The All India Professionals' Congress, abbreviated as AIPC, is a wing of the Indian National Congress, focused on working professionals and entrepreneurs founded by Shashi Tharoor in 2017.[4][2][5][6][7] It aims to highlight the needs of Indians who are professionally employed while also serving to connect them to the political sphere.
All India Professionals' Congress | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President | Praveen Chakravarty |
| Chairperson | Praveen Chakravarty[1] |
| Convener | Rahul Gandhi[2] |
| Founder | Shashi Tharoor |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Ideology | Secularism[3] Developmentalism[3] |
| National affiliation | Indian National Congress |
| Website | |
| www | |
List of Presidents
edit| S.no | President | Portrait | Term | Home State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Shashi Tharoor | 
|
1 August 2017 | 15 November 2023 | 6 years, 106 days | Kerala |
| 2. | Praveen Chakravarty | 15 November 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 8 days | Tamil Nadu | |
Membership
editAIPC members, called AIPC fellows, have to be adult, resident citizens of India, possessing an Indian Voter ID and filing Indian tax returns, with professional qualifications or practising a profession in India.[8] The members have to affiliate themselves with the basic unit of the AIPC, called a Chapter, located nearest to their residence or workplace.
Work
editThe AIPC aims to provide an ecosystem that connects professionals to politics. As a department of the Indian National Congress party, it enables its members to develop social, economic and sectoral policies that serve as inputs to the party's strategy and tactics. Conversely, it enables professionals to gain insight into the political and administrative processes through interactions with the political leadership of the party.[4] Members are also expected to support the party by engaging in specialized research and data analysis in areas of their expertise.[8] The AIPC also facilitates outreach to various national, state, professional and industry institutions and bodies, on both political and professional issues.[3]
The AIPC Rajasthan state unit collaborated with an NGO, Star Foundation, on an initiative called the Blessing Box, that offered food assistance to folk artistes and labourers who were out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.[9]
The AIPC Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan state units helped develop the Indian National Congress' manifesto for the 2022 Uttarakhand state election. Thirty five AIPC teams visited all 70 constituencies, soliciting public opinion on the issues most important in the state and shaping it into concrete policy incorporated in the manifesto.[10]
Policies
editThe AIPC mandates that its fellows abide by these policies:[3]
- They should not believe in or practise social discrimination of any sort, and will work to eliminate them in society.
- They believe in an integrated society, with no distinctions based gender, religion, race, caste or socioeconomic status.
- They subscribe to the principles and values of the Indian National Congress, and are committed to democracy, secularism and inclusive growth with social justice.
References
edit- ^ "Praveen Chakravarty takes over from Shashi Tharoor to head All India Professionals' Congress". The Hindu. 15 November 2023.
- ^ a b c "Rahul Gandhi hold meeting of All India Professionals' Congress". The Economic Times. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d "AIPC Handbook of Operations" (PDF). AIPC. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ a b c "About the All India Professionals' Congress". AIPC. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Congress launches professionals wing in Mumbai". 11 September 2017.
- ^ "Congress launches platform to woo professionals | Bhubaneswar News – Times of India". The Times of India. 5 March 2018.
- ^ "In a break from the past, Cong woos professionals via AIPC". The New Indian Express. 27 October 2017.
- ^ a b "AIPC Rule Book" (PDF). AIPC. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ Pareek, Sushant (3 June 2021). "AIPC राजस्थान ने उठाया लोक कलाकारों और मजदूरों की मदद का बीड़ा" [AIPC Rajasthan initiative to help folk artistes and labourers]. Zee News (in Hindi). Jaipur. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Manifesto preparation: Cong enlists teams of professionals". The Pioneer. Dehradun. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2022.