User:Dornadulasundar

                     Dr. D. Sundar Ram
                     Personal details

Born 18 September 1960 (age 52)

               Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

Nationality Indian Spouse(s) Bharathi Sundar Children 2 1 daughter and 1 son Residence Plot No.11, Sri Venkata Sai Nilayam, Thummalagunta,

               SV University Post, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Alma mater Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati Occupation Professor, Researcher and Social Worker Website www.agrasri.org.in

Dr. Dornadula Sundar Ram (born 18 September 1960) is the Founder and Director of the Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI), a registered professional Non-Governmental Organisation, being headquartered at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. He has earlier been the Reader and Head of the PG Department of Public Administration, Sri Subbaraya and Narayana College (Acharya Nagarjuna University), Narasaraopet; UGC Research Associate (Post-Doctoral Fellow) and Doctoral Fellow (Ph.D.) in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

   He is the Secretary-General of the Rajiv Rural Development Foundation (RRDF); Editor of The Grassroots Governance Journal (TGGJ) and Consulting Editor of The American Biographical Institute (ABI). Presently, he is the Chief Organiser of the Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture programme and Convener of the Jury of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi National Awards, being organised by the Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI), in joint Collaboration with the Rajiv Rural Development Foundation.

Contents

   1 Early life
   2 Career
   3 Awards/Honours
   4 Personal life
   5 Publications
   6 References
   

Early life D. Sundar Ram is the son of D. Ramanaiah and D. Krishnaveni. He was born in Tirupati, a world famous Hindu pilgrim centre.

   He attended ZP Primary and Secondary Schools at Thondavada and Chandragiri and obtained B.A. from Sri Venkateswara Arts College, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

He post-graduated in political science from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati and then did B.Ed,Diploma in Public Administration and Ph.D.in Political Science and Public Administration at the Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. He was also did Post-Doctorate in Political Science at the Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, with the Research Associateship of the University Grants Commission of India.

Career

   He served 18 years in the teaching and research assignments at Sri Venkateswara University, and Acharya Nagarjuna University.He resigned from service in 2002 to take up a career in social work with founding the Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India, for delivering the good governance at the grassroots, as envisioned by a visionary of 21st century India Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

   He is a Guest Faculty/Resource Person of several reputed State Institute's of Rural Development and Universities and  Research Institutes across the country. He is also a well-known political analyst and has credited to publish 20 books on panchayati raj, rural development, women empowerment, grassroots planning, federalism, electoral reforms and good governance. He has also published more than 100 research articles, presented 27 papers at the National Seminars/Conferences and 32 talks in All India Radio. 

   He is the Master Trainer for the Capacity Building and Training for the elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions. As Founder of Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India(AGRASRI),he has organised 45 National Conferences/Seminars/Workshops/Colloquiums and Round-Table Meetings on topical themes of contemporary relevance, with the financial assistance of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, National Commission for Women, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Govt. of India. He is also organised Capacity Building and Training Programmes for the 16,000 (274 Batches) elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, in joint collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development (APARD), Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, in the year 2010. 

   His special interests include, grassroots democracy, local governance, women empowerment and capacity building and training.

Awards / Honours:

   D. Sundar Ram name has included in the 2003/2004 Edition of The Contemporary Whos' Who, published by the American Biographical Institute, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. He was a

Member of the high profiled Indo-Pak Delegation on Local Governance, led by Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Hon’ble the then Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Government of India, New Delhi, during 1-4 July, 2007 at Lahore (Pakistan). He was also Member of the Indo-Norway Delegation on Local Governance, led by Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Hon’ble the then Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Government of India, New Delhi, during 29-31 October, 2007 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

Personal life

   He was married on 3 March, 1985 to Bharathi Sundar. They have 2 children (1 daughter and 1 son)who are pursuing the Bachelor of Technology. 

Publications

   D. Sundar Ram has written/edited twenty books:-

1. Role of Opposition Parties in Indian Politics - The Andhra Pradesh Experience, Deep &

  Deep Publications, New Delhi, 1992,316 pages, ISBN : 81-7100-412-1. Foreword by Mr. S. 
  Jaipal Reddi, the then Leader of Opposition, Indian Parliament (Rajya Sabha). New Delhi.

2. Electoral Reforms in India (Co-Editor), Uppal Publishing House, New Delhi, 1992, 284

  pages, ISBN: 8185565-05-8. Foreword by Mr. S.L. Shakdher, Former Chief Election 
  Commissioner of India, New Delhi. This Book was released by Mr. K. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddi, 
  the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, at Hyderabad on 3rd January, 1993.

3. State Politics in India-Reflections on Andhra Pradesh (Co-Editor), M.D. Publications Pvt.

  Ltd., New Delhi, 1994, 358 pages, ISBN: 81-85880-51-4.

4. Indian Democracy - Prospects and Retrospects (Editor), Kanishka Publishers, Distributors,

  New Delhi, 1996, 268 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-106-1.

5. Readings in Indian Parliamentary Opposition (Editor) Vol. 1 & 2, Kanishka Publishers,

  Distributors, New Delhi. 1996, 275 & 401 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-115-9 (Vol.1). 81-7391-116-9 
  VoI.2).

6. Dynamics of District Administration - A New Perspectives: Essays in Honour of Professor K.

  V. Narayana Rao (Editor), Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 1996,  291 pages, 
  ISBN : 81-7391 -138 - X.

7. Parliamentary Institutions in India - Development or Decay (Editor), National Publishing

  House, New Delhi, 1998,350 pages, ISBN: 81- 86803 - 31-9. Foreword by Mr. Rabi Ray, Former 
  Speaker, Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha), New Delhi.

8. Coalition Politics in India - Search for Political Stability (Editor), National Publishing

  House, New Delhi,  1999. ISBN 81  86803-55-6. Foreword by Sri P. Upendra, Former Union 
  Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi.

9. Panchayati Raj Reforms in India: Power to the People at the Grassroots (Editor), Academy

  of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, New 
  Delhi, 2007, 327 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-925-9, Foreword by Shri M.V. Rajasekharan, Hon’ble 
  Union Minister for Planning, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

10.Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi : A Visionary of Modern India (Editor), Academy of Grassroots

  Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 2007, 253 
  pages, ISBN: 81-7391-926-7, Foreword by Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Hon’ble Union Minister 
  for Panchayati Raj and Development of North-East India, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

11.Dynamics of Grassroots Governance in India: Dreams and Realities, 2 Volumes (Editor),

  Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, 
  New Delhi, 2007, 261+314 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-931-3, Foreword by Professor M.S. 
  Swaminathan, Chairman, National Commission on Farmers,Govt. of India, New Delhi.

12.Panchayati Raj and Empowering People: New Agenda for Rural India – Essays in Honour of

  Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar (Editor), Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and 
  Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 2007,  472 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-927-5, 
  Foreword by Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, Former Prime Minister of India, New Delhi.

13.Federal System and Coalition Government in India: Conflicts and Consensus in Centre-State

  Relations (Editor), Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka 
  Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 2007, 342 pages, ISBN: 81-7391-928-3, Foreword by 
  Shri T.N. Chaturvedi, Governor of Karnataka, Bangalore. 

14.Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in 60 Years of Independent India: Vision of the Future

  Editor), Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, 
  Distributors, New Delhi, 2008, 414 pages, ISBN: 81-8457-087-8. 

15.Quest for Political Stability in India: Essays on Governance, Polity and Development,

  Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, 
  New Delhi, 2008, 190 pages, ISBN: 81-8457-090-8.

16.Empowerment of Women in Indian Political Institutions: An Indian Perspective (Editor),

  Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, 
  New Delhi, 2009, ISBN-978-81-8457-161.

17.Grassroots Planning and Local Governance in India: Policy Initiatives and People’s

  Participation in Decentralised Planning (Editor), Academy of Grassroots Studies and 
  Research of India and Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 2010.ISBN: 
  978-81-8457-241-4.  

18.Political Transformation in India : Redesigning for Good Governance, 2 Volumes (Editor),

  Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India and National Publishing House, Jaipur, 
  2010, ISBN: 978-81-8018-096-5, Foreword by Justice Shri M.N. Venkatachaliah, Former Chief 
  Justice of India, New Delhi.

19.Reservations for Women in Rural and Urban Local Bodies in India: Equal Partners in

  Decision-making Process, D. Sundar Ram (Ed.), New Delhi, Kanishka Publishers, Distributors 
  & AGRASRI, 2012. ISBN: 978-81-8457-325-1.

20.Grama Sabha Institution in India: 20 Years Experiences and Experiments as Vital Decision-

  making Body at the Grassroots, D. Sundar Ram (Ed.), New Delhi, Kanishka Publishers, 
  Distributors & AGRASRI, 2013. ISBN: 978-81-8457-436-4.

References 1. Website of Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi (www.iipa.org.in) 2. Website of Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India, Tirupai(www.agrasri.org.in)