Swati Raje is a prominent Indian journalist, an award-winning children's author and the Founder President of Bhaashaa Foundation, an NGO that works for the preservation and enhancement of regional languages. She is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award conferred by Nancy Silberkleit, Co-CEO, Archie Comics, New York, in July 2015, for her holistic vision and pioneering work in language preservation. [1] The first full-time woman reporter in Marathi print media, she shouldered the responsibility of Chief Editor of the Sunday Edition and features desk of Sakal, a prominent Marathi newspaper, for 13 years. [2]

She holds a Bachelors in Communication and Journalism, a Masters in Literature and an M.Phil. in Children’s Literature. A creative writer, she has won accolades for her short stories. Her written works span varied genres, comprising television serials, documentaries, and telefilms, along with research-based articles, interviews and newspaper columns. Writing for children is her passion and she has three award-winning books to her credit. [3] [4]

She is a member of the International Board on Books for Young people (IBBY), an international organization working towards bringing children and books together. Raje has authored and presented numerous research papers at the international level, besides contributing to several international conferences and seminars on children’s literature. [5] [6] [7]

As Founder President of Bhaashaa Foundation, Raje spearheads various innovative, structured projects all over Maharashtra for generating awareness about reading and creating love for languages among adults and children. [8]

Raje has been a member of the Bhaashaa Sallagar Samiti, the language advisory board of the Government of Maharashtra, since 2015. She is also an active programme committee member of a think tank, Pune International Centre.