My research varies from Indian Politics, to the History of Bombay, and political economy.

 

Policy Research

I worked at IDFC Institute, a think/do tank in Bombay from August 2020 to July 2021. I published a range of articles, papers, and discussion notes for its various teams. A list of my publications can be found here.

Some of my publications include:

  1. The First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kerala - A State Capacity Perspective published by IDFC Institute

  2. India’s State institutions are failing citizens because they were built to control, not govern, published in The Print

  3. Integrating Aadhaar and Voter ID Data: Promises and Dangers, published by the Data Governance Network, with a subsequent opinion piece in The Indian Express

  4. The Challenge of Measuring Governance at the Subnational Level, published by the Chandler Institute for Good Governance. The full report can be found here on pages 103-105.

Master’s Thesis in Anthropology

The angadias’ position in this complex trade and hierarchy is unique because they weave together disparate pieces of information while also remaining on the periphery, if not invisible to the rest of the industry.

While raids occur and arrests take place, their presence and invisibility helps connect several informal and formal spheres of economic activity. They are, in essence, part of a supply chain and a transportation sector, but they are ‘invisible’ not just to the untrained eye but also to the state and statisticians, unless it suits them. It also seems that traders rely on angadias “in these days of technology only because of trust, convenience and promptness of their service. [Unlike], online transactions, there is no possibility of someone hacking your account and misusing it,” said one merchant at Scindia House.

After completing my Bachelor of Arts in History at Stanford University, I completed a Master of Arts in Anthropology at Stanford University as well, under the guidance of Thomas Blom Hansen. My master’s thesis is titled, ‘ Trust, Social Capital, Caste, The Forces Shaping the Gujarati Diamond Trade: Understanding Angadia Movement between Gujarat and Bombay.’

The aim of this thesis was to understand the anthropological phenomena at play in the diamond market, specifically the role of Angadias, or diamond couriers, in shaping the trade. The overarching question that I tried to answer was ‘In the absence of the state institutions to regulate the diamond trade, what holds diamond traders, merchants and Angadias accountable.’ I argue that a combination of social capital, familial connections, multi-generational links, and a shared culture prevent players in the diamond trade from absconding and ensure the integrity of diamond shipments.

You can download my thesis here.


Honour’s Thesis in History

“Long years ago... we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.

It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?
— 'Tryst with Destiny' by Jawaharlal Nehru, 15 August 1947

I studied History at Stanford University and graduated with honours. My honour’s thesis was titled, ‘Nehruvian Socialism, A Fine Balance: Reconciling Democracy & Centralised Planning in Modern India (1947-64).’ I spent my senior year researching and writing this thesis, under the guidance of Thomas Blom Hansen, Anthropology and Robert Crews, History.

The purpose of this thesis was to explore the role of Jawaharlal Nehru in shaping the foundations of independent India’s political and economic system. Through a combination of archival research, intellectual history, economic history, and legal analysis, I conclude that national unity and poverty were two overriding concerns that shaped the creation of a liberal democracy committed to individual freedoms, while a centralised economic system was created.

You can download my thesis here.


WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this 26th day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”
— The Constitution of India, 1950

The Indian Constitution

I studied History at Stanford University and specialised in the History of post-independent India. A topic I spent a lot of time researching on was the creation of the Indian Constitution and its centralising tendencies. Under the guidance of Dr. Ryan Perkins, I explored how the Indian constitution legally allowed Indira Gandhi to centralise power during The Emergency (1975-1977), and the implications of these tendencies for Indian democracy today.

You can download a version of this paper here.


The Future of Fundamental Rights in India: An Independent Investigation

Panel Discussion at Kitab Khana, a bookstore, on The Indian Emergency, October 2015 with Kalpana Sharma, a veteran journalist, Rajni Bakshi, a writer, and Shailesh Haribhakti, a businessman.

Panel Discussion at Kitab Khana, a bookstore, on The Indian Emergency, October 2015 with Kalpana Sharma, a veteran journalist, Rajni Bakshi, a writer, and Shailesh Haribhakti, a businessman.

Between February and July 2015, I conducted an independent research project on The Indian Emergency (1975-1977), a period of dictatorial rule in India, aimed to address some central questions about the Future of Fundamental Rights in India, such as if India would be able fall to another Emergency. The project was a comparative study between individuals who lived through this era and the youth.

I presented these findings in a book, with a foreword written by Thomas Blom Hansen, a professor at Stanford University and published it on the Amazon Kindle Store.


Kayaking near Mandwa, a sleepy fishing village south east of Bombay.

Kayaking near Mandwa, a sleepy fishing village south east of Bombay.

Maritime Exploration along the Konkan Coast

My passion for kayaking prompted me to explore and find different kayaking routes around the Bombay Harbour. As a result of these expeditions, I also learned about Bombay's maritime history. After completing a few major expeditions around the harbour, I decided to document the weather conditions and history of these routes in a bookThe book contains maps and specific weather and coastal conditions about these areas. 


The Konkan Coast of India

The Konkan Coast of India

Social Entrepreneurship for Frontier Markets

As a sailor, I have interacted extensively with and developed a close bond with Tindals, or boat-keepers of Bombay's sailboats. During the Monsoon season however, they return to villages with limited employment prospects because they are so disconnected from major urban hubs. Working with Frontier Markets, a social entrepreneurship aimed at providing rural households with electricity, I helped develop a team of rural entrepreneurs from the region, solving the problems of unemployment and lack of connectivity.

This article, published in the Clean Energy Access Network, highlights the changes this last mile distribution network has had on the Tindals' lives.