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Our dynamic team of multidisciplinary researchers tackle complex policy questions, build capacity, and foster inclusive and rational policies through debate, discourse and knowledge production. We constantly engage with ethical research practices to ensure accuracy and sensitivity in all our work.
Niveditha Menon has over 20 years of expertise in gender issues, focusing on violence, empowerment, public spaces, sexuality, and urban poverty. With a PhD in Sociology and Demography from Pennsylvania State University (USA), she leads impactful research at the intersection of gender and education, public finance, governance. Prior to joining CBPS, she was associated with International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bengaluru where she carried out research on technology and marginalised populations. She has also taught at Pennsylvania State University and has worked at the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Green Peace, and IT for Change.
Currently the Director of Skills at the Commonwealth of Learning, Jyotsna Jha was a former Director at CBPS. Trained as an economist, she has led a number of research initiatives and has published work on issues related with equity in education, gender, women’s empowerment and public finance. In recent years, she has worked on a wide range of public policies and finance issues, including gender budgeting, health finance and public spending on children. Prior to joining CBPS, she worked as an adviser at Commonwealth Secretariat in London, where she undertook research and policy advocacy in a large number of countries in Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia.
Vinod Vyasulu is the Founder and first Director of CBPS. He has an extensive teaching background, having worked as an economics professor at various universities for nearly two decades. He has worked as a Consulting Economist with the ILO, the World Bank, the UNDP, various bilateral agencies, and public and private institutions in India. Over his career, he has worked on decentralisation, industrial management and several areas related to public policy and finance. He has several publications to his credit in well-reputed journals. At CBPS, he was responsible for the organisation’s functioning, choice and execution of research projects.
An agricultural economist by education, Madhusudhan’s interests lie in the field of decentralisation, governance, public finance and policy. He has developed expertise in the analysis of government budgets including local governments (rural and urban) and drawing insights of governance. He is also involved in training elected representatives and government officers on budgets. He has trained over 1,000 elected representatives on budgets during his work with various projects. He is currently involved in studies related to public finance and decentralisation. He has over two decades of research experience working across projects related to public finance, Governance and decentralisation.
Archana Purohit is a Senior Research Advisor at CBPS. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and a PG Diploma in Rural Management from Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). She has over 15 years of experience across social science research and financial services sectors and has worked with organisations such as ICICI Bank Ltd. and IWMI – TATA Water Policy Program prior to joining CBPS. Her research interests lie primarily in the areas of poverty, inequality and inclusive growth. At CBPS, she has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of public service delivery, education, public finance and governance and internal migration.
Sridhar joined CBPS in April 2017. He has a Master’s degree in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining CBPS, he has spent over a decade and a half at General Electric focusing on project management, organisational development, research and technology innovation. Sridhar made a conscious shift from the technology sector to explore his interests in public policy and effective governance. At CBPS, he has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of governance and accountability, decentralisation, public service delivery and gender.
Neha Ghatak is a Research Advisor and the Lead for Education and Mixed Methods at the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS), Bengaluru, India. Her engagement has primarily been in the intersections of education, gender and empowerment. Over the past decade, she has worked extensively on issues related to inclusion in education in Early Childhood Education (ECE), primary, secondary and ODL based education. A sociologist by training, she has always had a keen interest in the education sector and has several publications to her credit.
Gayathri Raghuraman has over ten years of experience in the field of public health and has won the David W. Hosmer Award for Academic Excellence during her M.P.H, at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her main areas of interest include health systems research, health and nutrition in early childhood, communicable and non- communicable diseases, public financing for health, health insurance and public health education. She enjoys long nature walks, filter coffee and reading books on rainy days.
Urvija joined CBPS in June 2024 as a Research Advisor on Gender. She has a Doctorate in Gender Studies from University of Hyderabad. Prior to CBPS engagement, she worked as a Guest Faculty at the Centre for Women's Studies, University of Hyderabad where she taught "Gender and Labor" and "Gender, Art and Social Change" to students pursuing their Masters in Gender Studies. She has previously worked on maternal and child health, gender based violence and rights of children living on streets. She pursued her Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai with focus on Women-centred Social Work. Her interests include Feminist theories and Praxis, Gender and Sexualities Research, Intersectionalities, Mental Health, Care Work and Women's Artistic Practices.
Yukti Jain is a Senior Research Associate at CBPS, with expertise in legislative research, data analysis, and strategic planning. Holding an MA in Public Policy from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and a Company Secretary certification from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, she possesses a unique blend of skills. Committed to impactful and positive policymaking, her research interests lie primarily in the areas of urban economics, ESG reporting, Investment promotion, and sustainable industrial growth. At CBPS, she has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of public service delivery, education, public finance, sustainable livelihoods, and governance.
Sowmya is a Senior Research Associate at CBPS. She has over seven years of experience across different research domains such as public finance, education, health and nutrition and livelihoods. When she joined CBPS in 2017, she was deputed for one and a half years in the crop insurance section of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka. She has worked on various research projects namely public finance for children, analysis of budgets of local governments and child nutrition at CBPS to name a few. She has a Masters in Economics from Bangalore University.
Amukta Sistla has been with CBPS since October 2020. She currently engages with projects related to gender, education, child vulnerabilities and IEC. She completed her Master's in Development Studies from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru in 2019.
Raghavi joined CBPS as a Research Assistant in October 2020 after an internship in 2019. She joined as an embedded ethnographer for the Gender Violence in Public Spaces project, working with the field organization for two and half years. She is currently a Research Associate, mainly working on gender and gender budgets. Raghavi holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University and Undergraduate degree in History, Public Administration, and Geography from Osmania University. She loves exploring human rights, law, gender, and public finance with the curiosity of a cat and the patience of a rhino.
Susmita is a Development Researcher and Practitioner with a deep interest in understanding the concept of gender and rural livelihoods. She has worked with non-profits like Sustainable Livelihood Institute (SLI), Auroville and SwitchON Foundation. She has specifically worked on Eco-Tourism as a livelihood intervention, entrepreneurship training for SHG women and Clean Energy Access in Agriculture. She has also worked as a part time Consultant with Adecom Network, a Dalit Women Rights based organization in Puducherry. Her interest lies in undertaking action research and evaluation studies to critically assess interventions and policies on ground.
Abida UC joined CBPS in September 2022. Abida has completed her Masters in Development Studies from TATA Institute of Social Science Mumbai and Bachelor’s in Economics (Hon) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. She has previously interned with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Her research interests lie primarily in the areas of public policy, governance, and political economy. At CBPS, she has worked in the areas of public service delivery, education, early childhood development and gender.
Tina is a Research Assistant at CBPS. She has a Master's degree in Applied Sociology and a Bachelor's degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology, from CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. At CBPS, Tina has worked on projects in the domains of gender, and governance and accountability. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a Research Assistant on an urban-economic ethnography project under Dr. Maya M, Assistant Professor of Sociology at CHRIST (Deemed to be University). She also interned at Solidarity Foundation, Bengaluru, where she worked on multiple projects concerning the rights and experiences of LGBTQIA+ persons. Her research interests are in the areas of gender and sexuality, education, law, and governance.
Vidhi joined CBPS in February 2023. She holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Sociology from CHRIST (Deemed to be University). With a background in psychology and economics, she has interned at the Department of Psychiatry in Sion Hospital (Mumbai), and at Muktangan Education Trust. During the course of her education, she volunteered with SOCHARA and Centre for Social Action, where she worked on projects pertaining to sensitization on health and sanitation, waste management, and more. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a graphic designer with The Mood Space, and was a social media and market research intern at Poocho.
Mohiuddin, having joined CBPS in June 2023, holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree with triple majors in History, Economics and Political Science, both from St. Joseph’s University (Bengaluru). At St. Joseph’s, Mohiuddin undertook two research projects namely: (i) Micro-Financing in Badamakan, Channapatna – A Study of Self-Help Group Grameenkoota and (ii) A Study of Sluggish Growth Prevailing among the Wooden Lacquered Toy Manufacturers of Channapatna. Prior to CBPS, he interned at the International Institute of SDGs & Public Policy Research (Aligarh). Mohiuddin’s research interests include public finance and local institutions, reflected in his work at CBPS, which spans education, public finance and governance.
Joann joined CPBS in July 2023 as a Research Fellow. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology from St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. During her bachelors, she participated in the research wings of GirlUp Clubs, a UN Foundation initiative for leadership development and gender empowerment, where she worked on a research paper titled ‘Unconscious Biases in the Indian family unit’. She also worked on a research paper titled ‘Gendered Parenting and its Implications on Parent-Child Interactions’. Additionally, she has also collaborated on various research projects. Joann’s primary interests revolve around gender, family, and governance.
Kumar Chandan has been a Research Fellow at CBPS since July 2023. A journalism graduate from the University of Delhi, he believes in translating policies and research into a more lucid, consumable form that resonates with diverse audiences. He has previously worked with the UNESCO South Asia Centre to produce and host the podcast—Ae Ri Sakhi. He is passionate about queer and disability rights stems, and his work over the years reflects the same. At CBPS, he aims to learn the art of policymaking through understanding the needs of the people and public service delivery.
Yasmin joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2023. She is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University (formerly St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, with a triple major B.A. in Journalism, International Relations & Peace Studies, Public Policy. She has volunteered with People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), and has conducted data analysis and inferencing on legal aid awareness. She has pursued academic and literary interests, including writing research papers and essays on climate migration, ideological narratives, and digital youth activism. At CBPS, she works on creative communications and gender-related research. She is interested in gender, governance, and livelihoods.
Rutuja joined CBPS in October 2024. She has graduated as an Erasmus Mundus Scholar studying economics and policy. She was a Young India Fellow at Ashoka University where she completed her Bachelors in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics. She has worked on local ecological policy in France. She was also Coordinator of the Complexity Economic Working Group at YSI, INET. She believes that the best economists do the least economics. In addition to work, she pursues documentary filmmaking, writing, and running. She is currently working on a film that captures the ecology and economics of remote India.
Arvind joined CBPS in July 2024 as a Research Fellow. He completed his Bachelor of Science (Research) in Economics from Shiv Nadar University in 2024, with a minor in Sociology. Prior to joining CBPS, he worked with institutions like The Habitat Trust and TISS Hyderabad, as well as conducting individual research, gaining diverse experience in areas such as public finance, geo-spatial data analysis, climate change and social conflict, and developmental economics. His research interests broadly encompass the intersections of empirical social science and public policy.
Akshitha joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2024. She is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru with a double major BA in Political Science and Sociology. Previously, she was a research assistant at the office of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Akshitha has also worked as an educator at Spandana (By CARE and Ashirvad Centre), a non-profit organisation in Bengaluru that aims to improve the learning outcomes of underprivileged children of migrant families. Additionally, she has presented research papers at national and international conferences on topics such as disability justice and crisis standards of care, environmental racism, climate justice and neo-colonial development models. Her research interests lie at the intersection of feminist political philosophy, anti-caste and anti-racist praxis, and community-based approaches to development.
Ariyan Pal joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2024. He has completed his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai. Prior to joining CBPS, Ariyan worked as a Market Research Analyst for Yelow Financial, a Fintech firm in Delhi. He has also interned with Queer Institute in a paper titled - "Interplay between LGBTIQ+ Health, Social Support, and Economic Opportunities'' and worked as an Independent researcher and curated a Policy Note titled "Alternative Path for the Parel Slow Local: A Policy Proposal for Enhanced Commuter Convenience." His research interest areas include the intersection of Development & Economics, Education, and Urban Public Finance.
Thyagarajan has been associated with CBPS since 1998. A Commerce Graduate from the University of Bangalore. Since 2008, he has been working as an Administrative and Liaison Officer. He now coordinates administrative issues of the organization in different projects, does field visits, coordinates with officials during field work and also involves himself in documentation and other activities.
Usha P Variath has been a Finance and Accounts Officer at CBPS since 2006. She has over 30 years of work experience in the field of accounts. Her major responsibilities include managing and maintaining accounts to ensure compliance with accounting standards. She is responsible for all statutory related payments recording and filing. She facilitates the research team in their field travel and other administrative issues. Prior to CBPS, she worked as an Accountant at MYRADA/PLAN.
Mrinalika is CBPS’ HR and Information Manager. She joined CBPS in 2013 as the Communications and Accounts Manager, and went on to become the Communications and Information Manager. She is a Certified Human Resource Management Professional (C.H.R.M.P). She handles several portfolios including end-to-end recruitment, hiring and exit procedures, and archiving of data. She has a Masters in Commerce from the University of Bangalore with a specialisation in Marketing and Finance. Previously, she worked as a consultant at IDPMS. She also worked as a Junior Project Manager with Swissnex, the scientific wing of the Swiss Embassy, Bengaluru.
Anita joined CBPS in January 2024 as the Communications Manager with diverse experience in marketing and research communications. Previously, she has worked as a Communications Officer for UNDP India, Akshaya Patra Foundation, Learning Links Foundation, Content Support Associate for Amazon, Assistant Director for KBC Kannada with Big Synergy Media. She holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Audio-Visual Communication from Convergence Institute of Media Management Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from Jyoti Nivas College, Bengaluru.
Vanaja has been Administrative and Accounts Assistant at CBPS since 1st August 2017. Earlier, she worked as Administrative and Accounts Assistant at Tide Technocrats Private Limited for three years and as Admin Assistant (Front Office Maintenance) at Technology Informatics Design Endeavour for eleven years. Additionally, she worked as Admin Assistant/Clerk/Typist and Receptionist etc. at four more organisations for eight years. Overall, she has 29 years of work experience including CBPS.
Ramesh has been working at CBPS as an office assistant since May 2010. Prior to CBPS, he worked as a Supervisor to House-Keeping staff at India Satcom Ltd.
Sandeep worked with CBPS from March 2009 and August 2011 and his work largely focused on empirical work in the drinking water sector during his tenure. Sandeep is a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems and Technology Management at UNSW Business School. He holds a PhD in Business & Management from Loughborough University, UK. His dissertation studied impact sourcing – a social innovation in outsourcing, in which he explored processes and strategies of social entrepreneurship, community engagement and sociocultural transitions. He has published in reputed journals such as European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems and Information & Management.
Anaka Aiyar is a Health Economist. Prior to joining UNR, she worked at the Tata-Cornell Institute of Agriculture and Nutrition at Cornell University as a Postdoctoral Associate. She studies the direct and indirect impacts of health policies on improving access to health, income, food and nutrition security. Anaka’s research has been published in premier academic journals such as Journal of Development Economics, World Development, Journal of Development Studies, Economics Letters and the Journal of Business Ethics. Her book ‘Transforming Food Systems for a Rising India’ explores the inter-linkages between health, agriculture and economic development in India. She has received several honors and awards including the Postdoc Achievement Award for Excellence in Leadership at Cornell University, Taraknath Das Foundation Grant in Aid (Columbia University) and the Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship Award at the University of California, Riverside. At CBPS, Anaka worked on impact evaluations of public health policies in Karnataka. She was affiliated with CBPS first as an intern in the summer of 2005 and then as a Research Associate between April 2009 and June 2011.
Shobha was a Project Coordinator with CBPS from July 2009 to May 2012. She worked as a part-time retainer consultant with CBPS from June 2012 to June 2014. After leaving CBPS, Shobha worked as a consultant. She trained around 4000 corporate employees on Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act 2013. She worked at Participatory Research in Asia, New Delhi from 2018 to 2019 as a Senior Manager. Thereafter, she continued as consultant to various organisations. In 2020 she joined UNDP -SDGCC Karnataka as an Awareness Generation and Capacity Building Lead. As an Awareness generation & capacity building lead, she is providing technical support to the Planning Department, Government Karnataka.
Puja Minni worked with CBPS from September 2012 to July 2019. Her work at CBPS mainly focused on education-related projects. After this she worked partially on two book chapters with her mentor and ex-boss, Dr. Jyotsna Jha. One of these book chapters was extremely special to her as it involved years of her work and ideas that she was finally able to consolidate. She was requested by Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bangalore to take a course on Public Finance for their Master’s in Public Policy students. During the academic year 2021-22, she taught courses on Public Finance, Research Methodology, Decoding Public Policy, Ethics and Public Policy and Policy Formulation. She currently works as an independent Researcher and Guest Faculty for Masters in Public Policy, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bengaluru..
Varun worked as a Research Advisor at CBPS in 2012-13. It was a great experience working with the team at CBPS, and he had ample opportunities to learn and demonstrate his expertise. He left CBPS to pursue post-doctoral research at the Tata Institute of Social Science in Mumbai. Soon after completing his PhD, he worked as a senior researcher for an anti-human trafficking organisation and for a brief stint as a health economist with Oxford Policy Management. Following that, he worked as a Research Manager at TISS Mumbai and then as an Associate General Manager Research at Child Rights and You (CRY). Presently, he is associated with Jhpiego as an MLE Specialist.
Tanushka had joined CBPS in February 2022 as a Research Assistant. She was working on a project titled, ‘Gender violence in public spaces: Studying the approaches and theorising the pathways of change‘. She has completed her graduation in Political Science Honours from Delhi University and Masters in Public Administration from Panjab University. During her course of education, she has interned with the Ministry of Women and Child where she has worked on RTIs and Grievances and reports under the Domestic Violence Act. She has also interned in ‘Becoming-I’ foundation where she has taught economically weaker section students of a private school in New Delhi. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a Research Officer on Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration.
Rajat had joined CBPS in April 2022. He has a Master’s degree in Development Studies from IIT, Mandi and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Delhi. He was also an Urban Fellow at Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru. Before joining CBPS, he was working as a Research Assistant on a project titled ‘Covid-19 and Punjabi Migration to Canada’ which was carried out by York University, Canada and O.P Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India.
Niveditha Menon has over 20 years of expertise in gender issues, focusing on violence, empowerment, public spaces, sexuality, and urban poverty. With a PhD in Sociology and Demography from Pennsylvania State University (USA), she leads impactful research at the intersection of gender and education, public finance, governance. Prior to joining CBPS, she was associated with International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bengaluru where she carried out research on technology and marginalised populations. She has also taught at Pennsylvania State University and has worked at the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Green Peace, and IT for Change.
Currently the Director of Skills at the Commonwealth of Learning, Jyotsna Jha was a former Director at CBPS. Trained as an economist, she has led a number of research initiatives and has published work on issues related with equity in education, gender, women’s empowerment and public finance. In recent years, she has worked on a wide range of public policies and finance issues, including gender budgeting, health finance and public spending on children. Prior to joining CBPS, she worked as an adviser at Commonwealth Secretariat in London, where she undertook research and policy advocacy in a large number of countries in Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia.
Vinod Vyasulu is the Founder and first Director of CBPS. He has an extensive teaching background, having worked as an economics professor at various universities for nearly two decades. He has worked as a Consulting Economist with the ILO, the World Bank, the UNDP, various bilateral agencies, and public and private institutions in India. Over his career, he has worked on decentralisation, industrial management and several areas related to public policy and finance. He has several publications to his credit in well-reputed journals. At CBPS, he was responsible for the organisation’s functioning, choice and execution of research projects.
An agricultural economist by education, Madhusudhan’s interests lie in the field of decentralisation, governance, public finance and policy. He has developed expertise in the analysis of government budgets including local governments (rural and urban) and drawing insights of governance. He is also involved in training elected representatives and government officers on budgets. He has trained over 1,000 elected representatives on budgets during his work with various projects. He is currently involved in studies related to public finance and decentralisation. He has over two decades of research experience working across projects related to public finance, Governance and decentralisation.
Archana Purohit is a Senior Research Advisor at CBPS. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and a PG Diploma in Rural Management from Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). She has over 15 years of experience across social science research and financial services sectors and has worked with organisations such as ICICI Bank Ltd. and IWMI – TATA Water Policy Program prior to joining CBPS. Her research interests lie primarily in the areas of poverty, inequality and inclusive growth. At CBPS, she has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of public service delivery, education, public finance and governance and internal migration.
Sridhar joined CBPS in April 2017. He has a Master’s degree in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining CBPS, he has spent over a decade and a half at General Electric focusing on project management, organisational development, research and technology innovation. Sridhar made a conscious shift from the technology sector to explore his interests in public policy and effective governance. At CBPS, he has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of governance and accountability, decentralisation, public service delivery and gender.
Neha Ghatak is a Research Advisor and the Lead for Education and Mixed Methods at the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS), Bengaluru, India. Her engagement has primarily been in the intersections of education, gender and empowerment. Over the past decade, she has worked extensively on issues related to inclusion in education in Early Childhood Education (ECE), primary, secondary and ODL based education. A sociologist by training, she has always had a keen interest in the education sector and has several publications to her credit.
Gayathri Raghuraman has over ten years of experience in the field of public health and has won the David W. Hosmer Award for Academic Excellence during her M.P.H, at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her main areas of interest include health systems research, health and nutrition in early childhood, communicable and non- communicable diseases, public financing for health, health insurance and public health education. She enjoys long nature walks, filter coffee and reading books on rainy days.
Urvija joined CBPS in June 2024 as a Research Advisor on Gender. She has a Doctorate in Gender Studies from University of Hyderabad. Prior to CBPS engagement, she worked as a Guest Faculty at the Centre for Women's Studies, University of Hyderabad where she taught "Gender and Labor" and "Gender, Art and Social Change" to students pursuing their Masters in Gender Studies. She has previously worked on maternal and child health, gender based violence and rights of children living on streets. She pursued her Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai with focus on Women-centred Social Work. Her interests include Feminist theories and Praxis, Gender and Sexualities Research, Intersectionalities, Mental Health, Care Work and Women's Artistic Practices.
Yukti Jain is a Senior Research Associate at CBPS, with expertise in legislative research, data analysis, and strategic planning. Holding an MA in Public Policy from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and a Company Secretary certification from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, she possesses a unique blend of skills. Committed to impactful and positive policymaking, her research interests lie primarily in the areas of urban economics, ESG reporting, Investment promotion, and sustainable industrial growth. At CBPS, she has worked on various projects predominantly in the areas of public service delivery, education, public finance, sustainable livelihoods, and governance.
Sowmya is a Senior Research Associate at CBPS. She has over seven years of experience across different research domains such as public finance, education, health and nutrition and livelihoods. When she joined CBPS in 2017, she was deputed for one and a half years in the crop insurance section of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka. She has worked on various research projects namely public finance for children, analysis of budgets of local governments and child nutrition at CBPS to name a few. She has a Masters in Economics from Bangalore University.
Amukta Sistla has been with CBPS since October 2020. She currently engages with projects related to gender, education, child vulnerabilities and IEC. She completed her Master's in Development Studies from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru in 2019.
Raghavi joined CBPS as a Research Assistant in October 2020 after an internship in 2019. She joined as an embedded ethnographer for the Gender Violence in Public Spaces project, working with the field organization for two and half years. She is currently a Research Associate, mainly working on gender and gender budgets. Raghavi holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance from Azim Premji University and Undergraduate degree in History, Public Administration, and Geography from Osmania University. She loves exploring human rights, law, gender, and public finance with the curiosity of a cat and the patience of a rhino.
Susmita is a Development Researcher and Practitioner with a deep interest in understanding the concept of gender and rural livelihoods. She has worked with non-profits like Sustainable Livelihood Institute (SLI), Auroville and SwitchON Foundation. She has specifically worked on Eco-Tourism as a livelihood intervention, entrepreneurship training for SHG women and Clean Energy Access in Agriculture. She has also worked as a part time Consultant with Adecom Network, a Dalit Women Rights based organization in Puducherry. Her interest lies in undertaking action research and evaluation studies to critically assess interventions and policies on ground.
Abida UC joined CBPS in September 2022. Abida has completed her Masters in Development Studies from TATA Institute of Social Science Mumbai and Bachelor’s in Economics (Hon) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. She has previously interned with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Her research interests lie primarily in the areas of public policy, governance, and political economy. At CBPS, she has worked in the areas of public service delivery, education, early childhood development and gender.
Tina is a Research Assistant at CBPS. She has a Master's degree in Applied Sociology and a Bachelor's degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology, from CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. At CBPS, Tina has worked on projects in the domains of gender, and governance and accountability. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a Research Assistant on an urban-economic ethnography project under Dr. Maya M, Assistant Professor of Sociology at CHRIST (Deemed to be University). She also interned at Solidarity Foundation, Bengaluru, where she worked on multiple projects concerning the rights and experiences of LGBTQIA+ persons. Her research interests are in the areas of gender and sexuality, education, law, and governance.
Vidhi joined CBPS in February 2023. She holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Sociology from CHRIST (Deemed to be University). With a background in psychology and economics, she has interned at the Department of Psychiatry in Sion Hospital (Mumbai), and at Muktangan Education Trust. During the course of her education, she volunteered with SOCHARA and Centre for Social Action, where she worked on projects pertaining to sensitization on health and sanitation, waste management, and more. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a graphic designer with The Mood Space, and was a social media and market research intern at Poocho.
Mohiuddin, having joined CBPS in June 2023, holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree with triple majors in History, Economics and Political Science, both from St. Joseph’s University (Bengaluru). At St. Joseph’s, Mohiuddin undertook two research projects namely: (i) Micro-Financing in Badamakan, Channapatna – A Study of Self-Help Group Grameenkoota and (ii) A Study of Sluggish Growth Prevailing among the Wooden Lacquered Toy Manufacturers of Channapatna. Prior to CBPS, he interned at the International Institute of SDGs & Public Policy Research (Aligarh). Mohiuddin’s research interests include public finance and local institutions, reflected in his work at CBPS, which spans education, public finance and governance.
Joann joined CPBS in July 2023 as a Research Fellow. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology from St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. During her bachelors, she participated in the research wings of GirlUp Clubs, a UN Foundation initiative for leadership development and gender empowerment, where she worked on a research paper titled ‘Unconscious Biases in the Indian family unit’. She also worked on a research paper titled ‘Gendered Parenting and its Implications on Parent-Child Interactions’. Additionally, she has also collaborated on various research projects. Joann’s primary interests revolve around gender, family, and governance.
Kumar Chandan has been a Research Fellow at CBPS since July 2023. A journalism graduate from the University of Delhi, he believes in translating policies and research into a more lucid, consumable form that resonates with diverse audiences. He has previously worked with the UNESCO South Asia Centre to produce and host the podcast—Ae Ri Sakhi. He is passionate about queer and disability rights stems, and his work over the years reflects the same. At CBPS, he aims to learn the art of policymaking through understanding the needs of the people and public service delivery.
Yasmin joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2023. She is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University (formerly St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, with a triple major B.A. in Journalism, International Relations & Peace Studies, Public Policy. She has volunteered with People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), and has conducted data analysis and inferencing on legal aid awareness. She has pursued academic and literary interests, including writing research papers and essays on climate migration, ideological narratives, and digital youth activism. At CBPS, she works on creative communications and gender-related research. She is interested in gender, governance, and livelihoods.
Rutuja joined CBPS in October 2024. She has graduated as an Erasmus Mundus Scholar studying economics and policy. She was a Young India Fellow at Ashoka University where she completed her Bachelors in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics. She has worked on local ecological policy in France. She was also Coordinator of the Complexity Economic Working Group at YSI, INET. She believes that the best economists do the least economics. In addition to work, she pursues documentary filmmaking, writing, and running. She is currently working on a film that captures the ecology and economics of remote India.
Arvind joined CBPS in July 2024 as a Research Fellow. He completed his Bachelor of Science (Research) in Economics from Shiv Nadar University in 2024, with a minor in Sociology. Prior to joining CBPS, he worked with institutions like The Habitat Trust and TISS Hyderabad, as well as conducting individual research, gaining diverse experience in areas such as public finance, geo-spatial data analysis, climate change and social conflict, and developmental economics. His research interests broadly encompass the intersections of empirical social science and public policy.
Akshitha joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2024. She is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru with a double major BA in Political Science and Sociology. Previously, she was a research assistant at the office of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Akshitha has also worked as an educator at Spandana (By CARE and Ashirvad Centre), a non-profit organisation in Bengaluru that aims to improve the learning outcomes of underprivileged children of migrant families. Additionally, she has presented research papers at national and international conferences on topics such as disability justice and crisis standards of care, environmental racism, climate justice and neo-colonial development models. Her research interests lie at the intersection of feminist political philosophy, anti-caste and anti-racist praxis, and community-based approaches to development.
Ariyan Pal joined CBPS as a Research Fellow in July 2024. He has completed his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai. Prior to joining CBPS, Ariyan worked as a Market Research Analyst for Yelow Financial, a Fintech firm in Delhi. He has also interned with Queer Institute in a paper titled - "Interplay between LGBTIQ+ Health, Social Support, and Economic Opportunities'' and worked as an Independent researcher and curated a Policy Note titled "Alternative Path for the Parel Slow Local: A Policy Proposal for Enhanced Commuter Convenience." His research interest areas include the intersection of Development & Economics, Education, and Urban Public Finance.
Thyagarajan has been associated with CBPS since 1998. A Commerce Graduate from the University of Bangalore. Since 2008, he has been working as an Administrative and Liaison Officer. He now coordinates administrative issues of the organization in different projects, does field visits, coordinates with officials during field work and also involves himself in documentation and other activities.
Usha P Variath has been a Finance and Accounts Officer at CBPS since 2006. She has over 30 years of work experience in the field of accounts. Her major responsibilities include managing and maintaining accounts to ensure compliance with accounting standards. She is responsible for all statutory related payments recording and filing. She facilitates the research team in their field travel and other administrative issues. Prior to CBPS, she worked as an Accountant at MYRADA/PLAN.
Mrinalika is CBPS’ HR and Information Manager. She joined CBPS in 2013 as the Communications and Accounts Manager, and went on to become the Communications and Information Manager. She is a Certified Human Resource Management Professional (C.H.R.M.P). She handles several portfolios including end-to-end recruitment, hiring and exit procedures, and archiving of data. She has a Masters in Commerce from the University of Bangalore with a specialisation in Marketing and Finance. Previously, she worked as a consultant at IDPMS. She also worked as a Junior Project Manager with Swissnex, the scientific wing of the Swiss Embassy, Bengaluru.
Anita joined CBPS in January 2024 as the Communications Manager with diverse experience in marketing and research communications. Previously, she has worked as a Communications Officer for UNDP India, Akshaya Patra Foundation, Learning Links Foundation, Content Support Associate for Amazon, Assistant Director for KBC Kannada with Big Synergy Media. She holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Audio-Visual Communication from Convergence Institute of Media Management Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from Jyoti Nivas College, Bengaluru.
Vanaja has been Administrative and Accounts Assistant at CBPS since 1st August 2017. Earlier, she worked as Administrative and Accounts Assistant at Tide Technocrats Private Limited for three years and as Admin Assistant (Front Office Maintenance) at Technology Informatics Design Endeavour for eleven years. Additionally, she worked as Admin Assistant/Clerk/Typist and Receptionist etc. at four more organisations for eight years. Overall, she has 29 years of work experience including CBPS.
Ramesh has been working at CBPS as an office assistant since May 2010. Prior to CBPS, he worked as a Supervisor to House-Keeping staff at India Satcom Ltd.
Sandeep worked with CBPS from March 2009 and August 2011 and his work largely focused on empirical work in the drinking water sector during his tenure. Sandeep is a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems and Technology Management at UNSW Business School. He holds a PhD in Business & Management from Loughborough University, UK. His dissertation studied impact sourcing – a social innovation in outsourcing, in which he explored processes and strategies of social entrepreneurship, community engagement and sociocultural transitions. He has published in reputed journals such as European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems and Information & Management.
Anaka Aiyar is a Health Economist. Prior to joining UNR, she worked at the Tata-Cornell Institute of Agriculture and Nutrition at Cornell University as a Postdoctoral Associate. She studies the direct and indirect impacts of health policies on improving access to health, income, food and nutrition security. Anaka’s research has been published in premier academic journals such as Journal of Development Economics, World Development, Journal of Development Studies, Economics Letters and the Journal of Business Ethics. Her book ‘Transforming Food Systems for a Rising India’ explores the inter-linkages between health, agriculture and economic development in India. She has received several honors and awards including the Postdoc Achievement Award for Excellence in Leadership at Cornell University, Taraknath Das Foundation Grant in Aid (Columbia University) and the Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship Award at the University of California, Riverside. At CBPS, Anaka worked on impact evaluations of public health policies in Karnataka. She was affiliated with CBPS first as an intern in the summer of 2005 and then as a Research Associate between April 2009 and June 2011.
Shobha was a Project Coordinator with CBPS from July 2009 to May 2012. She worked as a part-time retainer consultant with CBPS from June 2012 to June 2014. After leaving CBPS, Shobha worked as a consultant. She trained around 4000 corporate employees on Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act 2013. She worked at Participatory Research in Asia, New Delhi from 2018 to 2019 as a Senior Manager. Thereafter, she continued as consultant to various organisations. In 2020 she joined UNDP -SDGCC Karnataka as an Awareness Generation and Capacity Building Lead. As an Awareness generation & capacity building lead, she is providing technical support to the Planning Department, Government Karnataka.
Puja Minni worked with CBPS from September 2012 to July 2019. Her work at CBPS mainly focused on education-related projects. After this she worked partially on two book chapters with her mentor and ex-boss, Dr. Jyotsna Jha. One of these book chapters was extremely special to her as it involved years of her work and ideas that she was finally able to consolidate. She was requested by Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bangalore to take a course on Public Finance for their Master’s in Public Policy students. During the academic year 2021-22, she taught courses on Public Finance, Research Methodology, Decoding Public Policy, Ethics and Public Policy and Policy Formulation. She currently works as an independent Researcher and Guest Faculty for Masters in Public Policy, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bengaluru..
Varun worked as a Research Advisor at CBPS in 2012-13. It was a great experience working with the team at CBPS, and he had ample opportunities to learn and demonstrate his expertise. He left CBPS to pursue post-doctoral research at the Tata Institute of Social Science in Mumbai. Soon after completing his PhD, he worked as a senior researcher for an anti-human trafficking organisation and for a brief stint as a health economist with Oxford Policy Management. Following that, he worked as a Research Manager at TISS Mumbai and then as an Associate General Manager Research at Child Rights and You (CRY). Presently, he is associated with Jhpiego as an MLE Specialist.
Tanushka had joined CBPS in February 2022 as a Research Assistant. She was working on a project titled, ‘Gender violence in public spaces: Studying the approaches and theorising the pathways of change‘. She has completed her graduation in Political Science Honours from Delhi University and Masters in Public Administration from Panjab University. During her course of education, she has interned with the Ministry of Women and Child where she has worked on RTIs and Grievances and reports under the Domestic Violence Act. She has also interned in ‘Becoming-I’ foundation where she has taught economically weaker section students of a private school in New Delhi. Before joining CBPS, she worked as a Research Officer on Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration.
Rajat had joined CBPS in April 2022. He has a Master’s degree in Development Studies from IIT, Mandi and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Delhi. He was also an Urban Fellow at Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru. Before joining CBPS, he was working as a Research Assistant on a project titled ‘Covid-19 and Punjabi Migration to Canada’ which was carried out by York University, Canada and O.P Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India.
Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) is a research institution established in Bengaluru, India, in February 1998, as an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit society, registered under the Societies Registration Act.
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