Background

Education

Career

Work Experience

Funded Work

Research Grants and Projects

1. 012025 Development of Weather Derivatives, NCDEX (with Prof. Piyush Pandey)
2. 022025 National Coordinator, Hack for Social Cause, Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS), Government of India
3. 032023 District Strategic Planning: Palghar, Govt. of Maharashtra (with Prof. Satish Agnihotri and Prof. Aditi Chaubal)
4. 042023 District Strategic Planning: Pune, Govt. of Maharashtra (with Prof. Satish Agnihotri and Prof. Aditi Chaubal) 2023 SDG Monitoring Dashboard development for Rajasthan, World Food Program (with Prof. Satish Agnihotri)
5. 052023 Monitoring and Mentorship Initiative for the Universal Immunization Program, Unicef-MoHWF (with Prof. Santosh Noronha)
6. 062023 Impact Study for K-Corp Charitable Foundation (with Prof. Satish Agnihotri)
7. 072022 GISE Hub, IIT Bombay, DST (with Profs. Milind Sohoni, Umesh Bellur, Avik Bhattacharya, Satish Agnihotri)
8. 082022 IPOG Jurisdictional Case Study, Maharashtra – World Bank Country Office
9. 092022 SERB-MATRICS Award: ‘A Randomized Control Trial (RCT) of Effect of Contractual Design Changes on Weather Insurance Adoption’
10. 102022 HMIS Analyzer, KCDH
11. 112022 ICSSR Major Project Grant: ‘Is Climate Smart Agriculture really smart: An evaluation of CSA as an adaptation option in Odisha, India’ (with Trupti Mishra)
12. 122021 UNICEF – CTARA CoE in Child Nutrition (ChiNu) (with Satish Agnihotri and Arnab Jana), UNICEF
13. 132021 WeCan Child Nutrition Data Support Unit1 (with Satish Agnihotri)
14. 142021 RuTAG: ‘Dissemination of Mobile Subjee Cooler in Andhra Pradesh Maharashtra & Odisha’, Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India, DST
15. 152021 QMU-CPS Domestic violence study 1 (with Satish Agnihotri), Queen Mary’s University, University of London
16. 162019 Behavioural Lab at SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (RIFC funding and SJMSOM Endowment Fund), with Prof. Arti Kalro
17. 172019 ICSSR IMPRESS Award: ‘Risk and Vulnerability of Agricultural Households: A Longitudinal Study in Vidarbha, Maharashtra’
18. 182017 University of Chicago Delhi Center grant for study on “Characterising the Skill Space in India’s Urban Informal Market” with James Evans and Nandana Sengupta
19. 192016 IIT Bombay-IRCC Seed Grant for study on “Weather Risks, Income Shocks, and Technology Adoption in Rural Maharashtra”
20. 202015 ICSSR Research Grant for study on “Knowledge, Perception and Usage of Pesticides: Study among Cotton Farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra” Co-PI with Thiagu Ranganathan and T.V. Venkateswaran
21. 212011 Principal Investigator, ILO Microinsurance Innovation Facility Research Grant (10,000 USD) ‘Complementarities in Index-based Weather Insurance’ (with Ashish Singh and Thiagu Ranganathan).
22. 222010 Young Scientist, Risk and Vulnerability Group, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).
23. 232009 Principal Investigator, ILO Microinsurance Innovation Facility Research Grant ‘Impact of Financial Literacy on Rainfall Insurance Adoption’ (with Shawn Cole, Harvard Business School).
24. 242009 Doctoral Research Associate, Centre for Microfinance (CMF), IFMR, Chennai.
25. 252006 Research Intern, UNDP Project on Strengthening State Plans for Human Development, Mumbai.

Scholarship

Peer Reviewed Publications

• ›Mishra, T., Gaurav, S., Bose, D. et al. (2026) Exploring barriers to adoption of climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers in Odisha, India. Scientific Reports (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41652-7
• ›Vinchurkar, S., & Gaurav S. (2026). Initiating and sustaining household plastic waste recycling: evidence from personal norm and self-efficacy interventions in Western India. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2026.2621311
• ›Munot, S., Prasad, N., Paudel, R. et al. (2026) Cost-utility analysis of free HPV immunization for girls in Rajasthan, India. Cost Effectiveness Resource Allocation https://doi.org/10.1186/s12962-025-00708-7
• ›Mishra T., Gaurav, S., Basu D. and Suresh, N. (2025) What determines the adoption of climate-smart agriculture? Evidence from Odisha, India. Regional Environmental Change 25(4), 151.
• ›N Adsul, Rampal, P., Gaurav, S. (2025) The early advantage: How antenatal care shapes cognitive development in India: Evidence from Young Lives, India PLOS Global Public Health 5 (11), e0004801
• ›Patil T., Gaurav, S. Determinants of Functional Disability in India: The Interplay of Health Conditions, Environmental and Personal Factors. Population Ageing (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12062-025-09498-5
• ›Singh, R.K, Gaurav, S., and Mishra, S. (2025) Dynamics of farm size‐productivity relationship: Evidence from semi‐arid tropics of India, 1975–2014. Agricultural Economics, 56(6), pp.874–894 https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70038
• ›Durga, N., and Gaurav, S. (2025) Energy transition in Irrigation: India’s Tryst with solarisation of agriculture. Economic & Political Weekly (Special Article), LX(20), pp.61–67.
• ›Patil, T., Jana, A., and Gaurav, S. (2025) Unravelling sex-and-gender-specific risk factors of hypertension in India: insights from NFHS 5 (2019–21). Discover Public Health, 22(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00444-6
• ›Singh, R.K., & Gaurav, S. (2024) Evolution of social networks in Kanzara village: Changing patterns of social, informational, agricultural, and financial interactions. Economic & Political Weekly, 59(43), 72–82
• ›Gaurav, S., Singh, R.K., and T. Ranganathan (2024) Labour Supply of Cultivator and Labour Households: Insights From a Longitudinal Survey in Vidarbha, Maharashtra. The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 1(24), pp. 1117–1140
• ›Durga, N. & Gaurav, S. Economic, equity, and political trade-offs in energy transition in irrigation in Bihar, India. Energy Strategy Reviews 54 (July 2024), 101481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2024.101481
• ›Gaurav S (2023) The Thorny Road to Evaluating Direct Benefit Transfers for Agricultural Households Insights from KALIA in Odisha. Economic and Political Weekly, 58(25–26), pp.13–21.
• ›Patil, T., Jana, A., and Gaurav, S (2023) Exploring spatial patterns of cardiovascular disease among women in India. European Journal of Public Health, 33(S), ckad160. 1160 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad160.1160
• ›Dalal R., Fancy M.K, Chaudhary S., Abraham M., Vir S.C, and Gaurav S (2023) Establishment of cross-cradle hold technique combined with intensive breastfeeding counselling positively impacts the weight gain rate in early infancy. Maternal & Child Nutrition Oct;19(4): e13529. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13529.101111
• ›Sheikh, R.A., Gaurav, S., and T. Mishra (2023) Caught in a time warp: evidence from time use of Indian women. International Journal of Social Economics. February 2023. doi: 10.1108/IJSE-03-2022-0164
• ›Berman. P, Cameron, M.A., Gaurav, S., Gotsadze, G., Hasan, M.Z., Jenei, K., Keidar, S., Kornreich, Y., Lovato, C., Patrick, D.M., Sarker, S., Sosa-Villagarcia, P., Sriram, V. and C. Ruck. (2023) Improving the response to future pandemics requires an improved understanding of the role played by institutions, politics, organization, and governance. PLOS Global Public Health January 20, 2023 doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001501
• ›Balani K, Gaurav S, and A. Jana (2022) Spending to grow or growing to spend? Relationship between public health expenditure and income of Indian states. SSM Population Health 15;21:101310. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101310
• ›Sengupta, N., Gaurav, S., & Evans, J. (2021) The Skills Space in Informal Work: Insights from Bangalore Slums. Journal of Development Studies, 57(10), pp.1662–1689. (Winner of Dudley Seers Prize for Best Article in the Journal of Development Studies in 2021)
• ›Sheikh, R., Gaurav, S., & Mishra, T. (2021) Race among equals? An inquiry into the segmentation of Indian labor market. Review of Development Economics, 32(4), pp.1105–1127.
• ›Gaurav, S. (2021). Dynamic Inconsistency and Incentive Design: Insights from Behavioural Economics for HR Managers. NHRD Network Journal, 14(2), pp.193–205
• ›Chhimwal, B., Bapat, V., & Gaurav, S. (2021). Investors’ Preferences and the Factors Affecting Investment in the Indian Stock Market: An Industry View. Managerial Finance, 47(5), pp.723–744.
• ›Gaurav, S. & Sheikh, R.A. (2020). The Road Not Taken: Who Works as a Doctor or Engineer in India? Journal of Education and Work, 33(3), pp.254–270.
• ›Sheikh, R.A. & Gaurav, S. (2020). Informal Work in India: A Tale of Two Definitions. European Journal of Development Research, 32(4), pp.1105–1127.
• ›Gaurav, S. & Chaudhary, V. (2020). Do Farmers Care About Basis Risk? Evidence from a Field Experiment in India. Climate Risk Management, 27(2020).
• ›Gaurav, S. & Sheikh, R.A. (2019). The Real Chowkidars of India: Lives Behind the Metaphor. Economic and Political Weekly, 54(47), pp.15–17.
• ›Ranganathan, T. & Gaurav, S. (2019). The Curious Case of Cocktails, Weedicides, and Tonics Pest Management Practices of Cotton Farmers in Vidarbha. Economic and Political Weekly, 54(44), pp.51–54.
• ›Gaurav, S. (2019). Policies Need a Cautious Nudge. Economic and Political Weekly, 54(39), pp.13–16.
• ›Gaurav, S. (2019) The Market for Cryptocurrencies: An Ode to Hayek. Economic and Political Weekly, 54(2), pp.12‐15.
• ›Ranganathan, T., Gaurav, S., & Halder, I. (2018) Pesticide Usage by Cotton Farmers: Changes over a Decade. Economic and Political Weekly, 53(19), pp.43–51.
• ›Ranganathan, T., Gaurav, S., & Singh, A. (2018) Anomaly in Decision Making under Risk: Violation of Stochastic Dominance among Farmers in Gujarat, India. IIMB Review, 30(3), pp.258–269.
• ›Gaurav, S. & Krishnan, J. (2017) How Efficient are India’s Cooperative Banks? Evidence from DCCBs’, Economic and Political Weekly, 52(12), pp.115–124.
• ›Ranganathan, T., Gaurav, S., & Singh, A. (2016) Demand for Price Insurance among Farmers in India: A Choice Experiment-Based Approach, Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, 10:2, pp. 198–224.
• ›Gaurav, S. (2015) Are Rainfed Agricultural Households Insured? Evidence from Panel Data in Village Vidarbha, India. World Development, 66, pp. 719–736.
• ›Gaurav, S., & Mishra, S. (2015) Farm Size and Returns to Cultivation in India: Revisiting and Old Debate’, Oxford Development Studies, 43(2), pp.165–193.
• ›Singh, A., Gaurav, S., & Das, U. (2014) Household Headship and Academic Skills of Indian Children: A Special Focus on Gender Disparities, European Journal of Population, 29(4), pp. 445–466.
• ›Gautam, V., Gaurav, S., & Singh, A. (2014) Cash Holdings and Finance Constraints in Indian Manufacturing Firms. Research in Applied Economics, 6(3), pp.56–75.
• ›Ranganathan, T., & Gaurav, S. (2013) An Inquiry into the Composition of Farm Revenue Risk: The Case of Six Western Vidarbha Districts. Economic and Political Weekly, 48(26:27), pp. 125–128.
• ›Gaurav, S., & Singh, A. (2012) An Inquiry into the Financial Literacy and Cognitive Ability of Farmers: Evidence from Rural India. Oxford Development Studies, 40 (3), pp. 358–380 (Winner of the Sanjay Lall Student Prize 2011–12).
• ›Gaurav, S., Cole, S., & Tobacman, J. (2011) Marketing Complex Financial Products in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Rainfall Insurance in India. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(S), pp.150–162.

Convening

Workshop and Conference Organized

• ›Summit of Academia Networking with Government, Allied Health Workers, and Medical Professionals SANGAM 2025, SANGAM 2024, SANGAM 2023 https://sangamsociety.in/
• ›Complexity Global School 2023 https://www.santafe.edu/news-center/news/applications-open-first-complexity-global-school
• ›Reimagining Risk and Vulnerability in Indian Agriculture, IoE Outreach Workshop at IIT Bombay, March 10–11, 2023

Books

Book / Research Monographs, Chapters & Reviews

Recognition

Fellowships

• ›2023 Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
• ›2011 Visiting Doctoral Scholar, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
• ›2011 Reserve Bank of India Fellowship for 4th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings (Economic Sciences), Lindau, Germany, 2011
• ›2010 Young Scientist Summer Programme (YSSP) Fellow, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
• ›2008–2012 Doctoral Fellowship, IGIDR, Mumbai.

Mentorship

Academic Supervision

1. 01Rayees Ahmad Sheikh (SJMSIOM, IIT Bombay, 2016–2022), Thesis: Essays on Indian Labour Market (Co-Guide: Prof. Trupti Mishra)
2. 02Rohit Samuel Shah (IIT Bombay-Monash Academy, 2017–2022), Thesis: Evaluation of NRHM (Co-Guides: Prof. Jane Fisher, Prof. Tara Shankar Shaw)
3. 03Khushboo Balani (ADCPS, IIT Bombay, 2018–2023), Thesis: Essays on Public Health in India (Co-Guide: Prof. Arnab Jana)
4. 04Neha Durga (ADCPS, IIT Bombay, 2019–2025) Thesis: Solarisation of Irrigation in India: Drivers, Opportunities and Threats
5. 05Rahul Kumar Singh (SJMSOM, IIT-Bombay, 2021–2025) Thesis: Social Network Analysis in Agriculture: Implications for Productivity and Risk Sharing
6. 06Subodh Vinchurkar (SJMSOM, IIT-Bombay, 2022–till date)
7. 07Shweta Kalla (SJMSOM, IIT-Bombay, 2022–till date) (Co-Guide: Prof. Usha Ananthakumar)
8. 08Trupti Patil (ADCPS, IIT-Bombay, 2022–till date) (Co-Guide: Prof. Arnab Jana)
9. 09Vrishal Vinayak Yelegaonkar (ADCPS, IIT-Bombay, 2020–till date)
10. 10Vimala Raman Iyengar, ADCPS, IIT-Bombay, 2020–till date (Co-Guide: Prof. D. Parthasarathy)
11. 11Meenu Bhaskar, ADCPS, IIT-Bombay, 2021–till date
12. 12Abhay Bhimrao Junaghare, ADCPS, IIT-Bombay, 2023–till date (Co-Guide: Prof. Pennan Chinnasamy)

Service

Committee & Administrative Roles

• ›PI, GISE Hub, IIT Bombay (2024–2026)
• ›Faculty Coordinator, PhD Program, SJMSOM (2023–2025)
• ›Member, Institute Ethics Committee, IIT Bombay (2019–2025)
• ›Member, Human-Animal Conflict Management Committee (2022–2024, 2026–)
• ›VP, SOMA, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (2020–2023)
• ›Member, IDPC (CPS), IIT Bombay (2020–2022)
• ›Member, Faculty Recruitment Reforms Committee, SJMSOM (2020–2022)
• ›Member, Strategy Committee, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (2018)
• ›Member, Committee for Restructuring MMgt Programme at SJMSOM (2017)
• ›Faculty Coordinator, E-Club, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (2016–)
• ›Convener, Faculty Search Committee, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (2016–2019)
• ›Convener, Doctoral Consortium, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay (2016)
• ›Convener, SJMSOM-Monash Business School Joint Workshop (2019)
• ›Member, Sub-Committee for UG/PG Economics, Symbiosis International University, Pune (2017–2022)
• ›Member, Board of Post-graduate Studies (Economics), St. Xaviers College, Mumbai (2020)

Honours

Awards