Avinash Dharmadhikari
Ex-IAS Officer
Founder, Director - Chanakya Mandal Pariwar
In office
2001
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Deputy secretary to the chief minister of Maharashtra
In office
1995–96
Personal details
Born(1959-08-02)2 August 1959
Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
SpousePoorna Dharmadhikari
ChildrenSiddharth Dharmadhikari
Residence(s)Pune, Maharashtra, India
EducationMasters in Economics, Political Science, Sociology, M.Phil.
Alma materUniversity of Pune
Occupationex-IAS officer, Educationist, Social Activist, Journalist, Author

Avinash Dharmadhikari is a former Indian Administrative Services officer.[1] He was a well known social activist and free-lance journalist before joining IAS. After serving on various posts during his administrative career of ten years he resigned from IAS in 1996 for the reason that can be best described in Arun Shourie's words "to be able to serve Indian society better".[2] He was Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the time of his resignation.[3] He is founder and director of Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, working in the field of Career Guidance and Personality Development. He unsuccessfully contested for Lok Sabha as an independent candidate against Suresh Kalmadi.[4] He was Director General of Neharu Yuva Kendra Sangathan in 2001 under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India. As a social activist he has been part of many movements such as farmers' movements and movements against corruption. He was also a part of Team Anna during India against corruption movement.[5] He has authored many books which includes 75 Soneri Pane, Aswastha Dashakachi Diary, Nava Vijaypath, Ek Vijaypath, Swatantra Nagarik, Jinkanara Samaj Ghadawanari Shikshanpadhhati, Aani Aapan Saglech, Ratra Gahirichya Tisarya Prahari(a collection of poems) . Aswastha Dashakachi Diary has been translated into English by Gauri Deshpande titled: Diary of a Decade of Agony.[6][7]

Personal life

Administrative career

In his administrative career he had been known for his efficient, transparent and creative work in Maharashtra. During these ten years he had served on many posts such as – Sub-Divisional officer, Phaltan; Officer on Special Duty for state's Chief Secretary; Director, State Archives, Mumbai; CEO at Ratnagiri and Amaravati zilla parishads; Additional Collector, Pune;[8] Director, Women and Child Welfare Dept, Maharashtra; District Collector, Raigad (Alibag); Deputy Secretary to Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

Current occupation

After resigning from IAS in 1996, he founded Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, a network organization working in the field of Career Guidance, Competitive Exam (Civil Services Examination) Training, Entrepreneurship Building and Personality Development. On 31 December 2014, the 14th Dalai Lama inaugurated a new building of Chanakya Mandal Pariwar and lauded Avinash Dharmadhikari's commitment to serve the nation through youth education.[9]

politics

Dharmadhikari was a Shiv Sena member between March 2009 and April 2011.[10]

After Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav and some other members separated from Anna Hazare to form the Aam Adami political party.In November 2012, Dharmadhikari joined the Team Anna movement against the then UPA-II government and proposed Jan Lokpal Bill[11]

References

  1. Misra, Suresh; Dhaka, Rajvir S.; Sustainable Development Foundation (January 2001). Humanising development: trends in public administration. New Delhi: Sustainable trends in public administration. ISBN 978-81-900975-5-0.
  2. Arun Shourie (1997). Worshipping False Gods: Ambedkar, and the Facts which Have Been Erased. ASA Publications. ISBN 978-81-900199-6-5.
  3. Frontline. S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons. April 1997.
  4. India Today International. Living Media India Ltd. 1998.
  5. Jayram, Rahul (15 December 2012). "Team Anna gets new people. But will their gameplan be a game-changer?". India Today. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  6. Varde, Abhijit (1997). Daughters of Maharashtra: Portraits of Women who are Building Maharastra : Interviews and Photographs. Kalnirnay.
  7. Koppikar, Smriti (31 December 1995). "Review: A. Dharmadhikari's 'Diary of a Decade of Agony'". India Today. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  8. Gadam, S.N., 1994. Total literacy campaign of Pune district (rural): External evaluation report.
  9. "Dalai Lama inaugurates educational charity building in Pune". Tibetan Review. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  10. "Avinash Dharmadhikari quits Shiv Sena". Daily News and Analysis. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  11. Mukherjee, Ashish (12 November 2012). "Team Anna 2.0 announced, will tour country from January 30". NDTV. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
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