Nagpur, Maharashtra - Raju Kendre, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Eklavya India Foundation, has been honored with the 2024 Echoing Green Fellowship. As one of 44 selected Fellows, Kendre will receive $80,000 in funding and leadership support to advance higher education and leadership opportunities for historically marginalized communities in India.

The Echoing Green Fellowship is a renowned program that supports social innovators working on groundbreaking solutions to global challenges. Since its inception in 1987, Echoing Green has recognized nearly 1,000 leaders and provided them with resources and networks to accelerate their impact. Previous Fellows include prominent figures such as former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, political commentator Van Jones, and the co-founders of the national health movement GirlTrek, T. Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison.

Cheryl L. Dorsey, President of Echoing Green, emphasized the importance of innovative solutions in these challenging times. "From the planet's hottest year yet to ongoing global threats to democracy, to backsliding on hard-fought progress on racial equity — these are challenging times. We need bold solutions now for these and other significant challenges. These new Fellows are meeting this moment with a level of brilliance, care, and passion that gives me renewed hope for our collective future," she said.

The 2024 Echoing Green Fellows were selected through a competitive process that reviewed 2,100 applications. The cohort includes representatives from 21 countries, including the United States, Nigeria, India, Australia, Germany, Colombia, and Kenya. This year's Fellows are addressing a range of issues including racial and economic inequality, healthcare disparities, and inclusive education opportunities. The 2024 class is the final cohort supported by the Racial Equity Philanthropic Fund.

In his statement, Raju Kendre expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting Echoing Green’s alignment with Eklavya India Foundation's mission. "Echoing Green's unique support model will equip us with access to seed funding and meaningful opportunities for networking and partnerships at the global level, which we look forward to leveraging for our work with historically marginalized students. I am very impressed by Echoing Green's racial and caste equity initiatives, which resonate with our mission. I am confident this partnership will greatly benefit our efforts," Kendre remarked.

Since its founding in 2017, the Eklavya India Foundation has focused on enhancing access to higher education through awareness, exposure, mentoring, and coaching. The foundation has conducted over 700 workshops, impacting a quarter million first-generation students. Its residential program has enabled more than 1,700 students to gain admission to over 80 national and international universities and secure fellowships. The foundation's 400 alumni are now engaged in meaningful employment, serving as role models within their communities.