Raghavendar Askani is striving for youth to be involved in politics and social movements since 2009 through various campaigns and workshops. Askani participated in the International Forums in Europe and America and discussed the importance of youth in politics and Policies. Askani shared how he was motivated to take up youth-related issues.
The Beginning
Raghavendar Askani started social activism in intermediate influenced by JP Narayana speeches. Since then, the spark that was ignited in him continues to propel him on the path of activism and his Youth for Better India(YBI) campaign, the youth organization promoting anti-corruption. As National Coordinator, he established a massive movement against corruption in India and organized many anti-corruption walks.
Later, he started ‘Revolutionary India to Social Empowerment’ to engage youth in active politics. Askani went to many colleges and explained the importance and uses of the Lokpal Bill and Lokayukta. He alone succeeded in gathering more than 20000 supporters for the cause. He also collected close to 15,000 signatures in support of the Lokpal Bill to be sent to New Delhi. Raghavendar participated in the election campaign of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi during the 2015 state elections and campaigned for Loksatta Party in Telugu states. On 2nd October 2016, First Youth Parliament was organized at Osmania University in Hyderabad On National Educational Policy
The Youth Parliament Program
After his post-graduation, Askani started a ‘Youth Parliament Program(YPP) by Swatantrata Center’ in 2016, a youth organization in India which allows youth to voice their opinions, ideas and act as a change agenda for the country. In Raghavendar’s opinion, young people don’t like politics and policies because they don’t understand them well. Through this initiative, he wanted to create a platform for a debate between the best debaters and policymakers and opinion-makers and inspire the youth to express their views in an organized way.
YPP has conducted many sessions and involved youngsters, took suggestions from youth, NGOs and submitted to the national government and state governments through the foundation, pressing for democracy reforms. Youth Parliament has also has created a considerable impact on matters such as Citizens’ Charter Bill and National Education, Agriculture Policies. They have run in more than 40 sessions, involved youngsters and take suggestions, impacting more than 60,000 students in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. YPP has conducted various seminars, Model Youth Parliament Programs, Policy in Practice, Leadership Bootcamps, Roundtables and so on.
The Swatantrata Center
Raghavendar is also the co-founder of Swatantrata Center, a liberal public policy think-tank based in Hyderabad which focuses on ideas and policies that cause human flourishment. The Swatantrata Program has created a platform for the youth to present their ideas, brainstorm and strategize that would help in shaping the policies of economic growth with inclusiveness and sustainability. Swatantrata is to Inspire, Educate and Connect young leaders interested in Economic Reforms and Good Governance through Research, Advocacy and work with aligned organizations, development, and policy practitioners in advancing the fields such as Agriculture, Livelihoods, Social Entrepreneurship and Governance.
He contributed to the hosting of policy meetups, policy conclaves, Leadership Bootcamp, Swatantrata Yatra. In the Covid-19 pandemic, e-policy conclaves, Policy in Practice and Swatantrata hosted one of its largest Libertarian virtual conferences #SWACON on Human Flourishing. India lost the greatest opportunity in 70’s due to Exitus of reformist parties like swatantra party. now India need greater liberal reforms and youth must be informed and engaged on those reforms.
International Opportunity and Awards
For his work with India’s Future Foundation, he was nominated for an international conference by the Foundation for Economic Education, America, on Capitalism: Unlocking Human Potential and Acton University (an annual conference on Faith and Economics) by Acton institute in 2016 & 2017 in America. He was selected for his work and represented India along with 1000 other people from all over the world.
Also, he attended European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), Brussels, on youth politics and activism. From that time onwards, he spent a lot of time to understand political systems, public policies.
Askani was also awarded the India Star Golden Award by India Star Book of Records, Uttar Pradesh and Youth inspiration award for Anti-corruption movement from United Hands Society for the People in 2012 and Public Citizen Award from People Action for Social Service in 2016.