Raghavendar Askani is an Indian public policy advocate, social entrepreneur, and civic leader whose work has focused on democratic reform, economic freedom, civil liberties, and youth participation in public life. He is the Founder and President of the Youth Parliament Program (YPP) and Co-Founder and Director of the Swatantrata Center, a public policy and civic education organization dedicated to advancing individual liberty, constitutional governance, and human flourishing.

His involvement in public life began during India’s anti-corruption movement in 2011, when he served as National Coordinator of Youth for Better India, mobilizing young people around government accountability, political reform, and civic responsibility. He subsequently served as Programme Director of India’s Future Foundation, promoting entrepreneurship, economic education, and public policy awareness across southern India. His association with the Foundation for Democratic Reforms and the Lok Satta movement further strengthened his engagement with governance reform and democratic institutions.

In 2016, Askani founded the Youth Parliament Program to create meaningful opportunities for young Indians to participate in policy discussions and understand the responsibilities of democratic citizenship. Under his leadership, YPP has organized model parliamentary sessions, university-level policy deliberations, leadership bootcamps, and civic education initiatives addressing education, agriculture, electoral accountability, and governance reform. These efforts have brought students into dialogue with policymakers, academics, and civil society leaders while encouraging informed debate and independent thinking.

His commitment to institutional reform continued with the establishment of the Swatantrata Center in 2019. Through its research and advocacy, he has worked to advance economic liberalization, regulatory reform, entrepreneurship, and individual rights. A significant area of his work has been the campaign for Hyderabad’s 24/7 economy, advocating extended business operations and greater economic opportunity. Telangana’s 2023 policy framework permitting round-the-clock operations, subject to regulatory conditions, marked an important development in this reform agenda, which he continues to support through public representations and policy recommendations.

Askani’s international engagement includes participation in leadership programs, policy conferences, and civil society networks across North America, Europe, and Asia. He has contributed to the growth of Students for Liberty in South India and participated in educational initiatives associated with leading international institutions promoting free markets and democratic values.

In 2026, his international work included collaboration with the U.S.-based Free Society Coalition through Echoes of Freedom: America’s 250th Summit, an initiative connecting American founding principles with India’s constitutional and liberal traditions. His writing on political thought, economic freedom, and constitutional democracy, alongside his Telugu translations of influential works on liberty and free enterprise, reflects his commitment to making public policy ideas accessible to wider audiences.

A postgraduate in Economics, Askani has received several recognitions for his contributions to civic engagement and youth leadership, including the REX Karmaveer Chakra Award and e-REX Global Youth Fellowship (2020–2021), the Public Citizen Award (2016), and the Youth Inspiration Award (2012).

His work continues to be guided by the belief that lasting democratic progress requires informed citizens, accountable institutions, economic opportunity, and the freedom of individuals to shape their own futures.