Ravindra Kumar (political scientist)

For editor of The Statesman, see Ravindra Kumar (editor).

Ravindra Kumar
Born	(1959-01-01) 1 January 1959 Meerut, India
Occupation	Writer, columnist, political scientist
Spouse	Kamlesh (1981-present )

Dr. Ravindra Kumar (born 1959) is a political scientist, peace-worker, educationalist and the former Vice-Chancellor of Meerut University. Currently he is the editor-in-chief of the 'Global Peace International Journal', and has more than a hundred books and four hundred articles/talks/lectures on great leaders of the Indian sub-continent, especially Mohandas Gandhi, and on various social, religious, political, educational, cultural and academic issues.

Early life and education

Born in 1959 at Kakrauli village of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh India, he is an M.A. in Political Science & Philosophy, PGD in Gandhian Studies and Ph.D..

Career

A well-known Indologist and the former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University Meerut, India, Kumar has been associated with several national and international academic, cultural, educational, peace and social bodies/institutions/organizations. As a cultural ambassador of India, he has specially two hundred lectures/talks at various institutions and universities of the world on subjects related to Asian values, civilization, culture, education, Gandhism, international co-operation and understanding, leadership, religion, terrorism, way-of-life, world peace, youth affairs etc.

As a Peace Worker, Kumar started ‘Peace Review’ - an international journal of peace studies in 1998 and worked as its Editor-in-Chief. In 2001 he has started ‘Global Peace’ - another international journal of philosophy, peace, education, culture and civilization. Besides, he has inspired hundred and thousands of people all over the world for their commitment towards non-violence by signing pledges.

He has organized seminars and symposiums at national and international level on subjects like religion and politics (at Meerut in July 1993), morality and ethics in public life (at Pune in January 1996), education, peace and development (at Meerut in November 2000), non-violence and democracy (at Meerut in April 2002), on human rights (at Meerut in January 2003) and on Mahatma Gandhi (in Mumbai in February 2004).

Books

Receiving Padma Shri from The President Dr. K R Narayanan in 2001

Some of his books have been translated into Tamil and Thai languages, apart from Hindi and English languages.

• RELIGION AND WORLD PEACE in English, Hindi & Tamil [1993-2006]
• MORALITY AND ETHICS IN PUBLIC LIFE in English [1999]
• GANDHI AND GANDHISM in English [2001]
• TOWARDS PEACE in English & Hindi [2001-2006]
• THEORY AND PRACTICE OF GANDHIAN NON-VIOLENCE in English & Hindi [2002-2007]
• FROM CHAMPARAN TO QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT in English & Hindi [2002-2008]
• NON-VIOLENCE AND ITS PHILOSOPHY in English [2003]
• FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF INDIAN CULTURE in Hindi [2003]
• MAHATMA GANDHI AT THE CLOSE OF TWENTIETH CENTURY in English [2004]
• GANDHIAN THOUGHTS: AN OVERVIEW in English [2006]
• MAHATMA GANDHI IN THE BEGINNING OF TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY in English [2006]
• FUNDAMENTALS OF CIVILIZATION in Hindi [2006]
• TOWARDS BUDDHA in Hindi [2007]
• SELECTED ESSAYS: MOSTLY ON BUDDHISM & GANDHISM in English [2007]
• FIVE THOUSAND YEARS’ HISTORY OF JAMMU-KASHMIR in Hindi [2007]
• GAUTAMA BUDDHA AND THE DHAMMAPADA in English & Hindi [2007]
• GANDHIAN THOUGHT: NEW WORLD, NEW DIMENSIONS in English & Hindi [2008]
• INDIA AND MAHATMA GANDHI in English & Hindi [2009]
• PEACE PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION in English [2010]

Positions

Speaking at Mahidol University, Thailand in 2008

• Part Time Teaching at the Department of Political Science, SDPG Collage, Muzaffar Nagar (Meerut University), 1982–83
• Research Representative, SPNM, Ahmedabad, India, 1985–88
• Member Secretary & Editor-in-Chief, VJP Works Committee, 1987–90
• Vice-Chancellor, CCS University, Meerut India, 1994
• Visiting Scholar/Professor, ADM University, Philippines, 1995
• Visiting/Guest Scholar/Professor/Speaker, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand, between 1995 and 2006
• Visiting Scholar/Professor, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, between 1996 and 2003
• Visiting Professor, Prince of Songkhla University, Pattani, Thailand, between 1996 and 2001
• Visiting Scholar, Institute Kern (Leiden University), The Netherlands, 1997
• Visiting Scholar, NIAS University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 1998
• Editor-in-Chief, ‘Peace Review’ - The International Journal of Peace Studies, between 1998 and 2000
• Visiting Scholar, Mahachula Buddhist Rajavidyalaya University, Bangkok, Thailand 1998 and 2004
• Visiting Professor/Scholar, Odense University, Denmark, between 1998 and 1999
• Visiting Professor/Scholar, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand, between 1998 and 2008
• Visiting Professor, St. Petersburg State University, Russia, 1999
• Visiting Scholar, Oriental Culture Academy, Bangkok, Thailand, between 2001 and 2004
• Visiting Professor for a Peace and Development Studies Programme of UNESCO at University Jaume-I, Costello, Spain, 2001
• Editor, ‘Global Peace’ - An International Journal of Philosophy, Peace, Education, Culture and Civilization, since 2001
• Visiting Professor/Scholar, Aarhus University, Denmark, 2001
• Visiting Professor/Scholar, Aalborg University, Denmark, 2001
• Visiting Scholar, Mumbai Hindi Vidyapeeth, Mumbai, India, 2001
• Visiting/Guest Professor/Scholar, Centro Studi Sereno Regis and the University of Torino, Northern Italy, 2002
• Visiting Scholar, Gandhi-Information-Zentrum, Berlin, Germany, 2003
• Visiting/Guest Speaker/Professor/Scholar, University of Vienna, Austria, 2003
• Visiting Scholar/Professor, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2003
• Visiting/Guest Speaker, Academy for World Watch, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, 2004
• Visiting Professor, Malaya University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2005
• Visiting/Guest Professor, Mahapanya Mahavidyalaya Buddhist College, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Southern Thailand 2005
• Visiting/Guest Speaker for All India University Camp at the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, India, for 2005- 2006
• Visiting/Guest Speaker/Professor, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand, 2006
• Visiting Professor/Scholar, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Suphanburi, Suphanburi, Thailand, between 2006 and 2008
• Visiting/Guest Professor/Speaker, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand, 2006
• Columnist of ‘Asian Equations’ for UPI-Asia Online of the United Press International, Hong Kong (China) since May, 2007
• Visiting Professor/Guest Speaker, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University, Si Ayutthaya, Thailand, 2007
• Visiting/Guest Professor/Speaker, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2007
• Visiting Professor, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Udon Thani, Thailand, 2007
• Visiting/Guest Speaker, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, 2007
• Guest Speaker, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India, 2008
• Chief and Guest Speaker, BVGM Arts & Commerce College [of the SNDT University], Bhavnagar, Gujarat India, 2008
• Guest Speaker, Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India, 2008
• Guest/Visiting Speaker, Gandhi Centre, (Autonomous), Vishakhapatnam, New Gandhi Centre (of the Andhra Pradesh University) and Centre for the Study of Gandhian Philosophy and Human Development, GVPDC, Vishakhapatnam, AP, India, 2008
• Guest Speaker/Professor, Dhonburi Rajabhat University, Dhonburi, Thailand, 2008
• Guest Speaker/Professor, The World Buddhist University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2008
• Guest Speaker, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2008
• Guest Speaker, North Bengal University, Raja Rammohunpur, Darjeeling, India, 2009
• Visiting Professor/Guest Speaker, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand, 2009
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Kasetsart University, Thailand, 2009
• Visiting/Guest Professor/Speaker, Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University, Chanthaburi, Thailand, 2009
• Guest Speaker/ Visiting Scholar, SNDT University, Mumbai, India, 2010
• Guest Speaker/ Visiting Scholar, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, 2010
• Editor, Shanti Ke Pahlu, A Hindi Magazine, Published Occasionally by WPMT, since 2010
• Guest Speaker, Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Rajamangala University, Salaya, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, The King Prajadhipok’s Institute [KPI], Bangkok, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Institute of Bunditpattanasilapa, Nokornpathom, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Burapha University, Bangsaen,Chonburi, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Mahidol Adulyadej Navy Dockyard of the Royal Thai Navy, Sattahip, Chonburi, Thailand, 2010
• Guest Speaker, Swami Vivekananda Subharati University, Meerut [U.P.], India, 2010
• Guest Speaker/Visiting Scholar, Calcutta University, Kolkata [West Bengal], India, 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, Autonomic Latin-American University, Colombia [South America], 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, University of Antioquia, Columbia [South America], 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, EAFIT University, Columbia [South America], 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, Faith and Cultures Center, Columbia [South America], 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, Pontificia Bolivariana University, Columbia [South America], 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, Mahamakut University, Salaya, Thailand, 2011
• Visiting Scholar, The Rajadhivas, Dusit, Thailand, 2011
• Visiting Scholar/Guest Speaker, Baise University CSN, Thailand, 2011

Memberships

Receiving Sardar Patel Award in 2006

• Member, Executive Council, Meerut University, Meerut, India, between 1993 and 1994
• Member, Executive Council, MD University, Rohtak, India, between 1994 and 1996
• Vice-Chancellor, CCS University, India, 1994

With Former Prime Minister of India Morarji Desai in 1984

• Member, Senate, Gandhigram Rural Institute Deemed University, Tamil Nadu, India, between 1994 and 1997
• Life Fellow, United Writers’ Association, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India since 1997
• Consultant to UNUP, CR., CA. for Gandhian Studies 2000
• Founder and Secretary General, World Peace Movement Trust since 2001
• Member, Gandhi-Information-Zentrum, Berlin, Germany since 2001
• Life Member, International Film & Television Research Centre, Noida, India since 2006
• Honorary Advisor, Peace Education Academy of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal since 2006
• Member, Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, London, UK since 2006
• Honorary Advisor, Institute For Inspiration & Self Development, Kolkata, India since 2006
• Member, Advisory Board, Media For Freedom, USA since 2007
• Member, Indian Language Newspapers Association [ILNA], India since 2009
• Member, Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association, Since 2009
• Member, Action Asia, since 2009
• Patron, Stallion College for Engineering and Technology, Chhutmalpur, Saharanpur, India since 2010
• Member, Gandhi Serve Foundation, Germany since 2010
• Member, National Executive, Indian Language Newspapers Association [ILNA], India 2010

Awards

• 1993: Meerut Ratna
• 1998: Nirala Smriti Samman
• 2001: Padma Shri for Literature and Education
• 2003: Shan-I-Kaum
• 2004: Shantidoot
• 2005: Ambassador for Peace
• 2006: Sardar Patel National Award
• 2008: Master of Wisdom
• 2010: Peace Messenger
• 2010: Peace Envoy

External links

• World Security Network
• World Peace Movement
• The Danish Peace Academy
• Articles By Dr. Kumar