Our leadership and governance
About the Founder
Akhilesh Kant Verma founded Global Wellbeing Forum out of a conviction that wellbeing — understood in its complete, literal sense — should be treated as a universal human right rather than a privilege available only to some.
Akhilesh brings a rare combination of technical training, civil service grounding, and two decades of yogic discipline to his vision for the organization. A software professional by training, with a B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering from NIT Bhopal, he spent a decade preparing for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) — a journey that immersed him deeply in the study of governance, public policy, and the socio-economic and environmental fabric of the nation. This period shaped more than his knowledge; it shaped his values. Civil service preparation demands a particular kind of character — integrity, empathy for the public good, patience with complex systems, a sense of duty toward the underserved, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and accountability. These are the same virtues that today anchor his approach to wellbeing work: seeing people not as beneficiaries, but as citizens with rights; seeing problems not in isolation, but as interconnected social, economic, and environmental systems; and seeing solutions not as quick fixes, but as long-term commitments built on trust and governance.
Alongside this, Akhilesh has practiced and taught yoga for over 20 years — an experience that reinforced his belief that wellbeing is never one-dimensional. It is physical, mental, social, and purposeful all at once, requiring the same discipline, self-awareness, and holistic attention that yoga demands, both in the practitioner and in the teacher who guides others toward it.
It was this intersection — a policy-oriented mind trained in economic and social analysis, a service-driven ethos rooted in civil service ideals, and two decades of personal and teaching experience in physical and mental wellbeing — that led Akhilesh to found Global Wellbeing Forum: an organization built to treat wellbeing not as an abstract ideal, but as a practical, governable, and measurable framework that can genuinely reach people at the grassroots.
Under his leadership, the organization is built around the seven pillars of wellbeing — physical, mental/emotional, social, economic, environmental, purpose, and community — and headquartered in Noida, India, with a global mandate.
Our Governance Structure
Global Wellbeing Forum is committed to responsible, transparent governance. Our structure is designed to ensure accountability at every level:
Board of Directors / Governing Board — Our governing board is currently being constituted; details will be published here upon completion.
Founder & Leadership Team — responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day operations
Advisory Council (if applicable) — subject-matter experts across health, social work, economics, environment, and policy who guide our program design
Program & Finance Oversight — internal review processes to ensure funds and resources are used in line with our mission and stated strategy
Our Governance Principles
Accountability — decisions and resource use are documented and reviewed regularly
Transparency — key organizational information, including leadership and policies, is publicly available
Independence — governance decisions are made in the interest of our mission and the communities we serve, free from undue external influence
Compliance — we operate in accordance with applicable nonprofit regulations in India and the jurisdictions in which we work
Registered Office
Global Wellbeing Forum Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Get in Touch
For governance-related queries, partnership proposals, or to learn more about our leadership team, please reach out through our contact page.