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{{Short description|Indian politician and social activist(born 1987)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chandrashekhar Azad
| image = Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan (cropped).jpg
| caption = Azad in 2021
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|December|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Chhutmalpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| title =
| term =
| party = [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)]]
| children = 1
| parents = Govardhan Das (father) Kamlesh Devi (mother)
| spouse = {{marriage|Vandna Azad|2020}}
| alma_mater = [[Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University]]
| education = [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A. Hons.]] & [[Bachelor of Laws|L.L.B.]]
| occupation = [[Politician]], [[lawyer]], [[social activist]]
| profession =
| office1 = [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|National President of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)]]
| term_start1 = 15 March 2020
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = ''Position Established''
| successor1 =
| office2 = [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|Leader of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) Lok Sabha]]
| term_start2 = 4 June 2024
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = ''Position Established''
| successor2 =
| office3 = [[Bhim Army|Chief of the Bhim Army]]
| term_start3 = 21 July 2015
| term_end3 =
| predecessor3 = ''Position Established''
| successor3 =
| office4 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start4 = 4 June 2024
| predecessor4 = [[Girish Chandra]]
| constituency4 = [[Nagina Lok Sabha constituency|Nagina, Uttar Pradesh]]
| majority4 = 1,51,473
}}
'''Adv. Chandrashekhar Azad''' (born 5 December 1987; {{IPA|hi|t͡ʃən̪d̪ɾəʃeːkʰəɾ aːzaːd̪}}), also known as '''Chandrashekhar''' and '''Chandrashekhar Azad 'Ravan'''', is an Indian politician, social activist, [[Ambedkarism|Ambedkarite]] and lawyer. He is serving as a [[Member of Parliament (India)|Member of Parliament]] of the [[18th Lok Sabha]] from [[Nagina Lok Sabha constituency|Nagina]] since June 2024.<ref name="Dalits {{!}} Voices from the margins">{{cite news |date=13 July 2024 |title=Dalits {{!}} Voices from the margins |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/18th-lok-sabha-the-debutants/story/20240722-dalits-voices-from-the-margins-2565841-2024-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322131000/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/18th-lok-sabha-the-debutants/story/20240722-dalits-voices-from-the-margins-2565841-2024-07-13 |archive-date=22 March 2025 |access-date=22 March 2025 |publisher=India Today |language=en}}</ref> He is the chief and co-founder of the [[Bhim Army]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/my-son-a-dalit-revolutionary-says-bhim-army-chiefs-mother-1437081.html|title=My Son a Dalit Revolutionary, Say Bhim Army Chief's Mother|last=|first=|date=19 June 2017|website=News18|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=30 July 2019}}</ref> and the [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|National President of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)]]. In February 2021, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine featured him in its annual list of ''100 Emerging Leaders who are Shaping the Future''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/five-indian-origin-persons-indian-activist-time-100-emerging-leaders-7193702/|title=Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad in Time magazine's list of 100 emerging leaders|work=The Indian Express|date=18 February 2021|access-date=18 February 2021}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Chandrashekhar Azad was born on 3 December 1986, village [[Chhutmalpur]] in [[Saharanpur]], [[Western Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan: Latest News, Videos and Photos of Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan {{!}} Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/chandrashekhar-azad-ravan |access-date=15 December 2024 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> Growing up in a Dalit family, Azad experienced caste-based discrimination, which influenced his early interest in social justice and advocacy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shahi |first=Sunita |date=17 September 2018 |title=Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan: "I am a misfit in politics" |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/chandrashekhar-azad-ravan-i-am-a-misfit-in-politics |access-date=15 December 2024 |website=National Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 June 2024 |title=The Rise Of Chandrashekhar Azad 'Ravan' |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/the-rise-of-chandrashekhar-azad-ravan |access-date=15 December 2024 |website=Outlook India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=20 March 2019 |title=Chandrashekhar Azad: The Indian Dalit leader challenging Modi |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47621018 |access-date=15 December 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref> His father, Govardhan Das, retired as a principal of a [[state school|government school]]. Azad came to prominence as a [[Bahujan]] leader after he installed a hoarding titled ''The Great Chamars of Ghadkhauli Welcome You'' on the outskirts of his village. Chandra Shekhar Azad started free coaching classes for all categories and distributed free books for poor students to study.<ref name="Trivedi">{{cite news |last1=Trivedi |first1=Divya |title=Fighting spirit |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/fighting-spirit/article10036189.ece |accessdate=16 January 2019 |work=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]] |publisher=[[The Hindu Group]] |date=2 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20190116210220/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/fighting-spirit/article10036189.ece |archivedate=16 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Doval">{{cite news |last1=Doval |first1=Nikita |title=Chandrashekhar Azad—The man in the blue scarf |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/rmPhKrGml7erSdCj5u2uGN/Chandrashekhar-Azadthe-man-in-blue-scarf.html |accessdate=16 January 2019 |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |date=9 June 2017 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20190116211115/https://www.livemint.com/Politics/rmPhKrGml7erSdCj5u2uGN/Chandrashekhar-Azadthe-man-in-blue-scarf.html |archivedate=16 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Tiwary">{{cite news |last1=Tiwary |first1=Deeptiman |title=Walking the faultlines: The Bhim Army has been slowly gaining ground among Dalits locally |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/walking-the-faultlines-bhim-army-bjp-bsp-yogi-adityanath-mayawati-4687743/ |accessdate=20 June 2019 |work=The Indian Express |date=26 June 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620213649/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/walking-the-faultlines-bhim-army-bjp-bsp-yogi-adityanath-mayawati-4687743/ |archivedate=20 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

A PhD scholar Dr Rohini Ghavri has accused Chandrashekhar Azad of sexual harassment and many other accusations, which have been strongly denied by Chandra Shekhar Azad. <ref>{{cite web |title=MP's ex-girlfriend jumped into 'Brahmin daughters' controversy |url=https://www.bhaskarenglish.in/local/mp/indore/news/mps-ex-girlfriend-brahmin-daughters-controversy-rohini-chandrashekhar-calls-fake-ambedkarite-136614842.html |access-date=7 May 2026 |website=Bhaskar English|language=en-in}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web |title=Ex-girlfriend Rohini issues fresh warning to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan |url=https://www.bhaskarenglish.in/local/mp/indore/news/mp-azad-rally-curiosity-ex-girlfriend-allegation-rohini-challenge-chandrashekhar-online-136498679.html|access-date=7 May 2026 |website=Bhaskar English|language=en-in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=चंद्रशेखर पर आरोप लगाने वाली रोहिणी कौन? सफाई कर्मचारी की बेटी, एक करोड़ की स्कॉलरशिप|url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/career/education-who-is-phd-scholar-dr-rohini-ghavari-jobs-in-switzerland-bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-faces-serious-allegations-ws-kl-9304129.html |access-date=7 May 2026 |website=News 18|language=hi-in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='50-50 हजार रुपए के गिफ्ट दिए', चंद्रशेखर आजाद रावण पर आरोप लगाने वाली डॉ रोहिणी घावरी कौन?|url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/madhya-pradesh/indore/chandrashekhar-azad-ravan-and-dr-rohini-ghavari-love-relationship-she-blames-giving-gifts-worth-rs-50000-each/articleshow/121885619.cms |access-date=7 May 2026 |website=Nav Bharat Times|language=hi-in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=डॉ. रोहिणी घावरी ने चंद्रेशखर आजाद को अब बताया बेवड़ा, आखिर उस कांच की ग्‍लास में क्‍या था?|url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/uttar-pradesh/bijnor/rohini-ghavari-said-that-chandrashekhar-azad-is-alcoholic-but-supports-denied/articleshow/124104369.cms|access-date=7 May 2026 |website=Nav Bharat Times|language=hi-in}}</ref>

==Activism and politics ==
{{main|Bhim Army|Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)}}

Azad, Satish Kumar, and Vinay Ratan Singh founded [[Bhim Army]] in 2014, an organisation that works for the emancipation of [[Dalit]]s through education in India.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-18 |title=What is the Bhim Army? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-the-bhim-army-5171341/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> It runs free schools for Dalits in western [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Mohammad |date=2017-06-17 |title=Mohammad Ali on the Bhim Army's grassroot education project for Dalits in Saharanpur |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/the-new-schools-in-saharanpur/article19087047.ece |access-date=2024-12-27 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Sunaina |date=2018-05-22 |title=Class act: the great Dalit fightback that started in the schoolroom |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/22/class-act-the-great-dalit-fightback-that-started-in-the-schoolroom |access-date=2024-12-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In 2020, he founded the [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)]].

5656 UP legislative Assembly elections, he contested the Gorakhpur Urban Assembly constituency against [[Yogi Adityanath]], with Azad getting 3.06% of the vote share.

In the [[2024 Indian general election in Uttar Pradesh]], [[Aazad Samaj Party]] (ASP) candidate Chandrashekhar Azad won the [[Nagina Lok Sabha constituency]] by 1,51,473 votes. He got 5,12,552 votes. BJP's [[Om Kumar]] came second, who got 3,61,079 votes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.aajtak.in/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/story/nagina-loksabha-seat-result-chandra-shekhar-bjp-candidate-om-kumar-manoj-kumar-surendra-pal-lclr-1957048-2024-06-04 | title=Nagina Election Result: चंद्रशेखर आजाद 1 लाख 51,000 वोट से जीते, BJP के ओम कुमार को हराया | date=4 June 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thelallantop.com/election/post/nagina-loksabha-result-2024-om-kumar-chandrashekhar-azad | title=Nagina Loksabha Results: भीम आर्मी के चंद्रशेखर, नगीना से BJP प्रत्याशी को भारी अंतर से हराया | date=4 June 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2024 |title=BJP और चंद्रशेखर आजाद रावण की 'करीबी' नगीना से दे रही है दिलचस्प संकेत |url=https://www.aajtak.in/opinion-analysis-/story/chandrashekhar-azad-ravan-likely-getting-bjp-support-like-mayawati-got-earlier-in-nagina-loksabha-seat-contest-opnm1-1914940-2024-04-10 |access-date=4 June 2024 |website=आज तक |language=hi}}</ref>

=== Posts held ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! From !! To !! Position !! colspan="2" | Party
|-
| 1 || 4 June 2024 || Incumbent || [[Member of Parliament]], [[18th Lok Sabha]] || [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|ASP]] || style="background-color:#00008B; width:4px;" |
|-
| 2 || 14 August 2024 || Incumbent || Member of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes || [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|ASP]] || style="background-color:#00008B; width:4px;" |
|-
| 3 || 26 September 2024 || Incumbent || [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs|Member of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs]] || [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|ASP]] || style="background-color:#00008B; width:4px;" |
|-
| 4 || 15 March 2020 || Incumbent || [[National President]] of the [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)]] || [[Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)|ASP]] || style="background-color:#00008B; width:4px;" |
|}

== Imprisonment ==
[[File:Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan.jpg|thumb|Chandrashekhar Azad at [[Jama Masjid, Delhi]], during the anti CAA protests.]]
*He was arrested in relation to the [[Saharanpur violence]] incident.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navodayatimes.in/news/khabre/ravan-in-the-14-day-police-custody/44062/|title=14 दिन की हिरासत में रावण, गिरफ्तारी के पीछे गर्लफ्रेंड का हाथ|website=navodayatimes.in|language=hi|access-date=15 March 2018|date=9 June 2017}}</ref> Azad was arrested under the [[National Security Act (India)|National Security Act]] by the Uttar Pradesh Government. Afterwards he was granted bail by the [[Allahabad High Court]] after his lawyer argued that the arrests were politically motivated.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 November 2017 |title=HC says cases against Bhim Army chief 'politically motivated', grants him bail |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/hc-says-cases-against-bhim-army-chief-politically-motivated-grants-him-bail/articleshow/61472185.cms |access-date=7 June 2024 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
*Delhi Police had denied permission to [[Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan|Chandrashekhar Azad's]] protest march against the [[Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019|Citizenship (Amendment) Act]] from Delhi Jama Masjid to [[Jantar Mantar]]. He entered into protest at Jama Masjid and was arrested by Delhi police and detained for several days.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-arrested-by-delhi-police-a-day-after-protests-against-citizenshi-2152323|title=Bhim Army's Chandrashekhar Azad Arrested Day After Protest In Old Delhi|website=ndtv.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Election history==

===Lok Sabha===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Year
! Constituency
! colspan="2"|Party
! Votes
! Opponent
! colspan="2"|Opponent party
! Opponent votes
! Result
! Margin
|-
! 2024
| [[Nagina Lok Sabha constituency|Nagina]]
| {{Party name with color|Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)}}
| 5,12,552
| Om Kumar
| {{Party name with color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
| 3,61,079
| {{yes2|Won}}
| 1,51,473
|}

===Member of Legislative Assembly (Uttar Pradesh)===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Year
! Constituency
! colspan="2"|Party
! Votes
! Opponent
! colspan="2"|Opponent party
! Opponent votes
! Result
! Margin
|-
! 2022
| [[Gorakhpur Urban Assembly constituency|Gorakhpur Urban]]
| {{Party name with color|Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)}}
| 7,640
| Yogi Adityanath
| {{Party name with color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
| 1,65,499
| {{no|Lost}}
| 1,57,859
|}

== See also ==

* [[Third Mayawati ministry]]

* [[Jignesh Mevani]]
* [[Shri Guru Ravidas Gurughar|Shri Guru Ravidas Gurughar, Tughlakaba]]
* [[Mayawati]]
* [[Fourth Mayawati ministry]]
* [[Kanshi Ram]]
* [[Bahujan Samaj Party]]
* [[Ravidassia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{18th Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh|state=expanded}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azad, Chandrasekhar}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Dalit activists]]
[[Category:Activists from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social workers from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Saharanpur district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:University of Lucknow alumni]]
[[Category:India MPs 2024–2029]]
[[Category:Ravidassia]]
[[Category:Dalit politicians]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]

Chandrashekhar Azad politician - Revision history

Ab2030 at 02:48, 7 May 2026