Will Dr. RS Praveen Kumar become a changemaker in Telangana politics?

By RAVI HARI, Senior Writer

"Life span has a limit. But your potential to transform has no limit."

"If not you, then who? If not now, then when?"

These mesmerising words at an event by Dr. RS Praveen Kumar, got the IPS officer-turned-educationist, a very well-deserved standing ovation from the audience then. But, this is not the only platform where Dr. RS Praveen Kumar talks about the oppressed castes of the society. He inspires all when he also says the only way to tackle discrimination is by education. When he says he believes that not land, not money, but education alone can change this world, you instantly connect yourself with him.

He has arrived as a beacon of hope to the marginalised people after he had left the honourable police job for community change. His ambition to change the system and see the community as a better place is enormous.

For Dr. RS Praveen Kumar, the target is not making inciteful speeches on caste and religion, but targeting the development of oppressed sections. A visionary constantly making the efforts to bring progress in providing quality education for the marginalised, teaching children to embrace their goals & identities, he works with energy, enthusiasm, and passion to make millions of aspiring children be the best in their lives.

A guiding force behind his payback movement SWAEROES, Dr. RS Praveen Kumar has many achievements to show.

His track record is extraordinary. He is the man behind social welfare government schools flourishing like never before in Telangana. Be it students creating history in NEET by challenging background they came from, students launching their tiny payload SWAEROSAT-1 into the stratosphere with the help of a massive balloon, he is the brain behind everything.

Not only these.

13-year-old student Malavath Poorna becoming the youngest Indian and the youngest female in the world to scale Mount Everest was a towering moment, and most recently when parents assembled in huge numbers at one of the examination centres for the Telangana Gurukul Common Entrance Test (VTGCET) at Mulukulapally in Bhadradri Kothagudem District to join their kids in social welfare institutions, one cherishes the moment most.

Also, one can’t ignore his sincerity when he says “Can’t wait to be the passenger of your first flight, beta” heaping praises on Shravya, who became the first commercial pilot in Telangana.

He was also magnanimous when he congratulated teachers for their hard work and sacrifice after students of TSWREI and TTWREI Societies achieved outstanding results in junior and senior intermediate.

After all of this, he is seen as the man who gives hope to the marginalised children in the Telangana residential schools. Not carrying on hate and divisive propaganda, setting up SWAEROES organisation, RS Praveen Kumar can only give hope to strengthen Bahujan movement in Telangana.

After 19 years of police service and 7 years in education rebuilding, now he has come to politics to pursue his passion for social justice and equality. People really appreciate him when he says identity comes through only by hard work, not by religion or caste. Sooner or later, here is a man who has emerged not as a firebrand leader from Dalits, but as the one who has shown all the commitment.

For the man who has been trying to inculcate the habit of “I shall be the leader wherever I am” in the poor sections, will he be the change for them and the inspirational Bahujan leader? Will Telangana’s marginalized people benefit from him? Time will decide how much secular he will be and how much inclusive?

In the path of Buddha who left luxuries, in the shadow of BR Ambedkar who gave his all to make the world a better place, in the pursuit of Kanshiram's aspiration who strived for a society based on equality, Dr. RS Praveen Kumar has set out for the Bahujana Rajyam.

The leader who leads should be like this, say many. Time itself determines. A day of fighting has come for the visionary man who is working for the oppressed castes. Definitely not on the bed of roses, yet he is determined to change the lives of lakhs of people. The question that arises now – will he emerge as their saviour?

How much of an influence he will be? And, will Dr. RS Praveen Kumar sink KCR’s ship in Telangana 2023 Assembly elections?