Brahmachari Chaitanya: A Non-Traditional Novice Monk, On A Mission To Transform The Lives Of Marginalized Communities

Brahmachari Chaitanya

A compassionate social activist since the age of 17, today he is working as the president of Democratic Sangha, a non-partisan organization founded by him to achieve social justice guided by the principles of democracy.

Through Democratic Sangha, Brahmachari Chaitanya actively engages in two flagship programs that emphasize the need for universal education and the socio-political freedom of people irrespective of their social or personal identities. These include the campaign for the implementation of the Right to Education Act and the Rural Women's Leadership Program. The Sangha works closely with the affected communities in order to raise awareness and assist them in making the most of their constitutional rights after following the principles of doubt, debate, and dissent.

"We always take a step after consulting the community and knowing their opinions, as we believe in the power of democracy to grant social justice and establish equality. The current society is plagued by various forms of social inequity, discrimination, and apathy, all of which directly limit marginalized groups' access to resources and opportunities. This restricts them from exercising their fundamental rights. Thus, I founded the Democratic Sangha, with the conviction to help them get what is rightfully theirs." says Brahmachari Chaitanya, the founder, and president of the Democratic Sangha.

Over the past 15 years, the young leader has worked on and led a multitude of programs in various organizations where he was preoccupied with advocating the issues that are seldom spoken about or worked upon. At the young age of 17, Chaitanya became the leader of a student group working for development in rural Andhra Pradesh as a part of a project taken by his school (International Residential School) in class 12. The project called Passionate Foundation thrived under his able leadership, where, together with other students, he tirelessly worked towards making education accessible. The impact of the project was so great that he was awarded the Youth Excellence Award at the United Nations Youth Assembly.

As time passed, Brahmachari Chaitanya also expanded his arena and founded Teach for Change, which has positively transformed the lives of over 67 thousand young children since 2014. His initiatives, which create real change in society, have received praise and recognition from multiple national and international bodies. In fact, in 2017, the Obama Foundation invited him to attend a town hall meeting with President Obama, which further encouraged him to continue treading on the path of activism.

Chaitanya embraced a monastic lifestyle after meeting his former Guru late Swami Agnivesh, who left a deep impression on him and strengthened his conviction to pursue social justice in society. As of now, he is studying Advaita Vedanta philosophy under the guidance of his Guru, Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati of the Arsha Vidya Sampradaya, and is a firm believer in the philosophy of social spirituality.