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Dr.Jayaprakash
Narayan –Dr
Jayaprakash Narayan is a physician by training, a public servant
by choice, and a democrat by conviction. He joined the Indian
Administrative Service in 1980 in the aftermath of Emergency
and the failure of the Janata Experiment. During his nearly
17 years of distinguished public service in various capacities,
he acquired a formidable reputation in the State of Andhra
Pradesh. Rehabilitation of 8000 youth from displaced families
of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, designing the reconstruction
of drainage and irrigation network in Krishna and Godavari
deltas, strengthening the credit cooperatives and making them
independent of government control, and several major policy
initiatives including empowerment of parents in schools, speedy
justice through rural courts, economic reform and restructuring
of Andhra Pradesh, developing the Infocity in Hyderabad, and
empowerment of local governments and stake holders are among
his outstanding accomplishments in Andhra Pradesh. Among other
things, he served as Secretary to both Governor and Chief
Minister.
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Dr.
Narayan's experience in government fully convinced him that
what India needs today is not merely periodic change of players,
but a fundamental change in the rules of the game. In order
to translate his vision into practical reality, he resigned
from the Indian Administration Service (IAS) in 1996, and
worked with like-minded colleagues for the formation of Lok
Satta.
Lok
Satta emerged as India's leading civil society initiative
and people's movement for wide-ranging governance and political
reforms. The movement is driving the electoral and governance
reform agenda of the country with several notable successes
to its credit. Recently, Lok Satta launched a national platform
called VOTEINDIA in partnership with several organizations
to spearhead the campaign for political reforms. Dr Narayan
is the National Coordinator of LOK SATTA and VOTEINDIA movements.
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| DVVS
Verma has been an active member of the Communist movement
in AP for more than 2 decades and worked at the grass roots
level. After quitting the communist party in the mid 90's, Sri
Varma continued to work in the areas of primary education and
sanitation, two issues that are dear to his heart. Sri Varma
lives in Tanuku, West Godavari district along with his wife
and two children.
Under
the able leadership of Sri Varma, LOK SATTA expanded its reach
into all 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh and currently has
primary units in almost every mandal of the state. The campaign
for candidate disclosures led by Sri Varma culminating with
the "People's Ballot" was hugely successful and
caught the imagination of the people of the state. Sri Varma
is currently LOK SATTA's campaign coordinator for Andhra Pradesh.
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M
Rama Reddy -
has been a life-long worker for the causes of individual liberty,
empowerment of local governments and plural democracy. He
started his career as an elected local government leader,
and acquired insights into our governance process. Eventually,
he founded Samakhya, later re-designated as Cooperative Development
Foundation, to work for creation of an enabling legal environment
for cooperatives in India. CDF has evolved over the years
into Indias preeminent organization in the fields of cooperative
autonomy, legal reform and advocacy, and training and development.
His work convinced him that liberty and autonomy are not
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isolated
concepts, and to preserve them larger democratic reforms in
our governance structure are vital.
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Ashok
Kundalia
- is an entrepreneur imbued with great idealism, combined
with practical wisdom. Influenced by the experience of the
infamous 'Emergency' in the 1970's, he has developed passion
for true democracy and liberty. An active student leader while
in college he brings the fervor and idealism of a student
and the entrepreneurial and pragmatic approach of a businessman
to Lok Satta. His exposure to student activism, people's movement
in 70's, and to government at various levels as an entrepreneur
made him comprehend the rot in our political and governance
process, and led him to work for democratic reforms.
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Mrs.
G Pratibha Rao
- G Pratibha Rao has a master's degree from Madras University
and taught briefly at Maris Stella college, Vijayawada.. She
returned with her family after a 12 years stay in the US.
During her stay, Mrs.Rao was fortunate to observe some of
the good qualities of the American Society. She strongly believes
that we can overcome many of our problems with a spirit of
community involvement, philanthropy and can-do attitude. It
is in this spirit of 'can-do' that she and her husband returned
to India in 1986.
After returning to India in 1986, she was closely involved
in the development of LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad,
a world - class center for eye care and research, and was
responsible for putting in place the administrative infra-
structure for a variety of training programs and the Indian
Journal of Ophthalmology. As a sensitive, accomplished and
creative Indian, Mrs.Pratibha Rao brings the citizen's perspective
to the democratic reform efforts in India. A full time volunteer
dedicated to governance reform goals, Mrs.Rao is directly
responsible for Lok Satta Times, the website, and advocacy
of right to Information and electoral reforms."
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Vinod
Poddar -
An
experienced businessman from a traditional family of entrepreneurs,
Vinod Poddar understands deeply how political processes and
economic enterprises are integrally linked. He is chairman
of the Poddar group of Industries. Widely traveled, he has
rich insights into the conditions of governance and business
in all of the metropolis' of India. He brings a businessman's
perspective to governance issues.
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Venkat
Akkineni
- Venkat Akkineni obtained a masters degree in business administration
in the US. An innovative and successful entrepreneur, Venkat
is the over all in charge of Annapurna Studios, and Heart
Entertainment Ltd., India's first full-fledged animation studio.
A director on the boards of several companies, Venkat is deeply
conscious of the need for good governance to promote excellence
and economic growth. As a member of FDR, he brings passion,
creativity and freshness to governance reforms.
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Justice
A Lakshmana Rao - Former Chief Justice, A.P. &
Allahabad High Courts, distinguished jurist and social activist.
He is the chairman of Lok Satta's Election Watch Committee.
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BPR
Vithal
- A highly refined intellectual, distinguished economist and
outstanding civil servant with a great sense of humor, BPR
Vithal was imbued with the spirit and idealism of freedom
struggle. As a teenager he attended the Quit India session
of the Indian National Congress of Bombay in august 1942,
and was later elected as Vice President of the Madras Students'
Congress in 1944. He served in government with distinction,
and specialized largely in finance, planning and development.
He was the IMF Budget Adviser to the Governments of Sundar
and Malawi. He served as chairman or member of several high
level government committees at the union and state levels.
An expert in Public finance, Union - State finances, local
governments and Federalism, Sri Vithal served as Member, Tenth
Finance Commission. (a Constitutional body), and Deputy Chairman,
AP State Planning Board. An outstanding philosopher, thinker,
administrator and writer, BPR Vithal brings knowledge, maturity
and wisdom to governance reforms advocacy. Vithal is chairman
of Lok Satta's Working group on local governance and empowerment
of stake - holders.
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K.
R. Venugopal
-
An uncompromising, dedicated and compassionate civil servant,
K.R.Venugopal served government with distinction in various
capacities. He was responsible for designing and implementing
the much- acclaimed subsidized rice program in Andhra Pradesh.
He capped his governments with distinction during a turbulent
period. A person committed to social justice and poverty eradication,
he was the UN policy adviser on poverty issues in south Asia,
and has been the Special Rapporteur of National Human Rights
Commission for the four south Indian States. He was the chairman
of the NIRD group on Decentralization of Governance. K.R.Venugopal
brings a high level of energy, competence, commitment, and
moral fervour to governance reforms initiatives. He is the
chief executive of the highly popular and successful Election
Watch movement.
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S.R.Vijayakar
- Suresh Ramarao Vijayakar was a life long professional and
served with the Ahmedabad Electricity company, and later with
the state-owned ECIL including as chairman, and finally capped
his career as Secretary of Departments of Electronics in government
of India. He has been associated with several electronics
and software companies. A devoted social activist, Vijayakar
is a born consensus-builder. He brings energy, single-minded
determination, professionalism, and systems approach to governance
reforms work. He is the convener of Lok Satta's Consumer Organization
for Regulation of Electricity.
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Sri.
Raghavachari - Distinguished Journalist, Editor,
thinker and Reformer, Former writer of Vishalandhra
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Mr.Potturi
Venkateswara Rao - former Editor-Andhra Prabha &
Udayam, former chairman A.P. Press Academy
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