Ishwar Ramlutchman, 33, is the youngest and only Indian member of the Royal Household Board of Trustees, mandated to assist King Goodwill Zwelithini. The other members are chairman Jerome Ngwenya, Cyril Xaba, Lilly Mpungose, Bonizwe Yaka, Don Mkhwanazi and Prince Mbonisi Zulu. They were nominated by the provincial parliament.

Earlier this month KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Zweli Mkhize committed his administration to ensuring there would be no overspending by the royal household. The trust is expected to advise on investments and oversee the upkeep of the monarch's palaces and other properties.

"We want to broaden tourism for the province. So, for 2010, we want to brand KZN and the king," said Ramlutchman.

The trustees would also take care of fund-raising to support various initiatives such as the king's HIV/Aids programmes.

"We don't want to take funds away from the budget, but we want to get business involved to sustain these programmes. We also want to sustain rural development programmes for agriculture in the province."

Ramlutchman, who has known the king for 11 years, met him while involved in humanitarian work as the then chairman of the Divine Life Society.

"I hold him in high esteem. He is a very approachable person. He listens and he always wants to work towards community development."

He recently wrote a book entitled A Tribute to the King of the Zulu Nation and was nominated for the 2010 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, an award given to Indians living outside India.

"It was a shock, but I want to receive it in honour of my religious master, Sri Swami Sahajananda."