DST Center for Policy Research
National Institute of Science Education Research (NISER)
People
Dr. Amarendra Das
(Principal Investigator) Reader-F, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, NISER
Dr. Pranay Swain
(Co-PI) Associate Professor, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, NISER
Dr. Chandra Sekhar Bahinipati
(Co-PI) Associate Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Tirupati
Dr. Bibhunandini Das
(Co-PI) Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Berhampur University
Project Scientists
Dr. Jayashree Parida has joined as a Project Scientist-II under the project entitled “DST Centre for
Policy Research on Energy Transition, and Tribal Education” at the School of Humanities and Social
Sciences, NISER, Bhubaneswar. She holds M.A. and M. Phil degrees in Sociology from Pondicherry
Central University, Puducherry. She has obtained her PhD in Sociology from the National Institute of
Technology, Rourkela, Odisha. Prior to joining NISER, she worked as a Project Scientist at
ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar. She has published 12 research papers in referred
national and international repute journals. She has presented research papers at national and
international conferences in India and abroad. She is also a reviewer in different international
journals. She is a member of the Indian Sociological Society and the International Sociological
Association. Her research interests include tribal education, health, gender and disaster
management.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Rout has joined as a Project Scientist-I under the project entitled “DST Centre for Policy Research on Energy Transition, and Tribal Education” at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NISER, Bhubaneswar. He holds a PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, an MPhil in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and an MA in Applied & Analytical Economics from Utkal University. Before joining NISER, He worked as an Assistant Professor of Economics at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, with around one year of teaching experience. His research focuses on Economic Inequality, Trade, Technology, and the environment with a broader interest in Development Economics and Macroeconomics. Dr. Rout has published extensively in reputed national and international journals such as Environmental Science and Pollution Research, International Economics and Economic Policy, Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Asian Development Policy Review, Global Economy Journal, Economic & Political Weekly, etc. He has presented research papers at national and international conferences in India. He is also a reviewer in different international journals and a life member of the Odisha Economic Association & The Applied Economics Society.
Dr. Laxmikanta Gual works as a Project Scientist-I at DST-Centre for Policy Research (National Institute of Science Education and Research), Bhubaneswar. His research interests lie in institutional economics, development economics, macroeconomics, and behavioral economics, with a specific focus on regional development issues, indigenous development, development disparity, and institutional analysis of inequality and poverty. Dr. Gual has explored the role of informal institutions in democracy and their implications for regional disparity in Indian states. He has published in reputed journals such as Millennial Asia and has multiple research papers under review on topics related to institutional hypothesis, regional development, and economic disparities. He has presented his work at prestigious national and international conferences, including the 20th Globelics International Conference and Indian Political Economic Association. He has been recognized for his academic excellence, receiving the Professor Prasanta Pattanaik's Best Paper Award by Odisha Economic Association and a Gold Medal in Economics for outstanding performance during his undergraduate studies.
Former Project Staff
Dr. John Kujur (September 20, 2023 to January 29, 2024)
Dr. John Kujur worked as a Project Scientist at DST-Centre for Policy Research (National Institute of Science Education and Research), Bhubaneswar. Prior to joining NISER, he worked with the University of Leicester, UK and the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, Bengaluru. He has a PhD in Economics from the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram (Jawaharlal Nehru University). His research interest lies in the areas of indigenous studies, development economics and labour economics. He has researched the displacement and livelihood issues of the Adivasi population. He has also explored the changing educational and occupational patterns of the Adivasi population. He has publications in both international and national journals viz. Land Use Policy, Journal of South Asian Development, Social Change, and Journal of Adivasi and Indigenous Studies. He has also written on the issue of Adivasis in online portals viz. Round Table India and Nirveda Odisha.
Dr. John Kujur worked as a Project Scientist at DST-Centre for Policy Research (National Institute of Science Education and Research), Bhubaneswar. Prior to joining NISER, he worked with the University of Leicester, UK and the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, Bengaluru. He has a PhD in Economics from the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram (Jawaharlal Nehru University). His research interest lies in the areas of indigenous studies, development economics and labour economics. He has researched the displacement and livelihood issues of the Adivasi population. He has also explored the changing educational and occupational patterns of the Adivasi population. He has publications in both international and national journals viz. Land Use Policy, Journal of South Asian Development, Social Change, and Journal of Adivasi and Indigenous Studies. He has also written on the issue of Adivasis in online portals viz. Round Table India and Nirveda Odisha.
Dr. Avritti Srivastava (December 12, 2024 to April 22, 2024)
Dr. Avritti Srivastava had joined as a Senior Project Associate under the project entitled “DST Centre for Policy Research on Energy Transition, and Tribal Education” at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NISER, Bhubaneswar. She holds M.Sc. degrees in Renewable Energy from Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy Education and Research, University of Lucknow, Lucknow. She got the prestigious DST-Inspire Fellowship for her doctoral degree. She has obtained her Ph.D. in Physical Sciences from the PV metrology group of CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India. She has published 7 SCI research papers in repute journals as first author and more than 10 papers in collaboration. She has presented her research work in many international conferences. Her research interest includes Si solar cell processing, emerging solar PV and other renewable energy technologies.
Dr. Avritti Srivastava had joined as a Senior Project Associate under the project entitled “DST Centre for Policy Research on Energy Transition, and Tribal Education” at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NISER, Bhubaneswar. She holds M.Sc. degrees in Renewable Energy from Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy Education and Research, University of Lucknow, Lucknow. She got the prestigious DST-Inspire Fellowship for her doctoral degree. She has obtained her Ph.D. in Physical Sciences from the PV metrology group of CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India. She has published 7 SCI research papers in repute journals as first author and more than 10 papers in collaboration. She has presented her research work in many international conferences. Her research interest includes Si solar cell processing, emerging solar PV and other renewable energy technologies.
Mr. Maheshkumar T (December 8, 2023 to November 7, 2024)
Maheshkumar T worked as a Senior Project Associate at the DST-Centre for Policy Research (National Institute of Science Education and Research), Bhubaneswar. He holds an M.A. degree in Applied Economics from Pondicherry Central University, Puducherry and an M. Phil in Applied Economics from the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), JNU. He is interested in leveraging quantitative data to shape effective policy decisions. His keen interest lies in delving into research areas encompassing Ageing, Health, the Labor market, Economic Development, and Enterprises. His work has been featured in journals at the national level, and he has presented at both national and international conferences.
Maheshkumar T worked as a Senior Project Associate at the DST-Centre for Policy Research (National Institute of Science Education and Research), Bhubaneswar. He holds an M.A. degree in Applied Economics from Pondicherry Central University, Puducherry and an M. Phil in Applied Economics from the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), JNU. He is interested in leveraging quantitative data to shape effective policy decisions. His keen interest lies in delving into research areas encompassing Ageing, Health, the Labor market, Economic Development, and Enterprises. His work has been featured in journals at the national level, and he has presented at both national and international conferences.