Devendra Kumar

Devendra Kumar, a young self-made grassroots social worker, emerged from the depths of a crime-ridden slum where his parents abandoned him and his infant sister at the tender age of two. Growing up in poverty, at the age of 8 he commenced his journey as a child labourer by selling balloons for his survival. However, his path was fraught with danger as he often fell victim to assaults by gangs of delinquents and drug addicts. These hardships drove him to seek safety, leading him to volunteer in Community Policing Initiatives with the Delhi Police in search of a secure shelter.

In 2010, his struggle to save his sister from child marriage and dowry by surviving amidst vulnerability motivated him to work for the most vulnerable population, for which he established the “Ladli Foundation.” Volunteering became a passion for him, and he took early financial retirement at the age of 25 to devote himself as a full-time volunteer to live his passion.

He has been honoured with two National Awards from the Government of India and has received praise from four successive Presidents of India, including the late Sh. APJ Abdul Kalam, Late Sh. Pranab Mukherjee, Sh. Ram Nath Kovind, and currently Smt. Draupadi Murmu. His remarkable social contributions were recognized by the Union Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India, which nominated him for the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2020. His unwavering efforts in liberating thousands of women and young girls from sexual abuse and exploitation earned him the esteemed title of “True Hero” from Bollywood Superstar Mr. Amitabh Bachchan.

His 23 years of continuous action and innovative initiatives for empowering the oppressed and disadvantaged has drawn attention on a global scale at the United Nations, where his suggestions have been published twice in high-level political forums of the United Nations. In the preliminary session of the 65th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations on March 15, 2021, the UN Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres praised his work and acknowledged his influential advocacy for prioritising women's health and effective efforts to prevent child marriage in developing countries.

Devendra is an emerging global leader, notable speaker, and public policy analyst with extensive expertise in international relations and the development sector. He is also the founder of the South and East Asia Foundation in India and Ladli Foundation USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation in the United States, serving as an international think tank that has orchestrated prestigious conferences like INDIA & BRICS, INDO-US SUMMIT, INDO-CHINA SUMMIT, CLIMATE CONCLAVE, and NATIONAL DEMOCRACY SUMMIT.