About me
As labels go, I sometimes wear and Economist hat and other times wear the Social Scientist hat. It just depends on which part of the business cycle we are in.
Work
I am currently a Research Fellow in Economics in the Faculty of Built Environment at UCL. Before that I was a lecturer at the University of Cambridge from 2007 to 2017. At Cambridge, I was a Fellow at Murray Edwards College and Senior Member at Newnham College and Director of Studies in Economics for both Colleges. From 2007 to 2012, I was also a visiting lecturer at LSE Summer School.
Education
I obtained my PhD at LSE under the supervision of Prof. Maitreesh Ghatak and Prof. Oriana Bandiera. I got my Bachelors at Hindu College and Masters at Delhi School of Economics at Delhi University. Both in Economics. I also have a MA (Cantab) from Cambridge.
Research
My research is primarily focussed on microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, with a smattering of empirical work thrown in for good measure. My research papers can be found here and here. If there is one paper you would like to read, it should be the paper on automation and how it is likely to impact our social and economic system in the long-run. Or the one on why there are still so many poor countries trapped in the poverty trap.
Teaching
I am passionate about teaching economics and have taught a wide range of courses in my career hitherto. These include courses on microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic development, economic growth and Microfinance. I am currently teaching a basic economics course based on the new Core-Econ text, which transcends the sub-discipline boundaries within economics. The teaching material I have created over the years can be found here. There are also some short teaching notes on a range of topics that can be found here.
Life
I am enthusiastic about coding, design and Argentinian tango. Which just means that I try hard and often fail. The occasional success keeps me going. And everything I have learnt about the art of living, I learnt from Frasier.
Curriculum Vitae
Current Position
Research Fellow in Economics & Finance The Bartlett, University College London, 2017 onwards
Past positions
Great Burkhill Fellow in Economics, Lecturer & Director of Studies in Economics Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, 2007–2017 Lecturer & Director of Studies in Economics Newnham College College, University of Cambridge, 2012–17 Trinity College, University of Cambridge, 2007–2012 Lecturer for Development Economics, Economics Department, LSE Summer School, 2007–2012 Temporary Lecturer in Economics, Economics Department, University of Edinburgh, 2004–2007
Education
Ph.D. in Economics, London School of Economics, 2007 M.A. in Economics, Delhi School of Economics, 1996 B.A. (Honours) in Economics, Hindu College, Delhi, 1994
Research Interests
Education & Skills, Automation, Trade Theory, Economic Growth, Economic Development
Teaching Areas
Applied Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Economic Development, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics
Programming Skills
Python, Latex, PHP Scripts, HTML
Research Papers
Sequential Group Lending with Moral Hazard, August 2013. Working Paper. ම
Man versus Machine: Automation, Market Structure and Skills, June 2017. Working paper. +
Poverty Trap with Convex Production Function: The role of Public and Private Capital,
September 2014. Working Paper. +
Beyond Microcredit: Giving the Poor a Way to Save Their Way out of Poverty, December 2011. Working Paper. +
Does Subsidising the Cost of Capital Really Help the Poorest? An Analysis of Saving Opportunities in Group Lending, February 2007. Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series No. 140.
Self Help Group Linkage Programme: A case-study, November 2006. Working Paper. +
Self Help Groups: Use of modified ROSCAs in Microfinance, November 2005. Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series No. 137. +
Research Grant
From Newton Trust to conduct research in Microfinance, 2010
Invited Lectures
The Role in Institutions and the Crisis in Europe Nov 2012 Instituto Tecnolgico de Monterrey, November 2012 Excellence in Education through Rigorous Competition Mar 2012 World Summit on Accreditation, New Delhi, March 2012
Conference Presentation
10th Annual Conference on Economic Growth and Development, ISI, Delhi (December 2014), 3rd European Research Conference on Microfinance, University of Agder (June 2013), Workshop on Microfinance Management and Governance, Oslo and Akershus University College (October 2012), World Summit on Accreditation, Government of India, New Delhi (March 2012), American Economic Association Annual Meeting, Chicago (January 2012), Asian Meeting of the Econometric Society, Korea University, Seoul (August 2011), North American Summer Meeting of Econometric Society, Washington University in St. Louis (June 2011), Royal Economic Society Annual Conference, Royal Holloway, University of London (April 2011), International Growth Centre Conference in Bihar (December 2010), Econometric Society World Congress, Shanghai (August 2010), North American Summer Meeting of Econometric Society, Duke University (June 2007), Northeast Universities Development Consortium (NEUDC), Cornell University (September 2006), Centre for Economic Development and Institutions (CEDI), Brunel University (May 2007), Economic Growth and Development Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi (December 2006), Economic Analysis of Heterogeneity in Social Organizations, CORE, Universite catholiqu ́e de Louvain (May 2006), XIth Spring Meeting of Young Economists, University of Seville (May 2006), 75 Years of Development Research Conference, Cornell University (May 2004), International Association for Economics of Participation, Halifax, Canada (July 2004)
Seminar Presentation
Ruprecht-Karls-Universit ̈atHeidelberg(October2014),IndianInstitute of Management, Bangalore, India (September 2012), Indian School of Business, Hyderabad (August 2010), Network and Theory Meeting, University of Cambridge (June 2010), Centre for the Studies of African Economies, Oxford University, (June 2007), Heriot-Watt University (May 2007), University of Sheffield (May 2006), Centre of South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh (Dec 2005)
Journal Referee
Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of European Economic Association, Journal of Development Economics, Oxford Economic Papers, Economica, Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Economic Surveys, Economic Development and Cultural Change.
Honours & Scholarship
Economics Department Teaching Prize, LSE 2003 LSE Research Studentship, LSE, 2001
Other Experiences
Founded Project Gujarat, A microfinance initiative in Gujarat, 2001 Internship, DECPG & MENA, World Bank, 1999