Jaipur, Feb 20 (IANS) Congress has appointed Vinod Jakhar as the new president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
Jakhar has served as the Rajasthan University Students’ Union (RUSU) state president for the last two years.
In 2018, he became the first Dalit president of RUSU after contesting as an independent candidate. In the 55-year history of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), a student leader from Rajasthan’s desert region has been appointed as the organisation’s national president.
The appointment is being described as historic, as even senior Rajasthan Congress leaders such as Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot – considered among the tallest leaders of the state – never reached the post of NSUI national president during their student politics days.
Ashok Gehlot began his political journey as the Rajasthan NSUI state president in 1974, earning the nickname “Magician” over the years, but he never became national president of the student wing.
Sachin Pilot, on the other hand, entered active politics through the Lok Sabha and later held key roles in the Youth Congress and the party organisation, yet he too never led the NSUI at the national level.
Other senior leaders, including former Union Ministers Bhanwar Jitendra Singh and C.P. Joshi, also did not occupy this position.
In that context, Vinod Jakhar’s elevation is being seen as a significant political milestone.
Jakhar’s journey has been marked by struggle and persistence. In the 2018 Rajasthan University Student Union elections, when the NSUI denied him a ticket, he rebelled and contested as an independent candidate – securing a historic victory.
Over time, the organisation acknowledged his leadership strength and brought him back into the fold. He was later appointed Rajasthan NSUI state president and has now risen to become the top student leader in the country.
Hailing from a humble family in Viratnagar near Jaipur, Jakhar’s father works as a mechanic. With no political background or godfather, his rise to the top of the NSUI is being viewed as an inspiring story for students across Rajasthan.
A photograph of Jakhar with Rahul Gandhi has also been widely circulated, highlighting his growing prominence within the party.
Jakhar belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, and his appointment is being interpreted as a strategic move by the Congress leadership.
Observers see it as an effort by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to strengthen outreach among Dalit youth in Rajasthan and North India.
He was also involved in a major protest at Rajasthan University against the RSS’s Shastra Pujan programme, following which he was jailed.
The decision also sends an organisational message that the Congress is willing to promote grassroots workers to top positions, even if they do not come from established political families.
–IANS
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