Justice K Raviraja Pandian was born in the year 1948 in Thiruvizhimizhalay village of then Tanjore District, now Thiruvaroor District in Tamil Nadu. He obtained B.Com. degree in the year 1969 and Law Degree from Madras Law College in the year 1977 and enrolled as a Member of the Bar in the year 1978.While practicing before Madras High Court, he held the post of Additional Government Pleader (Writs) during the period 1989-91. He was then appointed as Special Government Pleader (Taxes) in the year 1996. He has authored a book on “Tamil Nadu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1959” and specialized the practice in Mining Laws and Taxation Law, both direct and indirect tax. .

              He was elevated as the Judge of the Madras High Court in the year 2000. During his tenure as Judge, nearly for a decade, he has disposed off 1,00,926 cases on varied branches of law, which is a record disposal as on date.After his retirement as Judge of the Madras High Court in the year 2010, he was the Chairman of the Committee for Regulating and Monitoring admission of students in Private, Professional Colleges and the Chairman of the Committee for determination of fee for Private Schools in the State of Tamil Nadu and the Chairman of the State Consumer Redressal Commission, Pondicherry. He assumed as Chairperson of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority from 20th May, 2013.

          Dr. R. Paul Raj was appointed as Member Secretary of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority by the Central Government and took charge on 1st May 2008. He holds a Master’s Degree in Marine Biology from Annamalai University and Ph.D. Degree in Marine Biology from the University of Madras. He has over 31 years of experience in the Agricultural Research Service of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ARS, 1976) and worked as Scientist S-1 at the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Senior Scientist (Associate Professor) at the Centre of Advanced Studies in Mariculture (CMFRI), Scientist-in-Charge of the Madras Research Centre of CMFRI, Principal Scientist and Head of the Divisions of Physiology, Nutrition and Pathology,and Fisheries Resources Assessment,and Head of the Post-Graduate Programmes at CMFRI, Kochi.

              He also served as Member Secretary of the Research Advisory Committee and Chairman of the Consultancy Processing Cell at CMFRI, and Member in the Management Committees of CMFRI and CIBA.He has also served as Member in the Academic Council of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, Member of the Board of Studies in Mariculture (CIFE), Board of Studies in Aquaculture ( University of Madras), Board of Studies in Fisheries (Kerala Agricultural University), and Member of the Marine and Inland Fisheries Advisory Board ( Govt. of Tamil Nadu). He has substantial contributions to Aquaculture in the Country through his research, teaching and field-outreach programmes. He has guided 15 Ph.D. students (9 as Major Advisor and 6 as Co-Chairman). He has published more than 100 research and technical papers including a Hand Book on Aquaculture Feed published by the MPEDA during 1993 and Reprinted during 1995 and 1997. He has Directed Four Summer/Winter Schools at CMFRI in the Areas of Aquaculture Nutrition, Disease Management, and Marine Biotechnology. He was the Co-ordinator of the 8th Asian Fisheries Forum, the greatest Fisheries Event held in India at Kochi during November 2007. By his inspiring leadership he has mentored many of his colleagues and students to become highly successful in their endeavours.

          Dr. P. Ravichandran, is presently holding the position of Principal Scientist in Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture. He started his career in the first ever Brackishwater Experimental Fish Farm of CIFRI at Kakdwip, Sunderbans, West Bengal in 1977 and took over the Penaeus monodon culture component of All India Co-ordinated Project from 1979. He has over 36 years of experience in Shrimp seed production, farming in different systems, live feed culture, Environment monitoring and Environment Impact Assessment. He had been heading the Division of Crustacean Culture since 2001 and had officiated as Director of CIBA for two years.

             He was associated as an expert member in various sub-committees constituted by Ministry of Agriculture, Coastal Aquaculture Authority, and Marine Products Export Development Authority for the sustainable development of Brackishwater Aquaculture. For a short period he officiated as Member Secretary, CAA and headed the committee constituted for developing guidelines for the introduction, breeding and culture of L. vannamei. He is one of the expert members of the technical committee which developed the Standard Operating Procedure for the first ever Aquatic Quarantine and supervising the operations. At academic and research level he has contributed more than 120 publications including Research papers, Technical publications, popular articles, chapters in books, extension manuals etc., He had been a member of the Academic Council of CIFE; Question setter and Examiner for various aquaculture courses of CIFE; Member of Board of Studies of College of Fisheries and Research Centre, TANUVAS; Member of Board of Studies in Zoology, University of Madras; Research Supervisor of University of Madras; At Institute level he had contributed immensely in various Institute Building activities as Chairman and Member of the various committees including various administrative functions.

          Dr. M. Raina is presently working in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India as a Director. Dr. Raina is a Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry) from Punjab University, Chandigarh and has over 30 years experience in teaching and research in Punjab University, Chandigarh and IIT, Delhi and Gargi College in New Delhi. In 1984, she joined the Research and Development Centre of Indian Oil Corporation in Faridabad as a scientist and handled various research projects in this premier research centre. In 1989, Dr. Raina joined the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India in National River Conservation Directorate and handled assignments related to water quality monitoring of rivers and Lakes and cost benefit analysis of various projects under the Directorate.

              Dr. Raina is well versed with technologies available in combating water pollution issues and has travelled extensively to various countries studying the possible technology transfer in this field. In 1992, she visited U.K. for River Basin Management Course in collaboration with Thames River authority. She went to Japan in 1996 and again in 2002 as a UNIDO sponsored delegate and visited various sites across the country and held talks with relevant companies specializing in pollution control systems.In 2006, she moved to the mainstream of the Ministry in its Control of Pollution (CP) Division as a Director. In addition to the water pollution related issues, she also handles setting up of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) across the country, granting recognition to private environmental laboratories under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, control of industrial pollution etc. She has to her credit revising the extant guidelines for recognition of environmental laboratories under E(P)A, 1986 and establishment of CETPs. In 2008, the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea, invited Dr. Raina to participate in their programme on “Environmental Policies and Technologies” with a view to promote environmental cooperation and partnership for sustainable development. She has been a regular delegate in the two UNCRD sponsored conferences on “Regional 3R Forum in Asia for sustainable development” held at Malaysia and Singapore in 2010 and 2011. She is a keen promoter of environmental issues at all levels and has many research publications on the subject. She is a keen reader and has learnt German and Urdu to pursue her interest in various scientific issues as well as works in poetry.