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New Delhi: Rama Shankar Pandey has been selected as one of the five inaugural Social Defence Fellows under the Indian Administrative Fellowship (IAF) program. Poised to serve the country, Pandey has quit Tata Green Batteries as CEO.
IAF program launched through a public-private partnership (PPP) between the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) and The/Nudge Institute, strives to empower marginalized communities.
Pandey’s selection comes after a selection process that saw over 840 applicants contending for the fellowship positions.
As a Social Defence Fellow designate, Pandey is poised to make a transition from the automotive and auto component industry to the social sector—a first of its kind move. Alongside four other professionals, Pandey will dedicate 18 months of national service to working on projects of national importance under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
The Social Defence Fellowship aims to leverage the expertise of senior private sector professionals alongside senior civil servants to address challenges faced by marginalized communities. Each fellow, with an average experience of over 25 years, will collaborate closely with government officials, identifying challenges, and devising strategies to empower vulnerable sections of society.
The fellowship stipend, set at INR 1 lakh, underscores the commitment of the selected fellows to serve full-time at the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in New Delhi. Their work will focus on priority areas such as fostering entrepreneurship, enhancing access to welfare schemes, and promoting educational empowerment initiatives among specified groups.
In a press release from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, the initiative was hailed as a significant step toward championing social justice and empowerment. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and positive change through partnerships, the Ministry aims to create a future where every citizen, regardless of background, can realize their full potential and lead a life of dignity and fulfillment.
Rama Shankar Pandey comes with 26 years of entrepreneurial and business turnaround experience in the auto component industry, both in B2B/OEM and B2C/Aftermarket.
He has held the leadership position at Tata Green Batteries as CEO since January 2023, he worked with Hella for more than 16 Years, after his tenure at another German MNC, Bosch India, and The Timken Company, an American MNC.
His current work at Tata Green Batteries has been majorly to establish the brand as a credible choice among heavily consolidated markets with 2 large players in lead Acid Battery Industry for Automotive, Home and Industrial application.
