Raju Kendre
Raju Kendre is a Guest Researcher at CeMIS as part of the German Chancellor Fellowship under the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. At CeMIS, he is working on a comparative study of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Higher Education systems in Germany and India, under the guidance of Prof. Rupa Viswanath. Raju is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit organisation, Eklavya India Foundation. He is a passionate social action researcher, social entrepreneur, educator, and development scientist. Inspired by his own experience of educational inequality and socioeconomic challenges as a member of a nomadic tribe in India, Raju founded Eklavya to address these disparities.
Eklavya India Foundation empowers first-generation university students from historically marginalised communities, including SC, ST, NT-DNT, and OBC, representing over 1 billion people in India. Since 2017, the foundation’s dedicated residential program has supported over 1,500 students in gaining admission to more than 80 top universities in India and globally, securing fellowships, and fostering successful career transitions. These efforts have broken cycles of poverty and nurtured community role models. More information on Eklavya India Foundation's work can be found here
Raju combines academic excellence with practical experience to improve higher education access and leadership development for marginalized communities. His action-based research focuses on issues affecting marginalized communities in DEI within education and development. He has consulted for governments, NGOs, philanthropies, and universities on higher education, marginalised groups, DEI and organisational strategy.
Raju has published over 20 essays and articles in English, Hindi, and Marathi, focusing on education, first-generation students, and marginalised communities. As a columnist for Loksatta (Indian Express Group) and The Print, he advocates for these critical issues.
Raju holds a Master of Science in Development Studies from the University of London, achieved through the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, and a Master’s in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). His work has been featured on global and national platforms, including Forbes 30 Under 30, TEDx, BBC, The Hindu, and others, earning recognition on both national and international stages. Raju aspires to dedicate his life to working toward a more equitable and just India for historically marginalised communities. His ultimate vision is to establish an interdisciplinary university in Central India, focused on empowering marginalised populations and fostering leadership in decision-making spaces across India and the world.
For more information and updates, follow Raju Kendre on his social media here
Wikipedia page