Scheduled Caste Federation and the EWS Cell

Basic Profile

Full name

Ramdas Bandu Athawale

Date of birth

25 December 1959

Birthplace

Agalgaon, Sangli district, Maharashtra

Party

Republican Party of India (Athawale)

Profession

Political and social worker, trade unionist, journalist/writer and publisher

Political Journey

Athawale's parliamentary career includes three terms in the Lok Sabha and subsequent service in the Rajya Sabha. He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2014 and was re-elected in 2020; Digital Sansad records his re-election for a third Rajya Sabha term in April 2026.

Earlier, he served as:

• 1990–1996: Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council
• 1990–1995: Cabinet Minister, Government of Maharashtra, handling Social Welfare and Transport-related portfolios
• 1998–2009: Member of the 12th, 13th and 14th Lok Sabha
• 2014 onwards: Member, Rajya Sabha

Union Minister for Social Justice

He has served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment since June 2019 and continues in that role. The ministry's current official directory lists him as Minister of State.

Social Justice

His ministerial responsibilities relate to the broader government framework for social justice, empowerment and welfare of disadvantaged and marginalized sections, including Scheduled Castes, OBCs, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Social & Public Life

His official parliamentary profile describes him not only as a politician but also as a social worker, trade unionist, journalist/writer and publisher. His public career has included work connected with social welfare, labour and representation of disadvantaged communities.

Professional Biography

Shri Ramdas Athawale is a senior Indian political and social leader, President of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), and a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. With a political career spanning several decades, he has served in the Maharashtra Legislature, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and has held ministerial responsibilities at both the state and Union levels. He currently serves as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Government of India. His public life has focused extensively on social justice, empowerment and representation of marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

Leadership & Social Advocacy

Mr. Mallick's public engagement has focused particularly on social justice, constitutional rights, political representation and protection of electoral rights for marginalized communities.

During the 2025 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, he represented the Scheduled Caste Federation before election authorities and called for measures to ensure that vulnerable communities were not excluded from the electoral process because of difficulties in producing documentation.

He highlighted the difficulties faced by communities including Adivasis, Rajbanshi, nomadic Bede communities, sanitation workers and cremation workers, particularly where individuals lacked conventional documentary records.

Advocacy for Electoral & Constitutional Rights

Under his leadership, the SCF raised several concerns relating to the electoral-roll revision process, including:

• Protection of voting rights of marginalized communities
• Assistance for people lacking required documentation
• Consideration of extended family links to older electoral rolls
• Support for displaced communities
• Assistance camps to help citizens obtain necessary documents
• Consideration of married women whose surnames may differ from older electoral records

These interventions demonstrate a focus on access to democratic participation and protection of constitutional rights.

National Leadership

As National President of the Scheduled Caste Federation, Mr. Mallick's role involves providing leadership to an organisation working around the social and economic advancement of Scheduled Caste and other disadvantaged communities.

The federation's stated objectives include improving the social and economic conditions of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities through development, training, livelihood opportunities and organisational support.

Leadership Focus

Social Justice | Constitutional Rights | Community Empowerment | Political Representation | Electoral Rights | Welfare | Inclusive Development

Mahaparinirvan Diwas & Ambedkarite Values

Mr. Mallick and representatives of the SCF raised these concerns on 6 December 2025, Mahaparinirvan Diwas, linking their advocacy to the broader objective of protecting the rights and dignity of marginalised communities.

Political Journey

Grassroots Beginnings — Congress Chhatra Parishad

Mr. Chandra began his public and political journey at the grassroots level through the Congress Chhatra Parishad, engaging with students and young people and participating in community outreach and initiatives addressing local public concerns.

• 2008–2010 | President, Youth Congress, Ward 70: Mr. Chandra was actively involved in youth mobilization, organizational development, grassroots engagement and community outreach. His work focused on connecting with young people and addressing issues concerning local communities.
• 2010–2011 | Treasurer, South Kolkata Youth Congress District Committee: He undertook district-level organizational responsibilities and contributed to youth programmes, community initiatives and organizational activities.
• 2011–2013 | General Secretary, State Youth Congress: Mr. Chandra assumed broader organizational responsibilities, participating in state-level youth engagement, social initiatives, public outreach and organizational programmes.

His political experience at ward, district and state levels provided him with a strong understanding of grassroots organization and community engagement. The uploaded CV confirms these organizational positions and periods.

Social Service & Community Engagement

Beyond political organization, social service has remained a significant part of Mithun Chandra's public life. For approximately 15 years, he has been associated with Kolkata Priyadarshini, serving as its President and participating in social and community-oriented activities.

Through this involvement, he has maintained a direct connection with grassroots communities and initiatives related to public welfare, support for underprivileged and disadvantaged sections, youth engagement, community development and social assistance.

His long-standing engagement in social service has strengthened his understanding of community-level challenges and enabled him to work closely with people from diverse backgrounds. This combination of political experience and social-service involvement forms an important foundation of his leadership approach.

Family Legacy of Social Service

Mithun Chandra traces his family lineage to Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, popularly known as “Thakkar Bapa”, the renowned Gandhian social reformer and dedicated social worker. Thakkar Bapa was associated with the welfare and upliftment of tribal communities, underprivileged people and disadvantaged sections of society.

This family heritage of service and social responsibility has been an enduring source of inspiration for Mr. Chandra's commitment to public welfare, community development and service to society.

Present National Role

National President — EWS, SCF

Appointed: 29 September 2026

On 29 September 2026, Mr. Mithun Chandra was appointed National President of EWS (Economically Weaker Sections), the EWS wing of the Scheduled Caste Federation (SCF).

In this national-level role, he is associated with initiatives focused on awareness, community outreach, representation, education, access to opportunities, welfare measures and inclusive social development. His new responsibility brings together the experience he has accumulated through grassroots politics, organizational leadership, social service and community engagement.

As National President, his focus is on strengthening organizational outreach, creating greater awareness of EWS-related opportunities and concerns, engaging with communities across regions, and promoting inclusive participation.

Leadership & Public Service

Mithun Chandra's public journey reflects a progression through several interconnected dimensions of leadership:

Grassroots Politics → Youth Leadership → District & State Organization → Social Service → Community Engagement → National Leadership

From his early involvement in youth politics and organizational responsibilities to his long-standing association with social service, his public life has remained connected with community interaction and public-oriented initiatives.

His appointment as National President of the EWS wing of SCF on 29 September 2026 represents the latest chapter in this journey and places his accumulated political, organizational and social-service experience on a broader national platform.

Leadership Vision

“The legacy of service gives me inspiration; the experience of grassroots politics gives me understanding; and the future gives me an opportunity to serve.” — Mithun Chandra

Core Values

Public Service | Grassroots Connect | Social Justice | Youth Empowerment | Organizational Leadership | Constitutional Integrity | Community Development