About Aakash Raut
NOTE: Most
of these web pages were originally set up for
important political events that took place in
Summer 2009. They have been excerpted
from a prior website. Now 33 years old, Aakash is involved in the political and technology consulting arena. For an updated overview of his proficiencies, please check out his LinkedIn profile. Check out Aakash Raut's current work experience and skills. A resume (PDF) is available here. Aakash is available for consulting opportunities. |
Aakash Raut has been recognized, over the past
decade, as one of the top conservative & GOP youth
leaders in the United States. For details on his
experience, background, qualifications, and
recognitions, please see his accomplishments as a
GOP youth leader, the awards and titles he
has held, and a partial selection of photos, from
events all over the country, to which he has led major
student delegations.
Aakash was born in New York City, but was raised in
the Illinois capital (Springfield),
right
in the heart of the "Land of Lincoln" - and a nexus of
Midwestern politics and policymaking - where he has
lived for the past 23 years. It was in 5th grade
that he first identified himself as a conservative, as
he watched the 1992 national elections, and learned
more and more about current affairs and issues.
An alumnus of Springfield
High
School, he has long been involved in a variety
of student organizations and activities, winning
competitions and awards at the local and statewide
level. In addition to being a Captain of the
Scholastic Bowl Team and a successful "Original
Oratory" competitor on the Speech Team, he served as
the President of the Math Club, Secretary of the Key
Club (Kiwanis International), was twice elected
to the Student Council, and was a charter member of a
groundbreaking student technology organization (which,
among
other "benchmarks," established one of the first
school-district internet systems in Illinois).
It was during high school that Aakash also held his
first political job, as an intern in the Legislative
Office of his U.S. Congressman, during the Election
1998 period and Clinton
impeachment (over which his Congressman presided,
for the historic
action).
After graduating from SHS, and first attending a
different U
of IL campus, Aakash transferred back to the
capital city, where he earned an Associates Degree
from Lincoln
Land
Community College, and a Bachelors in Political
Science from the University
of
Illinois at Springfield (UIS). In addition
to College Republicans (in which he was Secretary and
1st Vice-Chairman before being elected Chairman),
Aakash was the Founding Treasurer of the Society of
Conservative Students (SCS) at UIS, and was also
active in Christian
Student Fellowship (CSF) and Delta
Sigma
Omicron (disability awareness club).
Aakash was greatly-involved in politics, public
policy advocacy, and election campaigns, even before
he became Chairman of the UIS College
Republicans. He was highly active in Election
2000 (both in the primary and general elections), in
Election 2001 (where he was the top campaign aide for
a City Council contender), in the 2001-2002 Primary
Election season (gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races),
in the 2002 General Election (races for Attorney
General, U.S. Congress, and State Representative), and
involved in the 2003-2004 U.S. Senate primaries as
well. Here
is an overview of his subsequent activites,
after being elected
to lead his CR organization (term began June
1st, 2004; he served 3 total years as Chairman + 1 as
Executive Director). A selected list of candidate campaigns
Aakash has consulted
or volunteered
on is available here.
In addition to being a veteran of election and policy
campaigns (at the federal, state, county, and local
levels), Aakash has worked at the Bank of
Springfield, St.
John's
Hospital, and the Illinois
State
Museum. He has recently begun a freelance
web design and consulting business, and remains
involved in politics, elections, and policy campaigns,
in his role as a Precinct
Committeeman, GOP youth leader, volunteer
coordinator, and conservative activist.
National memberships Aakash holds include CLUB 100 (Young
America's Foundation), the Campus
Leadership Program (Leadership Institute), the National
Federation
of Republican Assemblies, the Republican Liberty Caucus,
Students
for
Life of America, Students
for
Prosperity, the Campaign
for Liberty, Youth
for Western Civilization, and a number of other political
organizations, in addition to the U.S.
Chess Federation, the Sangamon County
Farm Bureau, IL
Church Action on Alcohol & Addiction Problems,
and the India
Association
of Greater Springfield, as well as the Midwest
Coalition to Reduce Immigration (and he sees no
conflict between the latter two).
Aakash has been a Christian for over nine years, and
attends services at iWorshipCenter
and Living Word
Fellowship. His favorite Bible verse has
recently become 1
Peter 4:14, for reasons he needs to be writing
about soon.