# Sandeep Pandey

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Indian activist

Sandeep Pandey Dr. Pandey at his residence in Lucknow in 2019 Born (1965-07-22) 22 July 1965 (age 60) Alma mater Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (now Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi), Syracuse University, University of California, Berkeley Occupation Social Activist Known for Asha for Education and NAPM and PUCL Political party Socialist Party (India) Awards Ramon Magsaysay award, 2002

Dr. Pandey in his chamber in the Chemical Engineering department, IIT (BHU), Varanasi before his expulsion.

At the launch event of his book "Mujhe Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya Se Kyun Nikala Gaya" at Lucknow on April 22, 2019.

**Sandeep Pandey** (born 22 July 1965) is an Indian social activist and the present General Secretary of the [Socialist Party (India)](/source/Socialist_Party_(India)%2C_2011).[1] He co-founded [Asha for Education](/source/Asha_for_Education) with Dr. Deepak Gupta (presently Professor at [IIT Kanpur](/source/IIT_Kanpur)) and V.J.P Srivastava while working on his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the [University of California, Berkeley](/source/University_of_California%2C_Berkeley).[2] He has taught as a visiting professor at [Indian Institute of Management Bangalore](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Management_Bangalore), [Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Management_Ahmedabad), [Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Gandhinagar), [NALSAR University of Law](/source/NALSAR_University_of_Law) and [Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_(BHU)_Varanasi).

## Early life

Pandey is an alumnus of the Institute of Technology, [Banaras Hindu University](/source/Banaras_Hindu_University) (now [Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_(BHU)_Varanasi)). Thereafter he did his Master's in manufacturing and computer science from [Syracuse University](/source/Syracuse_University), followed by a doctorate in control theory at the [University of California, Berkeley](/source/University_of_California%2C_Berkeley), which he completed in 1992.[2]

## Career

After completing his education, he moved back to India and started teaching at the [Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Kanpur) in 1992 and later founded a registered organisation named Asha Trust which currently has several centres/chapters across India. His team has launched a people's group named Asha Parivar in 2008 that focuses on strengthening democracy at the [grassroots](/source/Grassroots) in [Hardoi district](/source/Hardoi_district) of [Uttar Pradesh](/source/Uttar_Pradesh).[2]

Pandey's work at Asha Parivar is focused on [Right to Information](/source/Right_to_Information) and other forms of citizen participation in removing corruption and improving the efficiency of governance.[3] He leads the [National Alliance of People's Movements](/source/National_Alliance_of_People's_Movements) (NAPM), the largest network of grassroots people's movements in India.[4]

He was awarded the [Ramon Magsaysay Award](/source/Ramon_Magsaysay_Award) (often termed the 'Asian Nobel prize') in 2002 for the emergent leadership category.[5] Pandey led an [Indo-Pakistan](/source/Indo-Pakistani_relations) peace march from New Delhi to Multan in 2005.

He has served as an adviser to the Indian government's Central Advisory Board for Education (CABE). His idea of education is based on empowerment by imbibing the spirit of co-operation instead of competition.

Sandeep Pandey's contract as a visiting faculty in the Chemical Engineering department at Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi was prematurely terminated in January, 2016.[6]

Statement issued by Sandeep Pandey after being sacked from IIT-BHU

"My contract at IIT, BHU Varanasi as a visiting faculty has prematurely ended after teaching there for 2.5 years due to a decision of Board of Governors. In a recent Board meeting the Vice Chancellor of BHU, who was made the Chairman of IIT BoG by Minister of HRD, GoI, bypassing the panel of five names recommended by a resolution of BoG, Prof. G.C. Tripathi, and Dean of Faculty Affairs, IIT, BHU, Prof. Dhananjay Pandey, both gentlemen associated with RSS, primarily forced the decision. The charges against me are that I'm a naxalite, showed a banned documentary on Nirbhaya case and am involved in anti-national activities.

I wish to clarify that I'm not a naxalite. The ideology that I would consider myself closest to is Gandhian. But I do identify with the causes taken up by naxalites even though I may not agree with their methods. I also think that it requires a lot of courage and sacrifice to be a naxalite and I certainly don't have that kind of resolve. The banned documentary on Nirbhaya made by BBC was to be screened in my Development Studies class during the even semester of academic year 2014-15 but the decision was withdrawn after intervention of Chief Proctor of BHU and S.O. of Lanka Police Station just before the class. However, a discussion on the issue of violence against women in our society was conducted after screening a different documentary.

I don't believe in the idea of a nation or national boundaries, which I think are responsible for artificial divisions among human beings similar to ones on the basis of caste or religion. Hence I cannot be anti or pro-nation. I am pro-people. I'm not a nationalist but am a universalist."

— Sandeep Pandey, [7]

Later in April 2016, the [Allahabad High Court](/source/Allahabad_High_Court) quashed the decision citing the violation of principal of natural justice.[8]

In April, 2019 he launched his book titled "Mujhe Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya Se Kyun Nikala Gaya" at New Delhi, Lucknow and Varanasi. This book throws light on the work he did during his stint as professor at IIT (BHU), the reasons and events leading to his expulsion and the elaborate Allahabad High Court judgement clearing him of all the false accusations resulting in his expulsion.

## Controversies

In 2002, he attended the opening session of a conference organised by the Communist Party of India, Marxist Leninist Liberation, (CPI-MLL). Several prominent social activists, environmentalists, and writers-turned-activists like Mahashweta Devi, Arundhati Roy, Sandeep Pandey, Rajinder Sachar, Praful Bidwai, and Anand Patwardhan attended only the opening session of the six-day congress. Sandeep Pandey and other social activists did not attend the closing session in which the kin of about 1000 Naxalites who were killed in police action in Bihar were reportedly honoured.[9]

Upon receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award, he returned the cash portion of the award on being challenged to do so by a Philippine newspaper for his earlier remarks describing America as "the biggest terrorist state in the world." Pandey later clarified that he had never meant to criticise the people of the United States but its government.[10]

In 2010, he visited [Dantewada district](/source/Dantewada_district) in Chhattisgarh for a Jan Sunvayi (people's hearing) on atrocities by the local government. His visit was seemingly opposed by some members of local tribal community, where some local tribals were shown to be protesting against him and his team.[11] It was said by Medha Patkar, that the protest was "stage managed" by the district administration officials themselves and the government was rousing the locals rural folk against the civil rights workers.[12] Patkar also added that their team is not in favour of government responding to the violence perpetrated by [Maoists](/source/Maoists) by further violence by the state. She referred to Salwa Judum as an example of excesses by the state.

## Personal life

Sandeep is the eldest of the three children of Sri U S Pandey who was an engineer in Railways and retired as member Railway Board. His younger brother Rahul who is an [IIT Kanpur](/source/IIT_Kanpur) and [IIM Ahmedabad](/source/IIM_Ahmedabad) alumnus lives in Bengaluru. His sister Priyanka lives in USA.

Pandey lives in Indira Nagar, [Lucknow](/source/Lucknow), Uttar Pradesh. He is married to Arundhati Dhuru and has two children,Anandi Pandey and Chaitanya Pandey. He is a vegan and thus resents the consumption of milk and other dairy products.

## See also

- [Right to Information Act](/source/Right_to_Information_Act)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Through green-tinted glasses - Hindustan Times"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110606142649/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Through-green-tinted-glasses/Article1-546326.aspx). Archived from [the original](http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Through-green-tinted-glasses/Article1-546326.aspx) on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mag_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mag_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-mag_2-2) ["Sandeep Pandey Biography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034557/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Biography/pdfbio/PandeySan.pdf) (PDF). [Magsaysay Award](/source/Magsaysay_Award) website. 2002. Archived from [the original](http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Biography/pdfbio/PandeySan.pdf) (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ['The Wages of Protest'](https://web.archive.org/web/20090412030307/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2009/04/05/stories/2009040550170500.htm) by Arundhati Dhuru and Sandeep Pandey

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ['Environment Justice'](https://books.google.com/books?id=9XqJ3RxhlQ8C) by John Byrne, Leigh Glover, Cecilia Martinez

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [The 2002 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership](http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationPandeySan.htm) CITATION for Sandeep Pandey

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["contacts with the guerrillas Magsaysay Awardee Sandeep erase in BHU"](https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/lucknow-city-13406797.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["IIT-BHU boots out 'Naxal' Magsaysay winner as lecturer - Times of India"](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IIT-BHU-boots-out-Naxal-Magsaysay-winner-as-lecturer/articleshow/50476348.cms). *[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)*. 7 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Press Trust of India](/source/Press_Trust_of_India) (24 April 2016). ["Order sacking Pandey from IIT-BHU quashed"](http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Order-sacking-Pandey-from-IIT-BHU-quashed/article14253686.ece). *[The Hindu](/source/The_Hindu)*. Retrieved 26 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["CPI-ML faction to honour kin of 1000 Naxalites"](http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/15naxal.htm). *rediff.com*. 15 November 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Asia's Nobels unfazed by controversy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20020917101615/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/DI13Ae02.html). atimes.com. 13 September 2002. Archived from the original on 17 September 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Dantewada tribals attack Medha Patkar - Times of India"](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dantewada-tribals-attack-Medha-Patkar/articleshow/5418415.cms). *[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130419042851/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-07/india/28114789_1_naxal-hit-areas-narmada-bachao-andolan-tribals) from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Dantewada tribals throw eggs at Medha Patkar, Watch Videos Online - Times of India Videos"](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videoshow/5420811.cms). *[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)*.

## External links

- [Detailed Bio of Sandeep Pandey](http://www.ashanet.org/pandey/visit2005/bio.html)

v t e Ramon Magsaysay Award winners of India Amitabha Chowdhury Anshu Gupta Aruna Roy Arun Shourie Arvind Kejriwal Baba Amte Banoo Jehangir Coyaji Bezwada Wilson Bharat Vatwani B. G. Verghese Chandi Prasad Bhatt C. D. Deshmukh Dara Nusserwanji Khurody Deep Joshi Ela Bhatt Gour Kishore Ghosh Harish Hande Jockin Arputham James Michael Lyngdoh Jayaprakash Narayan Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Kiran Bedi Kulandei Francis K. V. Subbanna Lakshmi Chand Jain Laxminarayan Ramdas Mabelle Arole Mahasweta Devi Mahesh Chandra Mehta Manibhai Desai Mandakini Amte Mother Teresa M. S. Subbulakshmi M. S. Swaminathan Nileema Mishra Palagummi Sainath Pandurang Shastri Athavale Prakash Amte P. K. Sethi Rajendra Singh Ravi Shankar Ravish Kumar R. K. Laxman Rajanikant Arole Sanjiv Chaturvedi Satyajit Ray Sombhu Mitra Sandeep Pandey Shantha Sinha Sonam Wangchuk T. M. Krishna T. N. Seshan Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel V. Shanta Verghese Kurien Vinoba Bhave List of Ramon Magsaysay Award winners

v t e Ramon Magsaysay Award recipients Government Service (1958–2008) Cambodia Ek Sonn Chan China Yuan Longping India C.D. Deshmukh J. M. Lyngdoh Indonesia Raden Kodijat Ali Sadikin Japan Morihiko Hiramatsu Hiroshi Kuroki Yukiharu Miki Laos Keo Viphakone Malaysia Mohamed Suffian Mohamed Hashim B. C. Shekhar Pakistan Akhtar Hameed Khan Ibn Abdur Rehman Philippines Jose Vasquez Aguilar Francisca Reyes-Aquino Hilario Davide Jr. Grace Padaca Jesse Robredo Jovito R. Salonga Miriam Defensor Santiago Haydee Yorac Singapore Goh Keng Swee Thailand Anand Panyarachun Chamlong Srimuang Jon Ungphakorn Phon Sangsingkeo Prawase Wasi Puey Ungpakorn Taiwan Shih-chu Hsu Li Kwoh-ting Jiang Menglin Public Service (1958–2008) Burma Tee Tee Luce Ceylon Mary H. Rutnam China Gao Yaojie Jiang Yanyong Liang Congjie Wu Qing India Baba Amte Banoo Jehangir Coyaji Manibhai Desai Jayaprakash Narayan V. Shanta Indonesia H.B. Jassin Teten Masduki Pakistan Ruth Pfau Philippines Pedro Orata Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) South Korea Kim Sun-tae Park Won-soon Spain based in Philippines Joaquin Villalonga Thailand Fua Hariphitak Mechai Viravaidya Nilawan Pintong Phra Parnchand Prateep Ungsongtham Hata Sirindhorn Sithiporn Kridakara Sophon Suphapong Therdchai Jivacate Thongbai Thongpao Community Leadership (1958–2008) Bangladesh Tahrunessa Abdullah Fazle Hasan Abed Muhammad Yunus Zafrullah Chowdhury Mohammed Yeasin Angela Gomes Burma Cynthia Maung India Mandakini Amte & Prakash Amte Mabelle Arole & Rajanikant Arole Pandurang Shastri Athavale Chandi Prasad Bhatt Ela Bhatt Vinoba Bhave Aruna Roy Shantha Sinha Rajendra Singh Japan Ichikawa Fusae Laos Sombath Somphone Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Nepal Mahabir Pun Philippines Eva Maamo Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Antonio Meloto Thailand Aree Valyasevi Krasae Chanawongse Prayong Ronnarong Tibet 14th Dalai Lama Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts (1958–2008) Bangladesh Matiur Rahman Abdullah Abu Sayeed Burma Edward Michael Law-Yone Ceylon or Sri Lanka Wannakuwatta Amaradeva Tarzie Vittachi India Mahasweta Devi Palagummi Sainath Amitabha Chowdhury Indonesia Atmakusumah Astraatmadja Mochtar Lubis Japan Akira Kurosawa Yasuji Hanamori Michiko Ishimure Akio Ishii Nepal Bharat Koirala Philippines Zacarias Sarian F. Sionil José Lino Brocka Radio Veritas James Reuter Bienvenido Lumbera Nick Joaquin Raul Locsin Eugenia Duran Apostol Sheila Coronel Thailand Prayoon Chanyavongs Great Britain based in Philippines Robert McCulloch Dick Peace and International Understanding (1958–2008) China Tang Xiyang India Mother Teresa Jockin Arputham Laxminarayan Ramdas Indonesia Ahmad Syafi'i Maarif Japan Ikuo Hirayama Tetsu Nakamura Saburo Okita Seiei Toyama Nepal Sanduk Ruit Pakistan Ibn Abdur Rehman Philippines Operation Brotherhood Summer Institute of Linguistics William Masterson Harold Ray Watson International Institute of Rural Reconstruction Press Foundation of Asia Asian Institute of Management Corazon Aquino South Korea Pomnyun Sunim Thailand Asian Institute of Technology The Royal Project United States based in Thailand Genevieve Caulfield Emergent Leadership (2001–) Burma Ka Hsaw Wa China Chen Guangcheng Cambodia Oung Chanthol India Sanjiv Chaturvedi Arvind Kejriwal Nileema Mishra Sandeep Pandey Indonesia Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto Dita Indah Sari Philippines Benjamin Abadiano South Korea Yoon Hye-ran Sri Lanka Ananda Galappatti Timor-Leste Aniceto Guterres Lopes United States based in Hong Kong Chung To Uncategorized (2009–) Bangladesh Syeda Rizwana Hasan A.H.M. Noman Khan Cambodia Yang Saing Koma Koul Panha China Fu Qiping Huo Daishan Ma Jun Pan Yue Yu Xiaogang India Kulandei Francis Harish Hande Deep Joshi Indonesia Hasanain Juaini Tri Mumpuni Japan Tadatoshi Akiba Philippines Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI) Christopher Bernido Maria Victoria Carpio-Bernido Romulo Davide Antonio Oposa Jr. Taiwan Chen Shu-chu Thailand Krisana Kraisintu

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sandeep Pandey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandeep_Pandey) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandeep_Pandey?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.