Ramdas Bandu Athawale (born 25 December 1959) is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He is the founder–leader of the Republican Party of India (A). Currently, he is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Narendra Modi government, and represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament. Previously he was the Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur.

Athawale was born on 25 December 1959 in Agalgaon, Sangli district, Bombay State, which is now a part of Maharashtra. His parents were Bandu Bapu and Honsabai Bandu Athawale. He attended Siddharth College of Law, Mumbai and married on 16 May 1992. He has a son.[1] and is a Buddhist.[2]

Athawale has been editor of a weekly magazine called Bhumika and is a founder member of Parivartan Sahitya Mahamandal. He has served as president of Parivartan Kala Mahasangha, the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Foundation and the Buddhist Kalawant Academy and was founder president of Budh Dhamma Parishad. He played the title role in a Marathi film, Anya Yacha Pratikar, and also had a small role in another Marathi film, Joshi ki Kamble, as well as roles in Marathi dramas such as Ekach Pyala.

आमच्या चैनल ला सब्सक्राइब करा https://www.youtube.com/LokmatNews