Raghavendar Askani | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | Indian |
Organization(s) | Youth Parliament Program, Swatantrata Center, Youth For Better India, Students for Liberty |
Known for | Social activist |
Awards | Karmaveer Chakra Award |
Raghavendar Askani is an Indian anti-corruption and social activist. He is the founder and general secretary of the Youth Parliament Program and co-founder and director of the Swatantrata Center, an Indian liberal public policy think tank. He has also written columns in Indian newspapers, such as The Print, Telangana Today. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Askani is from Wanaparthy, Telangana. As a student leader, he was drawn to public service and civic activity at a young age, and he became the National Coordinator of Youth for Better India. Raghavendar played a crucial role in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement campaign, particularly in the Telugu states, where he advocated for the strong Lokpal Bill. [5] [6]
He was honored with the International Confederation of Non-Governmental Organizations, and the United Nations presented the Karmaveer Chakra Award and Global Fellowship Award in 2021 for his impactful contributions to social reform and youth empowerment. [7] [8] [9]
In 2016, Askani founded the Youth Parliament Program, aimed at fostering civic engagement and leadership among the youth. The program provides a platform for discussing pressing societal issues and developing innovative solutions and young people to learn about parliamentary procedures, debate policy issues, and develop leadership skills. [10]
In 2019, Askani co-founded the Swatantrata Center, focusing on policy advocacy and economic reforms. The organization emphasizes empowering youth through workshops, conferences, and public discussions. [15]
The Telugu Desam Party is an Indian regional political party primarily active in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was founded by Telugu matinée idol N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) on 29 March 1982 and has focused on supporting Telugu people. The party has won a five-time majority in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and has emerged as the most successful political outfit in the state's history. It is currently the ruling party in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Telangana is a state in India situated in the south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh largest state and the twelfth most populated state in India as per the 2011 census. On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of United Andhra Pradesh as the newly formed state of Telangana, with Hyderabad as its capital. Telugu, one of the classical languages of India, is the most widely spoken and the primary official language of the state.
At the beginning of 19th century, Lord William Bentinck, then-Governor-general speculated that the possibility of vast change occurring in the frame of society would eventually lead to the British leaving the country under capable Indian rule. But he also added that such changes should not be expected for centuries to come.
Wanaparthy is a town in the Wanaparthy district of Telangana, India. The first polytechnic college in Telangana started in Wanaparthy. It is located 149 km from the state capital, Hyderabad.
Sagarika Ghose is an Indian Member of Parliament, journalist, columnist and author. She has been a journalist since 1991 and has worked at The Times of India, Outlook and The Indian Express. She was a prime time anchor for BBC World on Question Time India and on the news network CNN-IBN, also being the deputy editor for the latter. Ghose has won several awards in journalism and is the author of two novels, as well as the biography of Indira Gandhi, Indira: India's Most Powerful Prime Minister. She worked as Consulting Editor of The Times of India from 2014 to 2020. In 2022, her biography of former Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was released.
Jaya Prakash Narayana is an Indian liberal politician, activist and a former public administrator. He is the founder and president of Lok Satta Party. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly from Kukatpally constituency of Telangana in India.
Maa Bhoomi is a 1979 Indian Telugu-language social problem film directed by Goutam Ghose in his debut. The film is produced by B. Narsing Rao, who also wrote the film with Goutam Ghose. The film is based on the novel Jab Khet Jage by Krishan Chander on the Telangana Rebellion in Hyderabad State. It depicts a typical life of villagers under feudalistic society in the Telangana region. The film features Sai Chand, Rami Reddy and Telangana Shakuntala in pivotal roles. The plot follows Ramayya, a landless peasant who joins the Telangana Rebellion of 1948.
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, frequently known by his initials KCR, is an Indian politician currently representing the Gajwel Assembly constituency and serving as the leader of the opposition in the Telangana Legislative Assembly. He is the founder and leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a state party in India. After heading the Telangana Movement, he was the first Chief Minister of Telangana and held the position for almost 10 years.
Chukka Ramaiah is an Indian educationist. He is known as "IIT Ramaiah" for teaching at IIT Study Circle, an IIT JEE coaching centre at Nallakunta, Hyderabad. He was a leading Telangana activist.
Gaddam Vivek Venkatswamy, is an Indian politician from Indian National Congress and former Member of Parliament in the 15th Lok Sabha. He represented Peddapalli parliamentary constituency.
Samaikya Andhra Movement was a movement organized to keep the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh united, and to prevent the division of the state - separating the Telangana districts of the state into a separate Telangana state. The movement was supported by government employees, advocates in Coastal Andhra & Rayalaseema regions along with students from 14 universities, various occupational, caste & religious groups of Coastal Andhra & Rayalaseema regions. The last set of protests were triggered after the Congress Working Committee decision to divide the state came to an end after President of India gave nod to Telangana Bill which would make the latter to come into existence from 2 June 2014.
Youth councils or parliaments, are a form of youth voice engaged in community decision-making. Youth councils are appointed bodies that exist on local, state, provincial, regional, national, and international levels among governments, non governmental organisations (NGOs), schools, and other entities. Groups that include children often call themselves children's parliaments and are paired with youth parliaments of older kids.
Madhavaneni Raghunandan Rao is an Indian politician from Telangana state and a member of parliament representing from Medak Lok Sabha constituency. Previously he served as an MLA for Dubbak Assembly constituency. He is a strong supporter of Telangana state ideology. He is a lawyer by profession. He hails from Medak district.
The early 2011 Telangana protests refers to a chain of events that took place during the early months of 2011, after the Srikrishna committee report was submitted to government of India. These protests are part of Telangana movement. The Telangana political JAC declared the launch of a non-cooperation movement throughout Telangana, including the state capital at Hyderabad, starting on 17 February. The plan was to request government employees not to work; people not to pay taxes or utility bills; people not to buy tickets while using public transport; to organise rallies; to block traffic on highways; and other measures. It is reported that Congress party's central leadership told Telangana MPs that it will take a decision on Telangana after assembly elections in several states in May. On 24 February, Telangana political JAC organised Egypt-like mass protests in Hyderabad beginning 10 March. Projections for number of people to be mobilised varied from one to five million. Protesters raised slogans of 'Jai Telangana', sang pro-Telangana songs, and played games. Protesters included activists of various political parties, students, government employees, lawyers, doctors, teachers, journalists, writers and cultural artists. 48 people were arrested for the vandalism of the statues. A Telangana leader said the incident show the hatred towards leaders of Andhra and he fears more such incidents if the central government further delays the process to carve out separate Telangana state. Osmania University students warned non-Telangana staff of the university to not pass on the identities of agitators to the police and warned them they could become targets if they did not join the agitation.
Wanaparthy district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. Its headquarters is Wanaparthy. The district shares boundaries with Gadwal, Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet, Nagarkurnool districts, as well as the state boundary of Andhra Pradesh.
Manju Latha Kalanidhi is an Indian journalist, feature writer, columnist and creator of Rice Bucket Challenge. She is currently the City Editor at The New Indian Express in Hyderabad.
The Youth Parliament or Youth Parliament Program (YPP), an integral part of the Swatantrata Center, is a liberal public policy think-tank based in India which focuses on ideas and policies that cause human flourishment and India's Future Foundation, Foundation for Democratic Reforms under the leadership of Raghavendar Askani and Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan for the youth, to speak up and make an impact on the change agenda for the country.
Andhra Pradesh, retrospectively referred to as United Andhra Pradesh, and Undivided Andhra Pradesh, was a state in India formed by States Reorganisation Act, 1956 with Hyderabad as its capital and was reorganised by Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The state was made up of three distinct cultural regions of Telangana, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra. Before the 1956 reorganisation, Telangana had been part of Hyderabad State, whereas Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra had been part of Andhra State, formerly a part of Madras Presidency ruled by British India.
Venkatesh Geriti is an Indian classical liberal, anti-corruption activist, and social entrepreneur. He is the founder of Swatantrata Center and India's Future Foundation, an educational organization in Hyderabad, and a scholar at Atlas Summit. Venkatesh received the Karmaveer Chakra Award and Global Fellowship Award in 2019 from the International Confederation of Non-Governmental Organizations in partnership with United Nations. He is a member of the Centre for Civil Society and an alumnus of Foundation for Economic Education., Students For Liberty, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Liberty International, Atlas Network
Youngistaan Foundation, is a non-governmental organization based in India, that work towards providing humanitarian assistance to underprivileged communities and addressing societal issues.