About Us
About CRGD
An independent, non-partisan research and advocacy institution dedicated to advancing liberty, knowledge, democracy, accountable governance, and development.
The Centre for Research on Governance and Development (CRGD): The Public Policy Bridge is an independent, non-partisan research and advocacy institution dedicated to advancing liberty, knowledge, democracy, accountable governance, and development.
Founded on the conviction that public policy must be informed by evidence, guided by reason, and judged by its outcomes, CRGD seeks to bridge the divide between academic scholarship, institutions, and the realities of society. We undertake rigorous, inter/multi-disciplinary research, critically examine existing policies as well as practices, and develop innovative, practical solutions to complex civic, governance and development challenges.
Rooted in profound intellectual vision and public purpose, we advance in-depth critical research, informed discourses and evidence-based policy action through scholarly publications, strategic partnerships and constructive engagement with policymakers and civil society, contributing to stronger institutions and meaningful institutional reforms.
CRGD stands for the liberty, the responsibility to reason, and the imperative to reform and responsible interventions.
Our Story
From an Idea to an Institution
The Centre for Research on Governance and Development (CRGD): The Public Policy Bridge was envisioned and founded by Amal Chandra, whose engagement with public affairs, policy research, and institutional processes revealed a persistent disconnect between academic knowledge, public decision-making and societal realities. Drawing on years of intellectual exchange, critical reflection, and collective brainstorming, he brought together diverse ideas, identified institutional gaps, and assembled a brilliant team committed to addressing them. A shared intellectual pursuit gradually evolved into a vision for an independent institution that connects scholarship with the practical demands of governance and development.
The founding team comprises young professionals, all under thirty, with established records of academic achievement, research, publications, institutional leadership and international exposure. Their multidisciplinary experience spans public policy, scientific research, academia, civic engagement and collaborations with governments, research institutions and organisations across different levels. The vision acquired a structured institutional framework through The Statement Fellowship, a programme of Students For Liberty, during which Amal Chandra developed the proposal into an independent, non-profit research institution headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam. CRGD is an entirely autonomous institution, neither affiliated with nor a constituent body of Students For Liberty.
On 3 October 2026, the founding General Body unanimously resolved to establish CRGD, adopting its constitutional framework and constituting its first Governing Body. Rooted in Keralam, nationally engaged and internationally oriented, CRGD embodies an ambition extending beyond the creation of another policy organisation: to build an enduring intellectual institution that questions established assumptions, connects knowledge with institutional practice, and contributes to consequential public policy and governance reforms. Its founding conviction remains that the enduring value of ideas lies in their capacity to inform decisions, strengthen institutions, and advance human progress.