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Praveen Kumar, a Harvard Kennedy School alumnus himself, alleged that Revanth Reddy’s political conduct stood in stark contrast to the values of ethical leadership.
File photo of Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. (Image: X/@revanth_anumula)
BRS leader RS Praveen Kumar has written to Harvard University questioning its decision to award a completion certificate to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy after he attended an executive leadership programme at the Harvard Kennedy School, citing the chief minister’s criminal background as the central concern.
In a letter addressed to Harvard University President Alan Garber and Dean Weinstein, Praveen Kumar said he was writing “with profound dismay and outrage” over the certificate being issued to Revanth Reddy, whom he described as “accused in 89 criminal cases—the highest among any Indian Chief Minister”.
Referring to data from the Association for Democratic Reforms, he said the cases include 72 serious IPC charges and recalled that Reddy was arrested in the 2015 cash-for-vote case and spent around 50 days in jail.
Praveen Kumar, a Harvard Kennedy School alumnus himself, alleged that Revanth Reddy’s political conduct stood in stark contrast to the values of ethical leadership. He accused the Telangana CM of indulging in divisive caste and communal politics, using abusive language against opponents and their families, and pursuing rivals through what he called “fake cases”. “Such conduct mocks the very values of ethical leadership, civility, and public service that HKS claims to instill in its classrooms,” he wrote.
As an HKS alum (MC-MPA 2012 & Mason Fellow), I’m ashamed! Harvard Kennedy School awarded a leadership certificate to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy—89 criminal cases (highest among Indian CMs), caught in cash-for-vote bribe scandal, jailed ~50 days, indulging in divisive… pic.twitter.com/gNy6egYLRt— Dr.RS Praveen Kumar (@RSPraveenSwaero) February 5, 2026
Questioning Harvard’s admission process, the BRS leader asked how an institution known for shaping global leaders could issue certificates to politicians with “dubious credentials”. He claimed there appeared to be no rigorous background check or due diligence before granting admission and alleged that short executive programmes were being “sold” to controversial figures to lend them legitimacy.
Calling the decision a “betrayal of trust”, he urged the university to revoke the certificate immediately and review its admission norms, warning that failure to act would suggest Harvard’s prestige was “for sale to the highest bidder”.
The letter comes against the backdrop of Revanth Reddy’s participation in the “Leadership in the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict, and Courage” executive education programme at Harvard Kennedy School, which began on January 25 and concluded on January 30. According to government sources, the programme included sessions on leadership analysis, case studies and group work, with participants from over 20 countries attending classes at the Cambridge, Massachusetts campus.
February 05, 2026, 14:43 IST
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