Ritesh Pandey
Ritesh Pandey is an Indian politician and philanthropist. He served as a Member of Parliament representing the 2.4 million people of Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh in the 17th Lok Sabha. As of 2024, Ritesh is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Ritesh served as the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Jalalpur, Uttar Pradesh, between 2017 and 2019 from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Ritesh was a part of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for almost fifteen years spanning from 2009-2024. His vocal critique of national and state policy, as well as his commitment to representing the voice of the marginalised population, earned him the distinction of Lok Sabha Leader of the BSP in the Lok Sabha. Ritesh is committed to fighting for caste and gender equality and climate change, and believes that social justice is climate justice.
Mission
To pursue happiness and prosperity for people through a life of public service.
Vision
Ritesh’s vision for Ambedkar Nagar can be summarised as ‘to ensure a life of dignity for the people of Ambedkar Nagar’:
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A community that lives in prosperity with a vibrant, dynamic and growing economic and cultural value.
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A community with access to a high quality of life by the pursuit of education, solid jobs, woman empowerment and health-care services.
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A community that is environmentally conscious.
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A community that thrives materially and takes pride in its cultural heritage.
Career
Ritesh served as the Chairman of the Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of the House, and a member of the following parliamentary committees:
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Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019
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Standing Committee on External Affairs
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Consultative Committee on Power and New & Renewable Energy
Ritesh’s career spanned many fields – prior to stepping into politics, he ran a successful art firm connecting contemporary Indian art to European audiences. He also founded Takshila Academy, a premier K-12 educational institute in Ambedkar Nagar, as well as the Awadh Mutineers Football Club, where students from below poverty line families were given a transformative opportunity to play competitive football and study on a 100% scholarship at Takshila Academy.
Videos
These are some of the videos that feature Ritesh Pandey's initiatives and his work in the Parliament.
For more videos, please check the YouTube channel.
Initiatives
Education
Takshila Academy is a CBSE-certified English-medium school offering quality K-12 education in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Takshila was founded in 2011 with the aim of empowering students to be their best selves through academics, arts, sports, and moral values. At present, 1226 students study at Takshila, many of whom are fully sponsored by the school. In the future, the school aims to increase the number of students it can sponsor.
Awadh Mutineers Sports Club is a philanthropic initiative to scout talented players from marginalised backgrounds and provide them with full support in developing their talents. Each student is enrolled on a 100% scholarship at Takshila Academy, given sports training from the best practitioners in the field, and provided with nutrition training and education.
Climate Change
The Sansad Clean Air Green Air Marathon
To fulfill his mission to address the issue of Climate change, Ritesh started the Clean Air Green Air Marathons. Ritesh’s mission was to raise awareness on the environmental and health hazards of crop burning, and the alternative uses of stubble in industries such as packaging, textile, and paper.
At the end of every year, Ritesh and his team hold a series of marathon races across 5 regions of Ambedkar Nagar, drawing out around 5000 young men and women, ranging from age 5 to 21. These marathons stayed as a significant part of Ritesh’s tenure as an MP.
The awards for the three fastest boys and girls were selected to promote the green mission of the initiative and included an electric bike, a solar inverter, a multi-gear bike, and two bicycles. The initiative’s successful reach among the youth of the region led him to declare the SCAGA Marathon as an annual event in Ambedkar Nagar.
Equal Opportunity
The Sansad Youth Mela (SYM) aims to empower Ambedkar Nagar’s young job and degree seekers with the tools to make informed decisions about their future. SYM 2020 hopes to bring together under one roof data-driven career counselling services, rural youth, and successful professionals pursuing alternative fields. We want to not only expose rural youth to new and alternative career tracks, but also empower them with accurate and up-to-date information on traditional career tracks such as medicine, civil services, teaching, and law. SYM 2020 will be held over 5 days in April in the 5 different regions of Ambedkar Nagar – namely Akbarpur, Gosaiganj, Jalalpur, Katehri, and Tanda. For collaborations, please contact us.
Frequently asked questions
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