved in local Kashmiri community events. After working as a computer teacher in India, she presently works at EC Infosystems.

In her spare time, she loves exploring nature, watching movies, listening to music, and cooking.

Anil Ganju
Secretary

Mr. Anil Ganju was born in Purshyar ,Habbakadal ,Kashmir. His father Late Dr C.L. Ganju was a Homeopathic Doctor and his mother Late Mrs. Parmeshori Ganju worked as an Occupational Therapist .

Anil has worked in many Software multinational companies in India(Bangalore), Malaysia , Singapore and USA.

Anil Ganju has supported and participated in the cultural , social activities over the years in Singapore and was also elected KOA Zone 3 Director 2017-18. He considers our community members as a part of an extended family .He has participated in Demonstration on the Kashmir Terrorism at United Nations in New York City in the past. Anil has always dedicated his divine volunteer services at Bhartiya Temple in Malaysia and also currently volunteering at Bharitya temple, PA.

Anil was a child prodigy, from the age of 6 started learning and playing Tabla and Keyboard. He starred in several TV Programs on Kashmiri Doordarshan Channel specifically showcasing his musical performance both solo and with different bands in Kashmir.

Anil Ganju is married to Geetha who is a software Engineer. They have two wonderful children Anikate and Aarav

Rakesh Thaploo
Treasurer

Rakesh Thaploo is a resident of Ohio and lives in Powell with his wife and two kids. Rakesh is an active member of Hindu Community in Central Ohio region and represents Bharati Hindu temple in various interfaith and diversity groups. He is a Life member of KOA and volunteers for various programs conducted by KOA.

Rakesh and Thaploo’s family originally come from Vanpoh, Anantnag but he grew up in Raghunath Mandir area near Fateh Kadal in Srinagar. His wife Sanjana (Sanju) is originally from Karan Nagar from Nehru Family and is a medical doctor by training.

Rakesh works as Group Vice President for a global consulting firm and manages part of their North America business. He completed his engineering degree in India and did his Business Management from Stanford University in US. He also studied International Business Finance from Singapore. Rakesh in his working career travelled extensively across North America, UK, Europe and Asia. He is a guest speaker in some of the global business schools and frequently speaks in global conferences related to his field of work.

Rakesh is avid reader and interacts and communicates with diverse groups globally and calls himself a sincere student of global cultures, communication styles and language nuances. In central Ohio Rakesh has been working with various school boards and Ohio State university to provide more authentic view of Vedic culture and religion. He frequently conducts Hindu Faith training programs for Ohio State university community outreach program and school curriculum training program for teachers.