Antaraa Vasudev

Antaraa Vasudev is restoring procedural trust into the process of policymaking in India to ensure that policies for citizens are designed with public participation from citizens. Working with the central government of India, as well as three state governments. The objective of Antaraa’s work is to ensure that policies and laws that are passed are procedurally fair and transparent through following a process of public consultation that builds mutual collaboration between policymakers and citizens.

Antaraa Vasudev founded Civis in 2017 with a core belief: policies and laws created for citizens should involve those same citizens in the process. Civis works to ensure that a fair public consultation process is followed when making policies that impact citizens. Unique to Civis’ approach is the focus on ensuring sufficient public consultation in the policymaking process, without holding a view on what the outcome and design of the policy should be.



The organization's mission is to enable greater public participation in India's lawmaking process, ensuring that laws are inclusive and reflect the voices of the people they impact the most. Civis aims to bridge the gap between the government and its citizens, designing a policymaking process that is more accessible and engaging for the public, leading to a greater sense of ownership over the policies that ultimately affect them.



Rather than advocating for a complete overhaul of governmental processes, Civis focuses on re-orchestrating their implementation to bring back procedural trust and public confidence in the system. They see value in the existing structures and processes, but recognize the trust deficit between citizens and policymakers that needs correction. The systemic change Civis strives for is a culture of procedural trust and responsive governance, encouraging citizens to transition from passive observers to active participants. Their impact is evident in the increased accessibility of the legislative process and the growing resonance between public needs and the policies that address them.



Civis runs two main programs that are closely intertwined. Their primary emphasis is on enabling greater participation in India's lawmaking processes. This approach aims to make the legislative process more approachable for the public, cultivating a more engaged and informed citizenry. Simultaneously, Civis targets behavioral and systemic changes in governments and citizens by emphasizing procedural trust and cultivating more responsive governance. They want people to believe that government processes are fair and transparent, even if the outcomes don't always align with individual expectations. This reinforces confidence in governmental institutions and processes.



By encouraging meaningful public participation in legislation, Civis ensures that policies and laws are inclusive and address the needs of the wider community. This approach seeks to transform citizens from passive observers to active participants in governance and compels governments to be more open and responsive to citizen feedback. Their engagement with government bodies centers on improving the implementation of existing processes, working closely with influential, long-standing government officials to ensure that public feedback is integrated into policymaking. This leads to a more inclusive and transparent process.



Civis's approach to systemic change relies on building a bridge between citizens and the government, guaranteeing the public's voice is heard, respected, and translated into action within the policymaking process. The end goal is more democratic and responsive governance.
The organization's mission is to enable greater public participation in India's lawmaking process, ensuring that laws are inclusive and reflect the voices of the people they impact the most. Civis aims to bridge the gap between the government and its citizens, designing a policymaking process that is more accessible and engaging for the public, leading to a greater sense of ownership over the policies that ultimately affect them.

Rather than advocating for a complete overhaul of governmental processes, Civis focuses on re-orchestrating their implementation to bring back procedural trust and public confidence in the system. They see value in the existing structures and processes, but recognize the trust deficit between citizens and policymakers that needs correction. The systemic change Civis strives for is a culture of procedural trust and responsive governance, encouraging citizens to transition from passive observers to active participants. Their impact is evident in the increased accessibility of the legislative process and the growing resonance between public needs and the policies that address them.

Civis runs two main programs that are closely intertwined. Their primary emphasis is on enabling greater participation in India's lawmaking processes. This approach aims to make the legislative process more approachable for the public, cultivating a more engaged and informed citizenry. Simultaneously, Civis targets behavioral and systemic changes in governments and citizens by emphasizing procedural trust and cultivating more responsive governance. They want people to believe that government processes are fair and transparent, even if the outcomes don't always align with individual expectations. This reinforces confidence in governmental institutions and processes.

By encouraging meaningful public participation in legislation, Civis ensures that policies and laws are inclusive and address the wider community's needs. This approach seeks to transform citizens from passive observers to active participants in governance and compels governments to be more open and responsive to citizen feedback. Their engagement with government bodies centers on improving the implementation of existing processes, working closely with influential, long-standing government officials to ensure that public feedback is integrated into policymaking. This leads to a more inclusive and transparent process.

Civis addresses a fundamental problem in India's legislative process: the lack of meaningful public participation. This disconnect between those creating laws and those impacted by them can lead to policies that are less inclusive and don't fully address the needs of citizens. Antaraa believes that the processes for building fair and representative policies are broken because of a lack of trust in the system.



Civis is working to re-orchestrate this relational dynamic between citizens and policymakers. Antaraa describes her work as “setting the table for policymakers and citizens to collaborate effectively”. She saw that the breakdown of processes in representative policymaking was because of low procedural trust. Citizens are unsure of whether a fair and adequate process is followed in the passing of new policies and laws. On the flip side, policymakers view citizens as disengaged and critical of government initiatives, even when they are designed with the intention of social welfare.



Civis tackles several key challenges that contribute to this problem. Citizens face a multi-layered barrier to engagement in India's legislative process. Accessing information about proposed laws proves difficult, and even if found, the complex legal jargon often obscures the meaning for the average person. This lack of clear communication is further compounded by inadequate feedback channels, leaving citizens without a clear avenue to contribute their perspectives. Finally, even a willingness to engage may be thwarted by governmental constraints, as agencies may lack the resources or established processes to meaningfully gather and incorporate public feedback on a large scale. These interconnected challenges form a significant obstacle to meaningful public participation, hindering the creation of truly inclusive and responsive laws.



Policymakers confront their own set of obstacles in crafting effective legislation. The transitory nature of government positions creates gaps in institutional memory, hindering continuity and understanding of a policy's history and intended impact. Additionally, limited communication channels often obscure policymakers' view of the on-the-ground implications of policies, isolating them from the real-world experiences of citizens. This lack of direct feedback can result in policies that are poorly calibrated to the needs of the people they are intended to serve. Furthermore, policymakers may find their efforts stymied by a lack of resources or expertise needed to translate complex issues into clearly communicated legislation and implementation plans.



Civis works to address these challenges by correcting the trust deficit between citizens and policymakers and building a system where citizens can learn about laws, find simplified explanations, and offer anonymous feedback. The organization also advocates for greater clarity in government communication and helps ensure that the feedback collected is systematically considered. In doing so, Civis strives to build a more democratic and inclusive policymaking process, where the voices of citizens play a vital role in shaping the laws that govern them.
Civis is working to re-orchestrate this relational dynamic between citizens and policymakers. Antaraa describes her work as “setting the table for policymakers and citizens to collaborate effectively”. She saw that the breakdown of processes in representative policymaking was because of low procedural trust. Citizens are unsure whether a fair and adequate process is followed in passing new policies and laws. On the flip side, policymakers view citizens as disengaged and critical of government initiatives, even when designed with the intention of social welfare.

Civis tackles several key challenges that contribute to this problem. Citizens face a multi-layered barrier to engagement in India's legislative process. Accessing information about proposed laws proves difficult, and even if found, the complex legal jargon often obscures the meaning for the average person. This lack of clear communication is further compounded by inadequate feedback channels, leaving citizens without a clear avenue to contribute their perspectives. Finally, even a willingness to engage may be thwarted by governmental constraints, as agencies may lack the resources or established processes to meaningfully gather and incorporate public feedback on a large scale. These interconnected challenges form a significant obstacle to meaningful public participation, hindering the creation of truly inclusive and responsive laws.

Policymakers confront their own set of obstacles in crafting effective legislation. The transitory nature of government positions creates gaps in institutional memory, hindering continuity and understanding of a policy's history and intended impact. Additionally, limited communication channels often obscure policymakers' view of the on-the-ground implications of policies, isolating them from the real-world experiences of citizens. This lack of direct feedback can result in policies that are poorly calibrated to the needs of the people they are intended to serve. Furthermore, policymakers may be stymied by a lack of resources or expertise to translate complex issues into clearly communicated legislation and implementation plans.

Civis addresses these challenges by correcting the trust deficit between citizens and policymakers and building a system where citizens can learn about laws, find simplified explanations, and offer anonymous feedback. The organization also advocates for greater clarity in government communication and helps ensure that the feedback collected is systematically considered. In doing so, Civis strives to build a more democratic and inclusive policymaking process, where the voices of citizens play a vital role in shaping the laws that govern them.

Civis aims to bridge the gap between citizens and policymakers through a structured approach focused on gathering, consolidating, and incorporating public feedback on draft laws and policies. To accomplish this, Civis engages in capacity building with government bodies, crafting user-friendly feedback mechanisms, and integrating collected feedback into the policymaking process. This comprehensive approach leverages technology and open-source principles and is bolstered by partnerships, a dedicated volunteer network, and strategic focus areas. Civis' approach centers on bridging this trust deficit that results in breakdowns of the policymaking process.



Civis's approach to bridging the gap between citizens and policymakers is built on a foundation of clarity, transparency, and collaboration. Their model emphasizes open channels of communication and a commitment to ensuring that the voices of citizens are heard throughout the policymaking process. To achieve this, they begin by breaking down complex policy drafts, making them understandable for the average citizen. They use plain language and engaging formats to present policies on their platform, facilitating informed participation from the public. Each policy is accompanied by clear explanations of its key aspects, providing citizens with a comprehensive understanding of its implications and empowering them to provide meaningful feedback. Additionally, they maintain transparency, offering updates on how public input is being incorporated into the policy.



Civis facilitates the collection and aggregation of public feedback, channeling this consolidated input to the relevant government departments and stakeholders. Crucially, they advocate for a reverse flow of communication, encouraging government agencies to directly respond to citizens who have offered feedback. This exchange fosters procedural trust and emphasizes the value of citizen input. Civis recognizes the importance of a structured process and advocates for a clear timeline of policy drafting and execution. Each step, from ideation to implementation, is made visible to the public, fostering accountability and enabling citizens to track the progress of policies that impact them.



Civis actively promotes robust policymaking that leaves minimal room for exploitation. Their emphasis on citizen participation acts as a tool to build awareness about laws and entitlements, making implementation significantly more transparent. Civis's collaboration with government bodies is central to its strategy. They work alongside policymakers, integrating public feedback into the process to ensure that laws and policies are reflective of the needs of the people. This collaborative model shifts Civis's role from an external watchdog to an ethical partner, building trust and streamlining the policy creation process. While they don't hesitate to hold the government accountable, their approach is rooted in participation, aiming for long-term systemic change.



Civis focuses on five key domains: Environment, Public Health, Information and Technology, Social Justice, and Urban Governance. They work directly with bureaucrats in specific departments responsible for policymaking within these domains. Their reach expands organically as bureaucrats move to new postings, inviting Civis's participation within different regions and departments. Civis' core mission is to empower citizens and ensure responsive governance. They emphasize building trust between citizens and government by making legislative processes more transparent and inclusive. This directly aligns with Civis' vision of a society where laws and policies are shaped through public participation, bridging divides between those who govern and those who are governed.



Civis's commitment to inclusivity in policymaking is evident in their work. In a striking example, in one of their policy drives, they facilitated public feedback on a proposed transgender rights legislation. This ultimately led to the removal of demeaning provisions and ensuring a more respectful and accessible process for members of the transgender community. This resulted in approximately 400,000 applications for transgender identity cards, enabling individuals to access crucial welfare benefits.



The importance of Civis' approach was highlighted during public outcry over India's controversial farm laws. The lack of prior consultation had fueled widespread protests and economic disruption. This underscored the costs of ignoring public voices and the need for more participatory lawmaking, which Civis is now making possible.



To scale their impact globally, Civis has adopted a replication strategy akin to a franchise model. They aim to provide process guides that empower organizations in different regions to implement civic participation programs effectively. The success of this model is already becoming apparent, with five other organizations replicating Civis’ model in other regions of the country. Early implementation of a similar approach in Taiwan is also underway, looking to engage citizens in governance processes.

In the last six years, Civis has successfully conducted 774 consultations across government bodies in state governments and the central government of India. This has leveraged the participation of 25701 citizens and impacted policies in over 777+ Indian cities. Civis is designed to change the way laws are made, ensuring that policy processes are inclusive, transparent, and reflective of the needs of the people. Their structured approach, dedication to building trust, and focus on empowerment have led to tangible improvements in policy outcomes. As the Civis model continues to spread, its potential to create a more participatory, just, and equitable world becomes all the more promising.
Bridging the gap between citizens and policymakers is built on a foundation of clarity, transparency, and collaboration. Their model emphasizes open communication channels and a commitment to ensuring that citizens' voices are heard throughout the policymaking process. To achieve this, they begin by breaking down complex policy drafts, making them understandable for the average citizen. They use plain language and engaging formats to present policies on their platform, facilitating informed participation from the public. Each policy is accompanied by clear explanations of its key aspects, providing citizens with a comprehensive understanding of its implications and empowering them to provide meaningful feedback. Additionally, they maintain transparency, offering updates on how public input is being incorporated into the policy.

Civis facilitates collecting and aggregating public feedback, channeling this consolidated input to the relevant government departments and stakeholders. Crucially, they advocate for a reverse flow of communication, encouraging government agencies to respond directly to citizens who have offered feedback. This exchange fosters procedural trust and emphasizes the value of citizen input. Antaraa recognizes the importance of a structured process and advocates for a clear timeline of policy drafting and execution. Each step, from ideation to implementation, is made visible to the public, fostering accountability and enabling citizens to track the progress of policies that impact them.

Recognizing that policy gaps can lead to corruption, Antaraa actively promotes robust policymaking that leaves minimal room for exploitation. Their emphasis on citizen participation acts as a safeguard against corrupt practices, making implementation significantly more transparent. Collaboration with government bodies is central to its strategy. They work alongside policymakers, integrating public feedback into the process to ensure that laws and policies are reflective of the needs of the people. This collaborative model shifts Civis's role from an external watchdog to an ethical partner, building trust and streamlining the policy creation process. While they don't hesitate to hold the government accountable, their approach is rooted in participation, aiming for long-term systemic change.

Civis focuses on five key domains: Environment, Public Health, Information and Technology, Social Justice, and Urban Governance. They work directly with bureaucrats in specific departments responsible for policymaking within these domains. Their reach expands organically as bureaucrats move to new postings, inviting Civis's participation within different regions and departments. Civis' core mission is to empower citizens and ensure responsive governance. They emphasize building trust between citizens and government by making legislative processes more transparent and inclusive. This aligns directly with Antaraa’s vision of a society where laws and policies are shaped through public participation, bridging divides between those who govern and those who are governed.

Antaraa’s commitment to inclusivity in policymaking is evident in its work. In a striking example, in one of its policy drives, it facilitated public feedback on a proposed transgender rights legislation. This ultimately led to the removal of demeaning provisions and ensuring a more respectful and accessible process for members of the transgender community. This resulted in approximately 400,000 applications for transgender identity cards, enabling individuals to access crucial welfare benefits.

Antaraa’s approach was highlighted during public outcry over India's controversial farm laws, when their platform was used to gather feedback from the farming community. The lack of prior consultation had fueled widespread protests and economic disruption. Civis' efforts underscored the costs of ignoring public voices and the need for more participatory lawmaking.

To scale their impact globally, Antaraa has adopted a replication strategy akin to a franchise model. They aim to provide process guides that empower organizations in different regions to implement civic participation programs effectively. The success of this model is already becoming apparent, with five other organizations replicating Civis’ model in other regions of the country. Early implementation of a similar approach in Taiwan is also underway, looking to engage citizens in governance processes.

In the last five years, Civis has successfully conducted 585 consultations across 24 government bodies in three state governments and the central government of India. This has leveraged the participation of 23,035 citizens and impacted policies in over 777+ Indian cities. Their model is designed to change how laws are made, ensuring that policy processes are inclusive, transparent, and reflective of the needs of the people. Their structured approach, dedication to building trust, and focus on empowerment have led to tangible improvements in policy outcomes. As Antaraa's model continues to spread, its potential to create a more participatory, just, and equitable world becomes all the more promising.

Antaraa's journey to founding Civis was ignited by a childhood marked by ​Click here to enter text.​a spark of hope. Growing up in New Delhi, she witnessed her mother's work with the Indian government, gaining an early understanding of its potential to create change. ​Click here to enter text.​



A pivotal early change making moment came when Antaraa, just eight years old, and her friend saw cows eating garbage and becoming ill. Determined to help, they wrote a heartfelt letter to the President of India, even including a drawing of sad cows. Amazingly, despite their unconventional approach, their letter reached President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who responded with a promise to look into the matter. This experience taught Antaraa the power of speaking out and the importance of a government responsive to its people's concerns.



Through Antaraa’s college years in Mumbai, she began to develop a keen interest in public policy. She studied at St. Xavier's college, one of Mumbai’s top educational institutes. It was there that she discovered a Ted Talk that was part of her political science course. The video spoke about citizen movements across the world and how they impacted public policy. One of the organizations featured in this Ted Talk was DemocracyOS from Argentina. She reached out to their team and began to volunteer with them online.