Chaiperson

Ravi Rebbapragada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Ravi Rebbapragada is the Executive Director of Samata, Visakhapatnam. He has more than three decades of engagement with land, tribal rights, law, governance in scheduled areas, forest rights and livelihoods of the tribal population. As Executive Director of Samata he and his team has been successful in winning the Samata Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh case in the Supreme Court in 1997. The landmark judgment of the Supreme Court secured the rights of tribal population over land. He has also been successful in winning many public interest litigations in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on behalf of the tribal population. He was the member of Steering Committee for the Empowerment of Scheduled Tribes for 12th Five Year Plan. He was also member of National Forest Rights (Joint) Committee of MOEF and MOTA in 2010. For formulating the 10th Five Year Plan, Mr. Ravi Rebbapragada was member of the Sub-Committee on Tribal Policy. He received the prestigious Award of Excellence from the Association of Retired Forest Officers of Andhra Pradesh. He has also been recognized as the Young Leader in Community Service and Social Upliftment by IIM Lucknow in 2008. He also received Godfrey Philip Bravery Award under Social Act of Courage in 2011. Mr. Ravi Rebbapragada is also the Editor of Dhimsa, a monthly magazine on tribal Issues across the world. He is the Vice President of Shri Hanumantharaya Educational and Charitable Society, Kurnool and Executive Board Member of SRUTI, New Delhi.