Team

The people behind Prajatantra

Two founders, one conviction: a democracy worth the name must let capable, honest people in — whatever their background.

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Ritwick Shrivastav

Founder & CEO · Political Strategist · LAMP Fellow

Ritwick founded Prajatantra to dismantle the gatekeeping that decides who enters Indian politics — and who never gets the chance. A political strategist and election-management specialist, he began in the engine room of governance as a LAMP Fellow before sharpening his campaign instincts across leading political consultancies. That blend of parliamentary insight and ground-level campaign craft shapes Prajatantra’s “3E” approach — Encourage, Educate, Empower. Under his leadership, the foundation’s research on dynasty, money, and entry barriers has been cited across national media, driven by one uncompromising conviction: a democracy where 91.7% of politics is captured by dynasts, crorepatis, and the well-connected is not yet a level playing field — and leveling it takes data and strategy, not just hope.

Shweta Sharma

Co-Founder & Research Director · Electoral & Policy Research

Shweta is the research conscience of Prajatantra. As Co-Founder and Research Director, she leads the studies that put hard numbers behind a problem most people only sense — turning questions of who enters Indian politics, and how, into evidence that journalists, scholars, and reformers can use. Her analysis of dynastic capture and the structural advantages of money, networks, and media access has been featured in national outlets including ThePrint, framing the meritocracy debate with rigour. She pairs sharp methodology with a clear view of the field, ensuring Prajatantra’s findings are not just sound but strategically built to move minds and policy.