Project Staff
Dr. Mondira Bhattacharya (Associate Fellow) is a specialist in the field of Agricultural Geography. Having completed her Masters and M.Phil from the Centre for the Study of Regional Development (CSRD), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, she was engaged in research on the economics of Basmati Rice cultivation and trade. Her findings on the subject led her on to her thesis on "Basmati Rice Cultivation in India under a Globalized Trade Regime". She has a deep understanding on various issues regarding Agricultural geography and related economics and its impact on the concerned farmer segment, such as the international patents issue, WTO sanctions, fertiliser subsidies etc. She has participated and presented papers in seminars of national and international repute. She has a few published research papers to her credit. She was a recipient of the ICSSR Institutional Doctoral Fellowship at the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), New Delhi. Earlier she had worked as Junior Consultant, Ecological Economics for the Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE), New Delhi. She had also worked as a Research Associate in a UNFPA sponsored project.
Ms. Charu Singh (Research Associate) has obtained her masters in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics in 2003. Her areas of interest include environment and health issues. A free-lance researcher, she has a keen interest in studying the interrelation between the two issues with specific reference to rural communities. In this regard, Ms Singh has worked with Johns-Hopkins University, UNHCR, Family Health International and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. At the Council, she was part of a pan-India two-year study project titled 'Public Report on Health’, which analysed health status in rural communities. Currently she is engaged in a Ministry of Rural Development sponsored project on displacement, resettlement and rehabilitation, and their impact on the affected people. Ms Singh has a degree in environmental law (2009) from the Indian Law Institute.
Mr. Gitesh Sinha (Research Assistant) did his Masters in Computer Application with specializations in database. He is having vast experience in data analysis of various Agricultural & Rural data sets. He worked as Research Associate (Database) at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) for various projects sponsored by national & international organizations like the World Bank, ICAR, TATA Trust and Gates Foundation. He also worked with Rural Development Institute, National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NCAP), Catholic Relief Services, and Institute for Human Development (IHD) for different projects. His area of interest includes analysis of various agricultural activities like livestock, dairy industries, food safety & market prices.
Mr. Saji Thomas (Research Assistant) did his Masters in Economics from Mahatma Gandhi (M.G.) University, Kottayam. He worked as Research Associate for St. Berchman’s College, Changanacherry for a project sponsored by the Government of Kerala, entitled, “Evaluation of Educational Institutions under SCs & STs Development Department”. The aim of the study was to look into the proper functioning of schools and other institutions under SCs & STs Development Department and to analysing the socio-economic conditions of students and their outlook on education and health. He also did benchmark pricing of Paddy for Indian Farmers Movement (INFARM), Kottayam, Kerala and a feasibility study for setting up of an Inland Container Division (ICD) at Kottayam for South Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Kottayam. He also worked in the Planning Commission, Government of India as a Consultant for State Plans (West) Division. His main areas of interest are agriculture and rural development, state’s finance and public policies.
Mr. Rajiv Kumar Ranjan (Research Assistant)
Ms. Gurvinder Kaur (Project Assistant) has been working as Project Assistant since April 2008. She has been associated with projects sponsored by IDRC - Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, NABARD and Planning Commission. Her work entails data entry and data cleaning.