Ashutosh started his career with JK Paper Ltd from IIFM campus in 2007 and continue to work and learn there. He is currently managing their Fibre resource development and getting the Raw materials from the farmers to the Mills. He has around 19 years of experience in various domains of forestry and allied sectors ranging from production of high quality planting material, Promotion of agro forestry plantations through farmers, Research and development for high productivity planting material, working with small and marginal farmers for creating sustainable livelihoods and aggregating them to develop carbon projects by linking them to the world of Carbon finance through the CDM A/R as well as VCS mechanism. He is also instrumental in leading the FSC-FM certification and FSC-COC certification for JKPM.
Location: Rayagada (Odisha)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutosh-mahana-25a50929/
Q. How has your journey from IIFM been so far?
A. I joined JK Paper Ltd from IIFM campus and have stayed here for all these years. The 19 years journey has been quite interesting as it involves many challenging roles in JK Paper LTD. I had joined as Management Trainee in the year 2007 and have been placed in many challenging roles like plantation extension, Implementation of CDM A/R project in association with World Bank Bio-Carbon fund, Implementation of FSC-COC and FSC-FM CERTIFICATION, Clonal Plant production and development of new high yielding Clones etc. Every role has brought something new and helped me in learning and development.
WB CDM AR Verification at Ethiopia
World Bank verification team at Ethiopia
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. One of the key learning is the collaboration with farmers, World Bank Bio-carbon fund, Veda Climate Change Solution Ltd for our CDM A/R Project. We are the force behind all the implementation of groundwork in association with farmers. This is the 1st project in Southeast Asia, where we were able to distribute Carbon revenue to 1590 small and marginal farmers.
At 6th World Congress on Agroforestry at Kigali,Rwanda
Q. What is the most satisfying part in your career?
A. The most satisfying moment so far has been the day when when we were able to provide the additional carbon revenue to 1590 small and marginal farmers here. I still remember the happiness on their face, i just cannot describe in words. This project is very close to my heart. One of our JKPM senior was leading the project. After he left the project in 2009, I took over the project and we are able to register the project in 2012. We were able to distribute the 1st carbon revenue to the eligible farmers in 2012.
CDM Revenue Distribution to Small and Marginal Farmers
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. The learning at IIFM really helps in shaping the professional roles in a significant way. Though I have not changed my organization after my IIFM days, I have been assigned many roles in JK Paper Ltd. The most important aspects we learn here is the adaptability to the current working environment.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers?
A. I am very grateful to almighty for giving me a chance to work and learn under IIFM‘ites here. So there is a lot of professional bonding with all my seniors at JK paper Ltd. Always got very supportive guidance in every possible way.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. Too many to describe in words. The good memories of Field trips, Organisational Training, different cultural activities, Cricket, Football, Volley ball. The most interesting one is the Holi celebrations and the Matka phod celebration on eve of Janmashtami 🙂
Uttarakhand Field Trip in IIFM Days
Holi Celebrations at IIFM
Satya’s Birthday celebration@IIFM
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. The mentorship provided by our esteemed faculty members (including CSR Sir, Amitabh Sir, Vinay Sinha Sir, Biswas Sir, Suprava Maam, and H S Gupta Sir) has been invaluable in shaping my career trajectory.
Q. As an alumni, what’s your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
A. One should never stop the learning process. For most of us it has always been a gradual, but steady process, and every experience counts in our long journey. One can learn the most during the Field trips, Organizational trainings(now called SI and Project Work). Apart from this never be too stressed about academic performance, just do your best. Focus on regular learnings and chase your dream.
Q. What is your typical day at the work?
A. I have been an early riser since my IIFM days. Our office starts at 8 am in the morning. The typical day starts with implementation of day’s job, meeting with our staffs and partner organization for implementation of Projects, monitoring their progress and ends with the reporting of the tasks.
Poster presentation at 6th World congress on Agroforestry at Kigali, Rwanda
Q. And how about weekends, hobbies, family and anything else you want to add?
A. In weekend it is mostly the family time. Helping both my sons in their academics and playing cricket & badminton with them. Occasional family outing to Rayagada for watching movies or for dinner.
At Sea Water in Kerala
Family Outing
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors?
A. My favourite Books: The Intelligent Investor, Atomic Habits, The psychology of Money. Favourite movie; Sholay, Dhurandhar.
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students? Your engagement with IIFM Placement or OT/SI?
A. Lately we at JK paper Ltd., have been recruiting from IIFM on regular basis. On personal front I can share my ground level experience in the field of Agro-forestry and CDM A/R project implementation provided an opportunity is given at IIFM.
Q. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? When was the last time you visited IIFM?
A. When we were at IIFM, our batch strength was around 40 so there used to be very healthy interaction among us. There is a batch reunion of our batch every year in the week 15th of August at IIFM. Few of us has been going there every year for last 18 years.
Now the strength is manifold. I hope the current batches also maintain a good camaraderie between them even though the batch size has gone up many times now.
I had last been to IIFM in July 2025 after 18 years of passing out from IIFM. It was for a Certification programme which IIFM was hosting there.
At a Certification Programme@IIFM in July,2025
I also went to our upcoming campus at Kurseong in January 2025 for the Auditor training programme for Pramaan certification conducted by CIFOR.
Auditor training programme for Pramaan certification@IIFM Kurseong,January 2025
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. I think most of our 2007 batch is profiled here except few! I would love to see the journey of my remaining friends 🙂