In 1982 Kohli commenced his career as a mariner and was later master of oceangoing ships for the final 15 years. Amongst others, he was the master and captain of one of the world's largest refrigerated cross-ocean carriers. Besides refrigerated transportation, he also directed or operated car carriers, oil tankers, container ships, ice-class general cargocarriers, timber carriers and others. Between 2008 and 2012 Capt. Kohli contributed through professional executive roles as the prime mover in one of the largest logistics and distribution companies in India and later for the integration of the largest logistics & supply chain infrastructure enterprises, heading the development of solutions to drive a pan-national footprint of India's first set of Free Trade Zones. In 2012 he was selected by the Government of India to help incubate the National Centre for Cold-chain Development as its Chief Advisor. Shortly thereafter, the body was restructured and in 2014, he was selected as its founding Chief Executive Officer. Thereafter, he continued as the Chief Advisor to the Agriculture Ministry to guide initiatives related to post harvest management and agricultural supply chain. At NCCD, Kohli was closely involved in establishing a historic MoU of cooperation in cold chain between nodal Indian and French organisations and represented India as guest of honor at the International Conference on sustainable cold chain in Paris. In July 2015 he was invited as a global expert to speak on the Global Food Crisis at the House of Lords in UK. Kohli is a member councilor of various national committees and Advisor to industry organisations and is chairman of the national Committee on Supply chain and Logistics, the first such committee set up with focus on supply chain by the government. He also co-chairs the committees on Human Resource Development and Research & Development for cold chain. He is a principal member of the Indian government's Committee for Doubling Farmers' Income, set up in 2016 and has authored & co-authored a number of policy documents. Role as a thought leader is also acknowledged in various other Task Forces and Committees on agricultural marketing and logistics. In 2018, the University of Birmingham conferred Kohli the title of Honorary Professor. After leading NCCD for eight years, on 31 January 2020 Kohli resigned from the position of CEO of NCCD and as Chief Advisor to Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare of India .
Honors and Awards
In December 2010 he was acknowledged in his individual capacity, as the "Cold Chain Personality of the Year" by an expert panel hosted by KPMG-Supply Chain Leadership Council. The award was in appreciation for individual contributions to the industry and for aligning focus on the socio-economic fabric in India. In 2012 he was applauded with the "Exemplary Thought Leadership Award" by the ICE Centre of Excellence in India. In 2014 he won the prestigious Agribusiness Leadership Award at the annual Agriculture Leadership Summit in New Delhi. In 2016, ISHRAE lauded him as honorary lifetime member, their first ever. In India, he is recognised as one among the few eminent persons from the private sector who shifted over to public service by taking on specialist advisory roles in government organisations. He is recipient of various recognition and achievement awards from the cold chain industry in India.
