Ramji Raghavan
Ramji Raghavan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Calcutta, India |
| Alma mater | Hans Raj College, University of Delhi; The International Institute of Social Studies, Netherlands; London Business School |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, social innovator |
| Known for | Founder and chairperson of Agastya International Foundation |
| Spouse | Monica (née Sanghani) |
Ramji Raghavan is recognized as an entrepreneur and social innovator, serving as the founder and chairperson of the nonprofit Agastya International Foundation. He has contributed to the Central Advisory Board of Education under the Government of India and holds a position on the Governing Council of the Marico Innovation Foundation. Additionally, Ramji has been a board member at Vigyan Prasar and participated in the Prime Minister's National Knowledge Commission's Working Group focused on engaging children in Science and Mathematics.
His expertise has been shared at notable events such as the Education World Forum, INK Conference (in collaboration with TED), Clinton Global Initiative, MIT Media Lab, Peking University, Indian Institute of Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, PanIIT Conference, Confederation of Indian Industry, Deshpande Development Dialogue, Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore, WISE Summit 2014 held in Qatar, and RAFT- Resource Area For Teaching in the United States.
Personal life and education
Ramji grew up across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Calcutta. His father, KV Raghavan, was Managing Director of Alkali and Chemical Corporation of India Limited before becoming chairman of Engineers India Limited and president of EID Parry Limited. Both his father and maternal uncle, Dr. P. K. Iyengar, who formerly chaired the Indian Atomic Energy Commission, were among the founding trustees of Agastya International Foundation. Ramji attended the Rishi Valley School, established by philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti. He earned an MBA from the London Business School, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Development Studies from The International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands, and completed his undergraduate studies at Hans Raj College, University of Delhi. He is married to Monica (née Sanghani), who is a direct descendant of Devkaran Nanjee, founder of Dena Bank.
Career
Ramji’s professional journey began as a consultant with A. F. Ferguson & Co., followed by roles at Citibank spanning India, Puerto Rico, and New York City. Later, he joined the Europe-based Cedel Group as a director and served on its strategic advisory panel.
Social work
In 1998, Ramji transitioned from banking to establish the Agastya International Foundation, with a mission to deliver science education to more than 25 million disadvantaged children and 250,000 government school teachers throughout India. Agastya has introduced innovative educational models such as mobile science laboratories, lab-on-a-bike initiatives, and peer-led learning through large-scale science fairs. Its expansive 172-acre campus near Bangalore functions as a creativity hub featuring over fifteen experiential centers dedicated to science, art, and innovation, including the notable Ramanujan Math Park. Inspired by an encounter with Janaki Ammal, spouse of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, Agastya has installed busts of Ramanujan on its grounds and donated replicas to prominent institutions globally.
With backing from the Andhra Pradesh government, Agastya developed its extensive campus near Bangalore. In 2007, collaboration with investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala enabled expansion in both outreach efforts and campus infrastructure. The Government of Karnataka formalized support through an MoU with Agastya in 2010 to advance experiential science education across the state. The foundation’s progress from 1999 through 2014 is detailed in Wisdom of Agastya, authored by Vasant Nayak and Shay Taylor.
In March 2021, Agastya introduced Navam Innovation Foundation through a partnership with Hyderabad-based Pravaha Foundation to continue advancing its educational objectives.
Recognitions
In 2009, Ramji was appointed as a senior fellow by Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. Two years later, in 2011, he was showcased on Indian television channel Times Now's Amazing Indians and honored with the People's Hero award from the Coimbatore chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). In 2012, Ramji featured on CNBC Awaaz's program "Bharat Bhagya Vidhata". During his leadership, the Agastya International Foundation received the Google Global Impact Award in 2013 and was listed among the top 100 global innovators by The Rockefeller Foundation’s NextCentury Awards.
Ramji was recognized in 2016 with the Sandbox Catalyst Award from the Deshpande Foundation, along with the Innovation for India accolade presented by the Marico Innovation Foundation. That year, he appeared alongside Rakesh Jhunjhunwala on CNBC TV’s Daan Utsav show. In 2017, he was awarded The Rotary Club of Madras East Vocational Skilling Excellence Award and gained a feature in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.
Agastya was honored with an Andhra Pradesh State Green Award in 2019 for its efforts in restoring the ecosystem of its 172-acre campus, a story detailed in the publication The Roots of Creativity. In 2020, both Ramji and Agastya were highlighted in Nikhil Inamdar’s book 7 Sutras of Innovation, which profiles organizations expanding their impact across India.
In 2022, Chelsea Clinton recognized Ramji at the Clinton Global Initiative Meet held in New York, applauding Agastya’s goal to reach 37 million children by 2027. The following year, LID Publishing (UK) released The Moving of Mountains by Adhirath Sethi, chronicling the journey of the Agastya Foundation. In October 2024, Ramji was honored with the Making a Difference Award at the Children’s Hope India Gala in New York and also received a Citation from Nassau County.