Satyendra Kumar
Bihar
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India
"If I were in charge, I would make sure that all the basic rights for poor people, such as health, education, and livelihoods, are tax-free."
"I draw the red line against growing inequality, discrimination based on caste, class, gender, region, religion, and ethnicity."
"I draw the red line against growing inequality, discrimination based on caste, class, gender, region, religion, and ethnicity."
As a Dalit youth from India, I knew from my childhood that I would have to act against the social structure and discrimination surrounding us. Through school and into higher education, I realised that if I could take action, then many young people could also do it. That is how my activism started.
I focus on fighting for equitable and inclusive rights of socially excluded and other marginalised communities, especially young people.
One of the biggest challenges is trying to bring all the many movements together and build a rainbow coalition against inequality and discrimination.
I am inspired every day by the growing young generation within marginalised communities - they have hope and they believe in change, and they know how to act for it.
Satyendra Kumar is a first-generation development professional from the Dalit community in India and currently leads the FIA India chapter as its National Coordinator.
He is the founding Convenor of the National Youth Equity Forum (NYEF), a national collective of socially excluded young leaders working to nurture first-generation youth as role models by expanding access to higher education and strengthening employability and entrepreneurial skills.
NYEF now includes more than 10,000 young people across multiple states, led by Ambedkar Fellows as core leaders. Satyendra has co-founded several organisations and has served for over 15 years as a board member and strategic consultant to Community-Led Organisations and NGOs.
At FIA India, he is building a coalition of more than 100 CLOs and youth groups to advance FIA’s vision through political education and grassroots campaigns.
Meet The Photographer
Aryan Kumar
Aryan Kumar is a 20-year-old emerging filmmaker and photographer
from Patna, India, pursuing Mass Communication.
An alumnus of the Global Ugrade Exchange Program 2025, organised by the U.S. Department of State, his work centres on gender, caste, and social exclusion, driven by a passion for unveiling untold stories.
He has produced several documentaries and short films for various organisations, including UNICEF India, and actively empowers aspiring filmmakers through workshops with UNICEF to share essential skills and foster creativity.
Notably, he was named one of the 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
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