Our Advisory Board
R Venkat Reddy, National Convener, M.V.Foundation
R. Venkat Reddy is a nationally respected child rights activist and the driving force behind the M. V. Foundation’s transformative work across India. With a deep commitment to ending child labour and ensuring every child’s right to education, he has led efforts that have mainstreamed more than one million children into formal schools.
Under his leadership, MVF has grown from a grassroots initiative in three villages of Telangana to a national movement covering more than 10,000 villages across multiple states. His pioneering Area-Based Approach to create Child Labour Free Zones has influenced both national policy and global campaigns, with impact extending to Europe,Africa and beyond.
Mr. Reddy is known for his ability to build community-led movements, work closely with governments, and mentor youth and grassroots leaders. He currently serves as an advisor to the Telangana State Education Commission and continues to advocate for a more inclusive and democratic education system in India.
Dr. Hari Prasad Devarapalli
Dr. Hari Prasad Devarapalli superannuated as a Senior Scientist at Tata Consultancy Services, where his research centers on Business Systems and Cybernetics. His work explores the intersection of systems thinking and enterprise technology, with published contributions to INCOSE and IEEE journals and conferences. He holds a patent for a novel framework quantifying the business value of technology adoption in IT services — a contribution that bridges the often-elusive gap between technical innovation and measurable organizational impact.
A Senior Member of IEEE, Dr. Devarapalli actively contributes to the professional community through his role on the Conference Committee of the IEEE Hyderabad Section, supporting the planning and execution of technical events that advance engineering and systems knowledge in the region.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Devarapalli is deeply committed to social impact through education. He is the Founding Chairperson of the DVSM Charitable Trust, an organization dedicated to educational enrichment for school students in rural Andhra Pradesh, India — reflecting his belief that access to quality learning opportunities should not be limited by geography or circumstance.
Prof. Ramesh Thatikonda, Former Vice Chanceller of Kakatiya University
Prof. Ramesh Thatikonda is a distinguished academician, researcher, columnist and
administrator in the field of Sociology with over three decades of experience in teaching,
research, and university governance. He retired as Senior Professor in Sociology from
Kakatiya University and currently serves as Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social
Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi where he is conducting the research project titled
“Traditional and Biomedical Health Practices among the Adivasi Koya of Telangana: An
Ethnographic Method.” He obtained his M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees from Osmania
University, Hyderabad. His M.Phil. Research focused on the Mandal Agitation, examining its
sociological dimensions and impact on caste dynamics and social justice movements. His
doctoral research (Ph.D.) examined Indigenous Health Practices of the Gonds, offering a
detailed sociological and anthropological analysis of traditional belief systems, superstitions,
and their interface with modern medicine.
Prof. Ramesh served as the Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University, Telangana from
2021 to 2024, during which the university achieved significant academic and institutional
milestones. Under his leadership, the university secured the NAAC „A+‟ Grade with a CGPA
of 3.27 for the first time in its history. The institution received the prestigious NSS National
Level Award from the Hon‟ble President of India and the Red Cross Seva Award from the
Hon‟ble Governor of Telangana. He successfully organized the prestigious 82nd Indian
History Congress and strengthened academic collaborations through 33 national and
international MoUs. During his tenure, Kakatiya University achieved the first position in
Telangana under the Green Metric Ranking. He also established the P.V. Narasimha Rao
Knowledge Center and K-Hub with RUSA 2.0 funding and initiated collaboration with the
Wales Group of Universities. Hoisted International Women‟s Day celebrations organized by
Government of Telangana.
Prior to becoming Vice-Chancellor, he held several key administrative positions
including Dean (Academic Audit), Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work,
Vice-Principal and In-Charge Principal of the University Arts & Science College,
Coordinator of the Department of Social Work, and Coordinator of the NAAC Facilitation
Team. He also served as Programme Officer of NSS at UPGC Nirmal and was the FounderConvener of the Prof. Haimendorf Adivasi Museum.
Prof. Ramesh has also held important statutory academic positions. He served as
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and In-Charge Dean, Faculty of Law at Kakatiya
University. He additionally served as Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at Satavahana
University. He chaired the Board of Studies in Sociology & Social Work, Gender Studies,
and Psychology, Kakatiya University.
An accomplished research supervisor, he has guided 15 Ph.D. scholars to completion
and is currently supervising four doctoral candidates. He has also guided two M.Phil.
Scholars. His major areas of research include Anthropological Studies, Marginalized
Communities, Women Studies, and Urban Studies.
Prof. Ramesh has organized several National and International seminars and
conferences sponsored by UGC, ICSSR, APCOST, DST, and TSCHE. These include national
seminars on Jotirao Phule, Genetically Modified Crops and Food Security, Social Justice and
Weaker Sections, and an international conference on Higher Education in India. He has
presented research papers in international conferences in the USA and the UK and has
participated in nearly 60 national seminars and conferences.
Internationally, he presented a paper titled “Superstitions Vis-à-vis Modern Medicine
– A Study of Health Practices of Gonds” at an International Conference held at Harvard
Medical School, Harvard Campus, Boston, USA. He also chaired a session in that
conference. He also presented a paper on leadership and empowerment at the AWI Leaders
2015 Forum in Washington DC, USA, where he was awarded Best Paper. In June 2023, he
participated in the Green Features and Indigeneity Workshop at the University of Wales
Trinity Saint David, UK.
Prof. Ramesh has published more than 50 research articles in reputed national and
international journals. His scholarly works have appeared in journals such as The
Sociologist; The Indian Journal of Social Work, TISS; Atti della Fondazione Giorgio Ronchi
(Italy); International Journal of Research in Health Services; Journal of Humanities and
Social Science; International Journal of Health Sciences and Research; EXCEL International
Journal of Multidisciplinary Management Studies and etc. His publications address themes
such as employment trends, drug abuse prevention, food security, agricultural forecasting
using SARIMA models, street children, adolescent stress, and reservation movements in
Andhra Pradesh and etc. He also regularly writes articles on contemporary social issues for
various News Papers.
He has completed research projects including a UGC-sponsored study on the Mandal
Agitation in Andhra Pradesh and a TSCOST-sponsored project on Technology Enabled
Irrigation Water Management Systems (TEIWMS).
He has authored and edited several significant books in English and Telugu. His
major works include Mahadarshaneekudu Phule, Mahatma Jyothibha Phule: Dialectical
Philosophy and Social Revolutionism, Sociology of a Conflict: Reservation Agitation in
Andhra Pradesh, Social Development: Issues and Concerns, Social Problems in India, and
Hegemony of Dominant Caste Politics in Andhra Pradesh. His forthcoming book focuses on
the socio-economic and cultural background of Gonds in Telangana State. He has also
prepared study material for Open and Distance Learning institutions and served as Chairman
of the Editorial Board of the Kakatiya University Journal of Social Sciences (KUJOSS).
Beyond academia, Prof. Ramesh is actively associated with several professional
bodies. He is a Life Member of the Indian Sociological Society, Andhra Pradesh Sociological
Society, Indian Institute of Public Administration, Indian History Congress, A.P. History
Congress, and the Indian Distance Education Association. He serves as Executive Member of
the Mahatma Jotirao Phule Academy of Backward Castes Development and Empowerment
(ABCDE), Advisor to Child Line 1098, Mulugu, and Honorary Director of Sakhi One Stop
Center, Mulugu.
Prof. Ramesh Thatikonda‟s career reflects a rare combination of academic excellence,
research scholarship, institutional leadership, and commitment to social justice and
marginalized communities. His contributions to higher education administration and
sociological research have significantly enriched the academic landscape of Telangana and
beyond.
Dr Mohd. Akbar Ali Khan, Former Vice-Chancellor, Telangana University
Dr Mohd. Akbar Ali Khan is an eminent scholar and made significant contributions in the field of education in the State of Telangana. He is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion. A Ph.D. fellowship was awarded to him by ICSSR, New Delhi. He held several positions:
