Raju Kendre is a first-generation learner who hails from the Nomadic Tribe community of the Vidarbha region (Central India). First-generation learners in India face the problem of accessing higher education opportunities. His own lived experience with this problem motivated him to start "Eklavya India", an organisation that promotes higher education and enables grassroots leadership of first-generation learners in Central India. Raju has been engaged with tribal and rural community development for the last decade as a development practitioner. He recently earned an MSc in Development Studies at SOAS, University of London, through the Chevening Scholarship provided by the FCDO, UK. Recently, Raju has been included in Forbes India's 30 Under 30 and Hindustan Times Young Achiever 30 Under 30 list, and also nominated for the prestigious CNN-News 18 Indian of the Year award. and He is also listed on LinkedIn's Top Voices List (Social Impact). Raju loves traveling, watching movies, and living everyday life for networking to resolve any good cause.Eklavya India Foundation empowers first-generation learners from historically underrepresented backgrounds by providing access to world-class higher education. Our comprehensive approach includes awareness, exposure, mentoring, coaching, and relatable role models, all aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and nurturing community role models. Since 2017, we have trained over 2,000 students, with more than 1,000 gaining admission to 80+ prestigious colleges and universities in India and abroad. Remarkably, 350+ Eklavya alumni have secured white-collar jobs, leading to a tenfold increase in their families' income. Our mission is to impact 20,000 first-generation students and their families by 2030. He has a dream to build an interdisciplinary university in Central India that will cater to the tribal population of India, with a vision to build effective leadership across all sectors.