Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna is an internationally acclaimed speaker on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Brought up in Mahatma Gandhi Sevagram Ashram in Wardha, Radhakrishna has cultivated a strong ideological connection with Mahatma Gandhi's ideals since childhood. She has established organizations to work for Sarvodaya, Gramswaraj and constructive programs. She has over four decades of experience in social work in different parts of India and dedicated her life to the cause of serving the poor.
She is the Chief Functionary of the ‘Gandhian Forum for Ethical Corporate Governance’ formed under the aegis of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), New Delhi for promoting ethical business practices and organizational integrity in Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) and has given 282 talks in 39 major PSEs for disseminating Gandhian values. She regularly addresses young probationary officers of the Indian Civil Service in the apex training academies of the Government of India.
She has chalked out a novel way of spreading Gandhian ideology by holding ‘Gandhi Katha’ based on the popularity of the Indian oral tradition nationally and internationally. She has presented ‘Gandhi Katha’ at the UpaRashtrapati Niwas, various Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwas, apex cultural institutes, and universities in India from 2018 to 2022. Her Gandhi Katha and lectures on Mahatma Gandhi’s vision and its relevance attempt to provide some principles, ideas, and alternatives to help address the pressing challenges of our times.
As part of the 150th Birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi from 2018 to 2021, she gave 267 Gandhi Katha/lectures in 135 countries organized by respective Indian Mission and facilitated by the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
On the UN International Day of Nonviolence, 2nd October, she has given the keynote addresses at the UN office, Bangkok in 2014; in the Peace Palace, The Hague in 2017; in the King Faisal Centre, Riyadh in 2018; UN office Vienna in 2019; and UN Office Nairobi in 2020, organized by Indian Mission in respective countries. On 2nd October 2021, the Indian Mission in 55 countries and in 2022 the Indian Mission accredited to 114 countries hosted tributes by her on Gandhi Jayanti.
During the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence-Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, she has conducted an ‘Online Certificate Course on Mahatma Gandhi’s Philosophy’ hosted by 80 Indian Missionfor the international participants. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, supported the courses from 2021 to 2022.
She has delivered special homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs Day in 2021 and 2022, the 86 Indian Mission hosted her tribute.To commemorate the 92nd Anniversary of Salt Satyagraha, 94th Anniversary of Bardoli Satyagraha, and 80th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement, the Indian Mission covering90 countries, hosted her talks in 2022. She gave talk on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day 2022, which was hosted by 120 Indian Mission/Post supported by ICCR.
The national and international community hashonoured her with several recognitions and awards. The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, recognized her asan Eminent Citizen from 2010 to 2013. She is the advisor and key resource person for ‘GANDHIPEDIA’, the social media platform of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, implemented by the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur and Gandhinagar,along with the National Council of Science Museum, Kolkata.
She is the trustee of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Memorial Trust,Advisor ofthe National Coalition for Education, India, and the member of the International Association of Studies on the Mediterranean and the East in Rome, Italy.
He started his career as a journalist working for development agencies and national newspapers. He is the Founder Secretary of the ‘Centre for Gandhian Vision and Values’, Ship for World Youth Alumni Association-India, Discover Japan Club in New Delhi and DISHA, national NGOs for complete self-reliance of the underprivileged communities through truthful and non-violent means. His commitment is to help the civil societies realize their entitlements for leading a life of self-respect and to stand up for their rights. He is involved in conducting the lectures in India and abroad on Gandhian ideology for ethical leadership and social responsibility. He has been motivating youth to take part in development through volunteerism. As the founder President of the Indo-Japan Friendship Group, India, and member of Japan Business Forum of FICCI, he is actively promoting Indo-Japan relations, people to people contact and cross-cultural relations for youth development and enhancing international cooperation. He is a member of the ‘Jal Biradari’, a national forum for conservation of water and natural resources.
In November 2022, The Government of Japan officially conferred the decoration of the 'Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays' award to Ravi Chopra in recognition of his contribution to promoting friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and India through people-to-people exchanges.This decorationhas been bestowed by the Japanese government awarded in the name of the Emperor of Japan.
