NCC Founder A.V.S. Raju, Padma Shri Recipient, Dies

A.V.S. Raju, whose contributions to India's youth leadership development earned him the nation's fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, has died. His death marks the end of an era for one of India's most influential institutional builders.

Raju founded the National Cadet Corps, which has since evolved into one of the world's largest uniformed youth organisations. Under his visionary leadership, the NCC expanded significantly to reach hundreds of thousands of young men and women across schools and colleges nationwide, instilling values of discipline, patriotism and national service.

Beyond his institutional contributions, Raju was recognised for his broader impact on nation-building and youth welfare. His work extended across multiple domains of public service, cementing his legacy as a transformative figure in post-independence India's social and educational landscape.

The Padma Shri award, conferred by the Government of India, acknowledged his lifetime of dedicated service to the nation. Raju's passing will be keenly felt by the countless cadets and institutions whose development he shaped over decades of committed work.