Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article

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{{Infobox person
| name = Raju Kendre
| image = Raju Kendre (Social Worker).jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = October 1993
| birth_place = Pimpri Khandare, [[Buldhana district]] , [[Maharashtra]], India
| mother =
| father =
| alma_mater = Tata Institute of Social Sciences, SOAS University of London
| occupation = Social Entrepreneur, Social Activist
| years_active = 2012 - till date
| known_for = Eklavya India Foundation, Global Scholars Program
}}

'''Raju Kendre''' (born October, 1993) is an Indian educator, [[Social entrepreneurship|social entrepreneur]], and social activist known for his work in promoting education and grassroots development in rural and tribal communities of [[Central India]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramani |first=Priya |date=2023-09-08 |title=Raju Kendre: fighting to write his own story |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/raju-kendre-fighting-to-write-his-own-story/article67269097.ece |access-date=2023-09-25 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Raju Kendre: Changing the idea of education, one community at a time |work=Global Indian |url=https://www.globalindian.com/story/changemaker/raju-kendre-changing-the-idea-of-education-one-community-at-a-time/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

He is the Founder and CEO of the Eklavya India Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering first-generation learners from underprivileged backgrounds.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-08-05 |title=From the hinterland of Vidarbha, an edu movement places first-gen learners in top institutes |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/from-the-hinterland-of-vidarbha-an-edu-movement-places-first-gen-learners-in-top-institutes/articleshow/85057677.cms |access-date=2023-09-25 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sethu |first=Divya |date=2021-07-13 |title=Farmer's Son Helps 125 Marginalized Students Access Higher Education & Fellowships |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/258545/aju-kendre-help-scholarship-higher-education-fellowship-tribal-students-inspiring/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref>

Raju is recognized as a [[TED speaker|TED Speaker]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=TEDxIITHyderabad {{!}} TED |url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/53774 |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=www.ted.com}}</ref> and has been honored with a place in the [[Forbes]] 30 Under 30 list.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre: Empowering First Generation Learners |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/30-under-30-2022/raju-kendre-empowering-first-generation-learners/73855/1 |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref> He is also [[Chevening Scholarship|Chevening scholar]] at FCDO, UK and Fellow at the [[Royal Society of Arts]] (FRSA).<ref>{{Cite web |last=author/rajeshshegokar |date=2023-04-21 |title=शेतकऱ्याच्या मुलाची झेप : राजू केंद्रे लंडनच्या रॉयल सोसायटी ऑफ आर्ट्सचा फेलाे |url=https://www.lokmat.com/akola/leap-of-the-farmers-son-raju-kendra-fellows-of-the-royal-society-of-arts-london-a-a405-c720/ |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Lokmat |language=mr}}</ref>

== Early Life and Education ==
Raju Kendre was born in a small village of Pimpri Khandare, situated near the Lonar crater in the [[Buldhana district]] of [[Maharashtra|Maharashtra's]] Vidarbha region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre: Changing the idea of education, one community at a time |url=https://www.globalindian.com/story/changemaker/raju-kendre-changing-the-idea-of-education-one-community-at-a-time/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=The Global Indian |language=en-US}}</ref> He completed his schooling in a Zilla Parishad (government school) in the vernacular medium.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=राजू केंद्रे यांची लंडनच्या रॉयल सोसायटी ऑफ आर्ट्समध्ये निवड |url=https://www.loksatta.com/nagpur/raju-kendre-was-elected-to-the-royal-society-of-arts-london-ysh-95-3604807/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Loksatta |language=mr}}</ref> Due to socio-economic constraints and a lack of awareness and mentorship, he had to drop out from Pune University and transitioned to a distance education program for his undergraduate studies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre: Empowering First Generation Learners |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/30-under-30-2022/raju-kendre-empowering-first-generation-learners/73855/1 |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=शेतकऱ्याच्या लेकाची उत्तुंग भरारी; बुलडाण्याचा राजू केंद्रे झळकला फोर्ब्सच्या यादीत |url=https://maharashtratimes.com/maharashtra/buldana/farmers-son-raju-kendre-on-forbes-2022-list/articleshow/89425240.cms |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Maharashtra Times |language=mr}}</ref>

Raju did his master's in social work from [[Tata Institute of Social Sciences]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-05 |title=Maharashtra Farmer's Son From Buldhana Gets Chevening Scholarship |url=https://www.sakshipost.com/news/national/maharashtra-farmers-son-buldhana-gets-chevening-scholarship-138334 |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Sakshi Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sethu |first=Divya |date=2021-07-13 |title=Farmer's Son Helps 125 Marginalized Students Access Higher Education & Fellowships |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/258545/aju-kendre-help-scholarship-higher-education-fellowship-tribal-students-inspiring/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> Since 2017 he has served as a visiting faculty at Savitri Jotirao College of Social Work in [[Yavatmal]].

Raju was awarded Chevening scholarship by the [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office|Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office]] (FCDO) of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poor farmer’s son wins Chevening scholarship |url=https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2021/7/2/Poor-farmer-s-son-wins-Chevening-scholarship.html |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=www.thehitavada.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre |url=https://www.cede.co.in/inspiration/raju-kendre |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=www.cede.co.in |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-07-03 |title=From Buldhana to UK: ‘Eklavya’ Kendre wins Chevening scholarship |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/from-buldhana-to-uk-eklavya-kendre-wins-chevening-scholarship/articleshow/84079399.cms |access-date=2023-09-25 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-05 |title=Maharashtra Farmer's Son From Buldhana Gets Chevening Scholarship |url=https://www.sakshipost.com/news/national/maharashtra-farmers-son-buldhana-gets-chevening-scholarship-138334 |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Sakshi Post |language=en}}</ref>This scholarship helped him pursue a master's in Development studies at [[SOAS University of London|SOAS University]] of [[London]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK varsities do action-oriented research, don't simply print PhDs: How Raju Kendre bagged the prestigious Chevening Scholarship |url=https://www.edexlive.com/beinspired/2021/jul/26/uk-varsities-dont-simply-print-phds-like-india-raju-kendre-chevening-scholarship-22800.html |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Edex Live |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Farmer s Son on Forbes 2022 List |url=http://www.indiaherald.com/Winners/Read/994474781/Farmers-Son-on-Forbes-List |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=indiaherald.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Eklavya India Foundation ==

Raju founded Eklavya India Foundation, a dynamic organization dedicated to promoting higher education and enabling grassroots leadership. Eklavya serves as a support system, providing [[mentorship]], [[training]], and guidance to first generation learners from historically underrepresented communities of [[Maharashtra]]. This empowers them to pursue education at premier Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) while fostering grassroots leadership in [[Academy|academia]], [[policy]], law, media, and development.<ref>{{Cite web |last=https://www.careers360.com |title=Eklavya’s study abroad initiative will ‘create leaders with empathy’: Raju Kendre |url=https://news.careers360.com/raju-kendre-study-abroad-eklavya-sc-st-scholarship-coaching-interview-law-media-public-policy |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=news.careers360.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Taneja |first=Nidhima |date=2022-09-04 |title=After JNU, IIT, tribal students at Yavatmal’s Eklavya now dream global—Chevening to DAAD |url=https://theprint.in/feature/after-jnu-iit-tribal-students-at-yavatmals-eklavya-now-dream-global-chevening-to-daad/1108551/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Awards and Recognitions ==
*Fellow at [[Royal Society of Arts]] (FRSA).
*TedX Speaker.
*[[Forbes 30 Under 30]] India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre: Empowering First Generation Learners |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/30-under-30-2022/raju-kendre-empowering-first-generation-learners/73855/1 |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Raju Kendre in Forbs 30 Under 30 : उच्च शिक्षणाच्या माध्यमातून तळागाळातील नेतृत्त्व उभं राहावं हा प्रयत्न - चेवनिंग स्कॉलर राजू केंद्रेंसोबत संवाद |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/marathi/maharashtra/state/buldana/chevening-scholar-raju-kendra-interview-from-london-with-etv-bharat/mh20220210080659053 |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=ETV Bharat News |language=mr}}</ref>
*LinkedIn Top Voices in Social Impact.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LinkedIn Top Voices in Social Impact: 15 creators to follow in India |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-top-voices-social-impact-15-creators-follow- |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref>
*India-UK 75 Achievers Award.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohammad |first=Ibrar |date=2023-01-26 |title=From Manmohan Singh to Raghav Chadha: List of 75 Indian Achievers Honoured by UK |url=https://www.thequint.com/what-we-know/uk-honours-75-indian-achievers-on-the-eve-of-republic-day-raghav-chadha-priti-patel |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref>
*Zee Yuva Sanman.

Raju's social enterprise Eklavya is incubated at SOAS London, NSRCEL- IIMB and Nudge Institute, bangalore.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kendre, Raju}}
[[Category:1993 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Maharashtra]]

Raju Kendre - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article