Ramdas Athawale

Ramdas Athawale


Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2016
Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra
In office April 3, 2014 – April 2, 2020
Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur
In office 1999–2009
Preceded by	Sandipan Thorat
Succeeded by	Abolished
Personal details
Born	Ramdas Bandu Athawale (1959-12-25) 25 December 1959 (age 57) Agalgaon, Maharashtra, India
Political party	Republican Party of India (A)
Occupation	Trade unionist, social worker
Religion	Buddhist

Ramdas Bandu Athawale (born 25 December 1959) is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. A Dalit Buddhist, he is the founder–leader of the Republican Party of India (A), an Ambedkarite party. Currently, he is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Narendra Modi government, and represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament. Previously he was the Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur.

Athawale was a full time member of Dalit Panther of India organization which was founded by Namdeo Dhasal and J.V.Pawar, Athawale demanded firearms. for Dalits from Indian Government for self-defense and to resist oppression.

He was member of Maharashtra Legislative Council form 1990 to 1995 and position of Cabinet Minister for Employment Guarantee Scheme and Prohibition Propaganda, Social Welfare and Transport in the Government of Maharashtra.

He represented the Pandharpur constituency of Maharashtra and is the president of the Republican Party of India (Athawale) political party.

He also represented Mumbai North Central in 12th Lok Sabha during 1998-99. He left the Nationalist Congress Party-Indian National Congress alliance in 2011 after having lost the 2009 Lok Sabha election. Athawale led the RPI party, joined the Shivsena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in 2011 and contested Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections together. Athawale lost in the Shirdi (Lok Sabha constituency) election in 2009.