Raghavendar Askani is an Indian

anti-corruption Anti-corruption (or anticorruption) comprises activities that oppose or inhibit corruption. Just as corruption takes many forms, anti-corruption efforts vary in scope and in strategy. A general distinction between preventive and reactive measur ...

and

social activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...

. He is the founder and general secretary of the

Youth Parliament Program The Youth Parliament or Youth Parliament Program (YPP), an integral part of the Swatantrata Center, is a Liberalism, liberal public policy think-tank based in India which focuses on ideas and policies that cause human flourishment and India's Fut ...

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 The Print is an Indian online newspaper, owned by Printline Media Pvt Ltd. It was launched by journalist Shekhar Gupta in August 2017. History Printline Media Pvt. Ltd, founded by journalist Shekhar Gupta, was incorporated in New Delhi, India ...

Telangana Today ''Telangana Today'' is a registered English-language Indian daily newspaper headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The publication focuses mainly on politics and developments in the state of Telangana. The newspaper is published by Telanga ...

Early life and activism

Askani is from

Wanaparthy Wanaparthy is a town in the Wanaparthy district of Telangana, India. Wanaparthy Samsthanam was founded in 1512 AD, after the Kakatiya kingdom declined. In 1817 AD, the Suguru estate's capital was transferred to Wanaparthy Province in 1817 AD ...

Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...

. 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 The Indian anti-corruption movement, popularly known as Anna Andolan, was a series of demonstrations and protests across India that began in 2011 and was intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against perceived endemic politic ...

campaign, particularly in the Telugu states, where he advocated for the strong Lokpal Bill. RTI advocacy exposed corruption in many colleges in the

Mahabubnagar District Mahabubnagar district, also known as Palamuru district, is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. Mahabubnagar is the district headquarters which is popularly known as Palamoor. The district shares boundaries with Narayanapet, Vikarabad ...

fee reimbursement and scholarship program, resulting in the misappropriation of funds intended for low-income students. Through the

Right to Information Act Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theor ...

, the advocacy secured fee reimbursements for thousands of students across colleges, preventing financial barriers to their education and saving over one billion rupees He was honored with the International Confederation of Non-Governmental Organizations, and the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

presented the Karmaveer Chakra Award and Global Fellowship Award in 2021 for his impactful contributions to

social reform Reformism is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or also a political system closer to the community's ideal. A reform movement is distinguished from more radical social movements such as revolutionary movements which reject t ...

and

youth empowerment Youth empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciou ...

Youth Parliament Program

In 2016, Askani founded the

, 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. * The program has received accolades for its focus on education and youth participation. * empowering young minds by organizing Model Youth Parliament sessions, Leadership Bootcamp

Swatantrata Center

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. * Campaigning for 24/7 open business operations in Hyderabad for economic development and creating more employment opportunities. * Advocating for a Model Code of Conduct against police violence, He sent in letters to all Supreme Court and High Court justices in India.

References

External links

website of the Youth Parliament Program

website of the Youth for better india

Official website of the Swatantra Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Askani, Raghavendar Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Indian activists Indian anti-corruption activists People from Telangana People from Wanaparthy district

Early life and activism

Youth Parliament Program

Swatantrata Center

See also

References

External links