Ashok Gajapathi Raju is an Indian politician who hails from a prominent political family in the state of Andhra Pradesh. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) and held various ministerial positions in the Indian government.

Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju comes from the Pusapati royal family of the Vizianagaram estate. He is the son of Maharaja Pusapati Vijayarama Gajapathi Raju, the last Maharaja of Vizianagram. His family is known for its philanthropy through its temples that include the famous Simhachalam temple and the Maharaja Alak Narayana Society for Arts and Sciences which runs several educational institutions. He is a former President of the Andhra Cricket Association. His efforts resulted in the establishment of several centres for imparting training in several sports at many places including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Vizianagaram.

Raju entered politics in the 1980s and quickly rose through the ranks of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a prominent regional party in Andhra Pradesh. His family's longstanding political influence, coupled with his own dedication to public service, helped him establish himself as a key figure within the party. Raju served multiple terms as a Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, representing the Vizianagaram constituency. During his tenure, he held various ministerial portfolios, including Excise and Tourism, where he worked on initiatives to promote tourism and boost economic development in the state. In 2014, he transitioned to national politics when he was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, from the Vizianagaram constituency. Following the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the general elections, he was appointed as the Minister of Civil Aviation in the Modi government.

As Minister of Civil Aviation from 2014 to 2018, Raju played a pivotal role in shaping India's aviation sector. He focused on modernizing infrastructure, promoting regional connectivity, and implementing policies to stimulate growth and investment in the aviation industry. During his tenure as Civil Aviation Minister, Raju oversaw and played a key role in the formulation and implementation of policies to improve air connectivity, enhance airport infrastructure, and promote regional aviation.        

He resigned on 8 March 2018 over a dispute with central government to provide special status to Andhra Pradesh. After stepping down as Minister of Civil Aviation, Raju continued to be active in public life, advocating for the interests of his constituents and contributing to the political discourse in Andhra Pradesh. His focus on improving education led to the establishment of several governmental and non-governmental educational institutions. He served as Chairman of The Maharaja Alak Narayana Society of Arts and Science (MANSAS) which is running twelve educational institutions in the district. As a Minister, he was associated with several developmental activities. He is keenly interested in the field of public health and the conservation of water and electricity. In pursuance of this ideal, he launched housing, drinking water, and health schemes. He has travelled abroad to study town planning and to implement it suitably in Andhra Pradesh.