Mumbai, Jan 9 (IANS) Former corporate executive Homi Khusrokhan, who is also a keen environmentalist, will be the new president of the prestigious Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), a BNHS official said here Monday.

He replaces former top bureaucrat B.G. Deshmukh, who passed away last year (2011).

A former managing director with a Tata Group company and Glaxo laboratories, Khusrokhan has been the BNHS vice-president since May 2009, according to BNHS director Asad Rahmani.

“The decision to appoint Khusrokhan was taken in the BNHS Governing Council meeting held here last Saturday,” Rahmani said.

A firm proponent of bridging the gap between environment and development, Khusrokhan feels that development should be based on the principles of social equity and environmental sustainability.

Towards this end, he played the lead role in re-locating a Tata Chemicals plant in Tanzania after the BNHS raised concerns about the survival of flamingos in the proposed areas there.

Besides, Khusrokhan has been associated with the research and conservation projects undertaken by BNHS in various sectors, including the Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme, a matter of environmental concern in the country.

“We are happy to have Khusrokhan as the BNHS president and he would be the right person for steering ahead BNHS in the constantly changing and challenging conservation scenario,” Rahmani said.