About The Author

Dr. Nitesh Sahu
Dr. Nitesh Kumar Sahu is a native resident of the village of ‘Phulwari F’, located in the Lormi development block of Mungeli district in the state of Chhattisgarh. You are an active and prominent young thinker in the fields of social concerns, policy-making, and development based on public participation. At present, you are serving as the Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to Shri Tokhan Sahu Ji, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
For your notable contributions in the fields of the cleanliness campaign, water conservation, and de-addiction, and for your outstanding social service, you were conferred the prestigious ‘National Youth Award (2016–17)’ by the Government of India in the year 2019. In addition, for your outstanding work in various fields of social development and public awareness, you have also been honoured with several prestigious national and regional awards and certificates of appreciation by the government and administration.
You have been a ‘Namo App – Viksit Bharat Ambassador’, and you have received a certificate of appreciation from the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, for your outstanding performance in the “100 Days Challenge”. You have also strongly represented India on international platforms; you were selected for the ‘World Youth Dialogue’ and participated in the ‘International Youth Conference’ held in Sochi, Russia.
In the field of organisational experience and leadership, you have effectively represented student leadership as the President of the Student Council of Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur (Session 2014–15). Along with this, from 2017 to 2019, you actively rendered your services for nation-building and youth empowerment as a National Youth Volunteer (NYV) in the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India). You have also discharged social responsibilities in tribal and rural areas as the Head of the Youth Work Dimension in the Bilaspur Division of Vanvasi Vikas Samiti (Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram).

Your academic background has been highly meritorious. You obtained your undergraduate and postgraduate education in Political Science from
Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, and earned a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Political Science from Hemchand Yadav University, Durg. Several of your research works and research papers have been published in prestigious national and international research journals, and you have been invited as a keynote speaker and subject expert (Resource Person) at various national and international platforms. Politics, public policy, good governance, rural development, and social service are the major areas of your study, thought, and work.
Pranay Gautam
The author is a resident of Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh. He is a researcher with a special interest in the subjects of diplomacy, policy-making, mass communication, and social development. He achieved an outstanding accomplishment by securing first place at the national level in the 14th National Youth Parliament organised by the Government of India, for which he was honoured at a special ceremony held in the Indian Parliament. In addition, he has earned several awards while representing in various state- and national-level Youth Parliament competitions. Under the joint programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Education, he was also selected as a Gender Champion from Guru Ghasidas Central University.
His active participation in the social sector has been noteworthy. In the year 2014–15, he was honoured by the then Governor, Shekhar Dutt, for his outstanding work in the field of de-addiction. Along with this, he has also made a significant contribution to the promotion of the Swachh Bharat Mission and public awareness activities.
He obtained his undergraduate degree in English Literature and postgraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur. Thereafter, he gained practical experience in the field of journalism by associating with various state- and national-level media institutions, newspapers, and digital media platforms. More than 10 of his research papers and book chapters have been published. At present, he is a Ph.D. research scholar in the field of Indian diplomacy at Guru Ghasidas Central University. Subjects related to international relations, foreign policy, democratic institutions, and social change are the major areas of his study and research.