India has the world’s largest and most diverse population in terms of cultural traditions, languages, and religious affiliation. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, the country has been governed on the basis of democratic principles and the rule of law. A robust structure of political contestation at state and national levels has produced representative governance anchored in an independent electoral process that is highly regarded, the world over, as exemplary. To support India’s elected governments, the country has an extremely well-established educational infrastructure that produces state, national, and foreign service administrators.
Bringing together two highly regarded public intellectuals with deep experience in Indian politics and administration, this panel discussion focuses on democracy in India today and on the challenges and opportunities that will shape its future.
Mr. Amitabh Kant is a retired 1980 batch Indian Administrative Service Officer who has served as India’s G20 Sherpa from 2022 to 2026. He has also served as CEO of NITI Aayog, a public policy Government of India think tank.
Mr. Yogendra Yadav is political activist, psephologist, and a founder of the Swaraj India party. From 2004 to 2016 he was Senior Fellow at Center for the Study of Developing Societies in Delhi. He is a former member of the University Grants Commission of the Government of India.
Commentary by Mr. Kant and Mr. Yadav will be followed by questions from Professor Joseph S. Alter, Professor TK Vinod Kumar and Professor Michael Kenney as well as from members of the audience.
This program is organized by the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh with co-sponsorship and support from the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies the Center for Governance and Markets and ANKUR the Indian Graduate Student’s Association.
