Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
NAME – Ramdas Bandu Athawale
PROFESSION- Politician and Social Worker
BORN – 25th December, 1959 (Age 61)
PLACE OF BIRTH – Sangali District, Maharashtra
FATHER’S NAME – Bandu Bapu Athawale
MOTHER’S NAME – Honsabai Bandu Athawale
SPOUSE – Seema Ramdas Athawale
SIBLINGS – NA
CHILDREN – One son (Jeet Athawale)
EDUCATION – Graduated from Siddharth College of Law, Mumbai
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS/PARTY- Republican Party of India (A)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE- www.india.gov.in
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- He was the founder and president of the Buddha Dhamma Parishad. He also established a children’s wing in the RPI (Republican Party of India). He protested for the right of Dalits to get licensed firearms to protect themselves from the atrocities of the government. He is strongly advocated inter caste marriages. He has also advocated reservation for economically disadvantaged upper caste communities
Ramdas Athawale is an Indian politician and a social activist from Maharashtra. He is the President of the Republican party of India, which has its roots in the schedule castes federation led by B.R Ambedkar. Currently, he is the Minister of State for the ministry of social justice and empowerment in the Narendra Modi government.
AWARDS – Ramdas Athawale was honored with the greatest leader’s award.
BACKGROUND – Athawale was inspired by BR Ambedkar, the Indian polymath. Following a split in the Dalit Panther movement in 1974. He was a member of the Maharashtra Legislative council and was cabinet minister for social welfare and transport, employment guarantee scheme and prohibition propaganda in the government of Maharashtra. He is an artist, publisher and a social worker.
UPBRINGING & EDUCATION – Ramdas was born in the Sangali district of Bombay. He attended the Siddharth College of Law, Mumbai. He married Seema Athawale on 16th May 1992. He has been an editor of a weekly magazine called ‘Bhumika’ and is a founder member of Parivartan Sahitya Mahamandal. He has served as the president of this organization, and of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Foundation. He has also played title roles in a few Marathi movies.
WALK OF LIFE- Ramdas Athawale represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha and also represented Pandharpur for two consecutive terms. He is also known for his activism streak, having participated in the Dalit Panther movement in 1974. His close association with the Republic Party of India precipitated his close ties with the INC. He is the president of the Republican Party of India.
MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN-
Ramdas Athawale asked for caste based census
He also proposed to take a loan to help the rain hit farmers
He has also set up various memorials for health care workers
Protested against the Shiv Sena led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra to highlight the increase in the number of atrocities against Dalit’s and Buddhists even during the lockdown period
CAREER TIMELINE/POSITION HELD-
1990 Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council
1998 Contested and won Mumbai north central constituency by a huge margin
1999 Contested and won Pandharpur constituency
1999 Member, Committee on Industry
2004 Member, Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture
2014 Elected to the Rajya Sabha and Member, Committee on the Welfare of Schedule tribes and Schedule castes
2019 Inducted into the Modi cabinet as a minister of state for the ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
CONTROVERSIES/CASES – Although considered as a Dalit leader, Athawale has caused controversies among Dalit’s. In January2018, around 130 people were arrested when some Dalit activist protested against him during a speech. In March 2020, a video of him chanting ‘Go Corona’ went viral and he turned into a popular meme.
