Ashok Vajpeyi (born 1941) is an Indian Hindi-language poet, essayist, literary-cultural critic, apart from being a noted cultural and arts administrator, and a former civil servant.

[3][4] His notable poetry collections include, Shaher Ab Bhi Sambhavana Hai (1966), Tatpurush (1986), Bahuri Akela (1992), Ibarat Se Giri Matrayen, Ummeed ka Doosra Naam (2004) and Vivaksha (2006), besides this he has also published works on literary and art criticism: Filhal, Kuchh Poorvagrah, Samay se Bahar, Kavita ka Galp and Sidhiyan Shuru ho Gayi Hain.

He is generally seen as part of the old Delhi-centric literary-cultural establishment consisting of bureaucrat-poets and academicians like Sitakanta Mahapatra, Keki Daruwalla, J.P.Das, Gopi Chand Narang, Indra Nath Choudhari and K.Satchidanandan.

[5] Vajpeyi received his master's degree(MA English)from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi[6] and joined the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in Madhya Pradesh (MP), in 1965.

given to him by University of Hyderabad in protest against the "Anti-Dalit" attitude of authorities which has allegedly driven a Dalit student Rohith Vemula to commit suicide.