Mr. Venkatesh “Venky” Raghavendra is a social entrepreneur and development leader with four decades of experience in philanthropy, fundraising, and social entrepreneurship, with a track record of building global partnerships and mobilising significant resources for national and international organizations. He advises ultra-high net worth individuals in the United States on philanthropy and giving strategies, and has worked with global entities including Safe Water Network, RoundGlass Foundation, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, Common Purpose, and the American India Foundation. He is a resource person and trainer for India’s Ministry of Finance and a former Advisor to the National Skill Development Corporation of India.
Mr. Raghavendra has contributed to media for over 30 years, writing opinion pieces and features for leading publications including the Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, and the Indian Express. He served as a columnist for the Deccan Herald and is a Contributing Editor at the Washington DC-based publication American Bazaar, covering social innovation, environment, climate change, and human-interest stories. He has been quoted in the Washington Post and appeared as an expert on CNN Global and News 18. In 2017, he was featured in Inspiring Personalities of the World, published by the Neerja Bhanot Foundation.
Mr. Raghavendra holds a Master’s in Social Justice from the School for International Training, Vermont, and an International DBA from the Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Portugal. Dr. Raghavendra joined the Centre for Wildlife Studies Board in 2026.
