Bonphul Air Products may be looked upon as an adolescent staged company, but that is not stopping it from keeping any stones unturned to establish itself as a serious corporate house. Bonphul is now having one of the most remarkable panel of Independent Directors on its board, which is in itself a great feat achieved for a young budding startup. Glittering names in the panel include Former Secretary to the Government of India and former Secretary General of FICCI, Dr A Didar Singh; and Professor of Environmental Engineering at IIT Delhi, Dr Mukesh Khare; along with several other top professionals who have joined the Board of Bonphul Air Products as Independent Directors.
Other newly inducted independent directors include Clean Air Asia’s Country Director, Prarthana Borah; BML Munjal University’s Dean, Dr Vishal Talwar; and SM Group’s CEO, Vikas Agarwal.
Explaining this development, Bonphul CEO, Prodyut Bora, said “We may be a 15-month old small start-up, but our ambitions can be gauged from the quality of Board we have set up. We have set a vision to become the world’s most comprehensive indoor air quality (IAQ) company. To create such an organisation, we need both technical expertise and the best of corporate governance. We have created a Board that brings in plenty of both. We expect our independent directors to play the stewardship role in our corporate journey.”
Upon joining Bonphul as independent Director, Dr A Didar Singh, former Secretary to the Government of India and former Secretary General of FICCI said “All companies, big or small must practice good governance norms. It’s both a social responsibility and good business practice.”
Also sighting the reason for being a part of the Bonphul Team, Professor of Environmental Engineering at IIT Delhi, Dr Mukesh Khare said “Bonphul comprises a team of dedicated professionals directing their efforts and energy in innovative technological solutions to keep our air clean. Their commitments in constantly working towards sustainable solutions to provide efficient and effective air products like Oxygen optimiser attracted my attention to become a part of their team.”
Further throwing light on the importance of board composition that needs attention by startup companies, BML Munjal University’s Dean, Dr Vishal Talwar said “Selecting and including independent directors even when a startup is in its nascent stage may boost its success as it can help guide the company to excellence. However, board composition is a subject that has not been given enough attention by start-up companies. I appreciate the fact that as a startup Bonphul believes a balanced, qualified and engaged board of directors is one of its strongest assets, making the decision of who sits on your board a very important one. Board members provide strategic advice and lend credibility, particularly if the directors are regarded in the startup’s area of business.
Also commenting on the work being done by Bonphul, Clean Air Asia’s Country Director, Prarthana Borah said “When we speak about air pollution we need to understand it in terms of what it is doing to our health. With pollution levels in cities Delhi reaching hazardous levels we need immediate solutions which can be solved with technology. These at present may be adaptative solutions while mitigation is being considered and one is working towards it. Companies like Bonphul can contribute to healthier lives by providing technology solutions that can be a short-term way of addressing the impact of poor air on our health.”