Sand Dunes to Snowy Peaks: Sojourns of a Global Citizen - A Memoir Basant Raj Bhandari, an internationally renowned warhorse of foreign trade, he made seminal contribution for over six decades in this arena. Travelling around the globe – 120 countries - like a nomad, Bhandari organized numerous international conferences and training programmes on various facets of foreign trade. And he availed this opportunity to dexterously augment India’s trade, industrial and investment sectors on these platforms.

Commencing his journey in the corporate world and public sector undertakings with Khardah Jute Mills Ltd. and Anderson Wright Ltd. in Calcutta of yore, sterling performance ferried him to the Industrial Management Pool, wherein he was catapulted as the first Managing Director of Jute Corporation of India. Thereafter, he was elevated as the Group Executive and Member of Committee of Management of State Trading Corporation of India Ltd., the largest foreign trade organization of Government of India at that point in time.

Bhandari was Principal Inter-Regional Adviser to International Trade Centre (ITC-UNCTAD-GATT), Geneva, and subsequently, became the Chief Consultant to Global Traders Conference, Geneva, as also a Senior Consultant with ITC. He has had the distinction to serve as the External Consultant to UNDP, World Bank, Helsinki School of Economics’ Trade Development Institute (PRODEC), Finland; International Management Institute (RVB), Maastricht, The Netherlands; Commonwealth Secretariat in UK, besides other distinguished international organizations.

Lauded as ‘Marketing Man of the Year’ in 1977, he was conferred the Distinguished Alumnus Award of ASCI, as also received the plaque for ‘Lifetime Service’ by the Indian Higher Education Forum, Mumbai. And his ultimate recognition came as the Chancellor of Jain Vishva Bharati University, Ladnun, Rajasthan. No wonder, life came full circle in his land of birth.