As thousands of students gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak controversy, several individuals emerged as the movement's most recognisable public faces.
Some addressed the media every day, others represented the movement in negotiations and public meetings, while several volunteers worked behind the scenes to coordinate research, logistics and legal support.
Here's a look at the people who became closely associated with the protest.
Abhijeet Dipke
Abhijeet Dipke emerged as the founder and principal organiser of the movement.
Originally based in the United States, Dipke travelled to India to launch the campaign and remained one of its most visible leaders throughout the 36-day protest. He addressed supporters daily, announced key decisions and represented the movement in meetings with government officials and the media.
Following the Centre's acceptance of several demands, including the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Dipke announced the suspension of the protest.
Ashutosh Ranka
Ashutosh Ranka became one of the movement's most prominent spokespersons.
An IIT graduate with further studies at the London School of Economics, Ranka frequently addressed press conferences, appeared in television interviews and explained the protesters' demands during the movement.
His public appearances made him one of the best-known faces of the agitation.
Saurav Das
Journalist-turned-activist Saurav Das also emerged as one of the movement's principal spokespersons.
He regularly addressed the media, participated in public discussions and represented the protesters during interviews throughout the agitation.
Along with Dipke and Ranka, Das became one of the most recognisable faces of the protest.
Sonam Wangchuk
Although he was not part of the protest's day-to-day organisation, activist Sonam Wangchuk played an important role in drawing national attention to the campaign.
His indefinite hunger strike became a major rallying point for demonstrators. According to multiple reports, public support for the protest grew significantly after his hospitalisation, bringing wider attention to the movement.
Other Organisers And Volunteers
While these individuals became the movement's public faces, The Indian Express reported that a larger volunteer team worked behind the scenes to keep the protest running. The group reportedly included lawyers, journalists, researchers, students, public policy professionals and activists who coordinated research, logistics, media outreach, stage management and legal support.
Ratna Singh
Advocate and former journalist Ratna Singh was among the early organisers of the movement.
Speaking to The Indian Express, she described how the initial organising team came together and said volunteers worked without any formal division of responsibilities as the protest expanded.
Dipak Baliyan
According to The Indian Express, Dipak Baliyan, who comes from a farming family in Rajasthan's Alwar district, served as one of the movement's spokespersons and represented the protesters publicly during different stages of the agitation.
Urja
The Indian Express reported that Urja, a Fashion Communication graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), joined the protest after connecting with Dipke through Instagram.
She later coordinated daily activities at Jantar Mantar and also appeared as one of the movement's spokespersons.
Vaishnavi
According to The Indian Express, Vaishnavi, who studied public policy, helped draft the movement's charter of demands and contributed to research. She also assisted with coordinating activities on stage during the protest.
Afreen
The Indian Express reported that Afreen joined the organising team after participating in a one-day protest in Bengaluru. She later handled planning and logistical arrangements for the movement at Jantar Mantar.
Vijeta Dahiya
According to The Indian Express, Vijeta Dahiya initially joined the movement to lead its research work and briefly served as a spokesperson.
The newspaper reported that he was later removed from the role after videos circulated online allegedly showing him away from the Parliament march while protesters were facing police action.
The Volunteers Behind The Protest
Beyond the better-known faces, The Indian Express reported that several other volunteers supported the movement in specialised roles.
These included Bala, who worked on research; Sudheer, who served as the stage moderator; Ram, who handled stage management; Anam and Aarif, who coordinated security and guests; and Faizan, Kshitij and Vikky, who managed photography, videography and social media updates throughout the protest.
According to the report, volunteers took on responsibilities as needed rather than following a formal organisational hierarchy, helping sustain the 36-day protest until its conclusion.
