Founder Member and later Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Council for Research on Agro-forestry (1977-1982)

Founder-Chairman, Society for the Promotion of Wasteland Development, India (1982-86)

Chairman, Advisory Panel on Environment, Forestry and Food Security of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1984-1986)

Trustee, World Resources Institute (1985-1994)

Chairman, Editorial Advisory Panel for the World Resources Report (1986-1998)

Trustee, Better World Society (1986-1992)

Honorary Vice-President, World Wild Life Fund International (1985-1987)

President, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1984-1990)

President, International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (1990-1993)

President, World Wide Fund for Nature-India (1989-1996)

Chairman, Board of Trustees, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi (2003 onwards)