Congress picks Dalit Vinod Jakhad to lead NSUI, signals social justice push

After intense scrutiny and in-depth deliberations, the Congress on Friday appointed Vinod Jakhad, a Dalit leader from Rajasthan, as the new president of its student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).

Jakhad, who earlier headed the Rajasthan NSUI unit, is known for his anti-RSS politics and campus activism. He was jailed in 2025 while protesting against the RSS. This was his third interview for the top post, having previously lost the race to Varun Chaudhary, who led the organisation from early 2024 until this month.

Born into a poor Dalit family, Jakhad’s politics was forged on campus, where he climbed the ranks through sustained struggle. A Political Science graduate with a Master’s in Sociology, he first rose to prominence after winning the Rajasthan College students’ union presidency in 2014.

In 2018, he was denied the NSUI ticket for the University of Rajasthan student polls but contested independently, eventually becoming the first Dalit to lead the Rajasthan University students’ union.

"With renewed energy, commitment to constitutional values, and unwavering dedication to student rights, a new chapter begins in our collective journey. Together, we will strengthen student voices, defend democracy on campuses, and carry forward the fight for accessible, equitable, and inclusive education across India," NSUI said in a statement.

Beyond campus politics, Jakhad undertook an 800-km march across Rajasthan against drug abuse, building his profile as a grassroots organiser. Considered close to former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, he also walked alongside Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

"Your dedication to the party's policies and your dynamic leadership will infuse the organization with new energy and direction," Pilot wrote in a social media post.

Political observers say the appointment carries a political signal — the Congress is attempting to foreground social justice, reward grassroots activism and reposition its student wing as a sharper ideological counter to the RSS ideology on campuses.