Ashwin Dhanabalan is a part of the Young South Asian Leaders Initiative (YSALI) network by the U.S. Department of State. He was recognized as a 'Rising Leader' 2024 by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, India Office, and the Ilead Global Foundation, India. His leadership skills were honed during his tenure as the Coordinator of Projects at the Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS), Christ University. In this role, he managed research projects such as the 'Partners in Progress: How Does the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Matter?' in collaboration with George Washington University and the U.S. Department of State, and 'Devising a Regional Pedagogy on the Indo-Pacific' with the Council of Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR). He also served as a research associate for the project 'Understanding U.S. Presidential Elections, Transition of Power and U.S.-India Relations,' by the U.S. Department of State in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai.