Dr. Y.S.P. Thorat who retired as Chairman, NABARD in November 2007, was till recently Executive Chairman of the Dryland Farming Commission and Chairman of the Agriculture Universities Recruitment Board, Government of Maharashtra. His current appointments include- Adjunct Professor, Department of Economics, Shivaji University (Kolhapur), Advisor at Pravara Rural Education Society, Member of Managing Council and Executive Committee Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, CEO Rajiv Gandhi Trust, Director, Britannia Limited, Go Air and Bombay Burmah Trading Company Limited. In addition to being on the Boards of several companies including Tata Chemicals, Dr. Thorat was Adjunct Professor, Yashwantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, Kolhapur and Secretary General, Pravara Rural Education Society. He was on the Board of the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune, Chairman of the Indian Society of Agriculture Economics, and Member of the Senate and Academic Council, Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Dr. Thorat is a university ranker having received the prestigious Gopal Krishna Gokhale Award for being the best student of Political Science amongst all Universities in Maharashtra.