J.S. Nagaraja joins the Indian coffee plantation group to spearhead its sustainability projects and champion Indian coffee on the global stage
Kelachandra Coffee has appointed former Coffee Board of India executive J.S. Nagaraja to spearhead R&D strategy across its extensive plantation network.
Founded in 1995, Kelachandra is one of India’s largest privately held coffee plantations with approximately 6,500 acres across 15 estates in Karnataka and Kerala. Nagaraja joins the company as Head of Research and Development (R&D) to lead its sustainability initiatives, including carbon footprint and sequestration studies. His other responsibilities include optimising soil and leaf analysis, refining fertiliser use and advancing specialty coffee development.
“Dr. Nagaraja’s track record at the intersection of agronomy, sustainability, and innovation will be instrumental as we chart the next phase of Kelachandra’s growth. At a time when climate change and conscious consumption are reshaping our industry, his leadership will anchor our work on carbon sequestration, scientific validation of our specialty micro-lots, and the global positioning of our coffee as an authentically eco-friendly brand,” said Jagan Thimaiah, Executive Director, Kelachandra Coffee.
Nagaraja joins Kelachandra after a three-decade career with the Coffee Board of India, where he most recently served as Joint Director of Research.
“I am honoured to be part of Kelachandra at this pivotal moment in its journey. In the months ahead, my focus will be on strengthening our research agenda around soil health, climate resilience, and carbon sequestration, while advancing tools such as genetic fingerprinting to validate the uniqueness of our coffees,” Nagaraja said.
Kelachandra currently exports to specialty coffee roasters and premium retailers in Japan, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Germany and the Middle East. It also supplies some of India’s leading premium roasters, including Blue Tokai, Humble Bean, Third Wave Coffee and Dope Coffee.
