The Democratic Sangha Annual Forum 2025, presented by the Race2Win Foundation and co-hosted by The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, concluded successfully in the city on Saturday. The day-long forum brought together policy leaders, civil society champions, scholars, youth leaders, and public servants from across India for insightful conversations on strengthening democracy through inclusion, civic engagement, and progressive policymaking.
The event served as a major national platform to discuss how India can build a more participatory, equitable, and future-ready democratic ecosystem.
Panel Discussion Steals the Spotlight
The highlight of the forum was the panel discussion on “Beyond Politics: Policy with Understanding”, featuring prominent national leaders:
- Mr. Palanivel Thiagarajan, Minister for IT & Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu
- Ms. G. Renuka Chowdhury, Member of Parliament
- Mr. K.R. Suresh Reddy, Member of Parliament
- Mr. Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Member of Parliament
The leaders shared powerful insights on governance reforms, institutional accountability, technology-driven transformation, and the importance of citizen-centric policymaking. They emphasised that for democracy to grow stronger, public policy must be shaped by awareness, evidence, and participation—not by political polarisation.
ChangeMaker Awards Presented
The forum also hosted the annual ChangeMaker Awards, which honoured individuals and organisations making distinguished contributions to democratic values, leadership, integrity, and social impact.
Chief Guest Shilpa Reddy presented the awards and highlighted the importance of celebrating those who work tirelessly for social change.
She remarked, “Positive change is built by people who step up with courage and compassion. Recognizing them is essential to inspire the next generation of leaders.”
A special POT × DS panel discussed ten pressing issues shaping India’s democratic governance today. Key themes included:
- Modernizing government systems beyond file clearances
- Centre-State fiscal coordination and autonomy
- Long-term agricultural reforms for farmer welfare
- Transparent procurement pathways for startups
- Structured training systems for elected representatives
- Strengthening urban local governance
- Accelerating women’s representation in politics
- Digital technology for electoral transparency
- Leadership opportunities for youth in public life
- Higher education redesign to bridge India’s skill gap
These themes provided a clear roadmap for India’s democratic future and encouraged dialogue on practical, implementable policy solutions.
About Democratic Sangha
Democratic Sangha is a non-profit, non-partisan civic reform organisation dedicated to strengthening India’s democratic foundations through civic education, human rights awareness, leadership development, women’s empowerment, election literacy, and inclusive community engagement.
The organisation was founded by Chaitanya MRSK, with actor Regina Cassandra as Co-Founder. Democratic Sangha believes that an informed and engaged citizenry is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy.
Key Focus Areas:
- Women’s leadership development
- Youth leadership & civic participation
- Election awareness & voter education
- Social reform & community mobilisation
Through policy dialogues, leadership training, and urban–rural civic engagement, the organisation works to strengthen democratic institutions across India.
