I am a development economist working at the intersection of quantitative spatial and institutional economics. My research asks how imperfect land markets constrain urbanization, infrastructure, and private investments in emerging economies — and answers these questions by building large-scale spatial datasets using geospatial AI and NLP. Previously, I have been engaged with Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Centre for Policy Research, University of Chicago Delhi Centre, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, Delhi School of Economics, and Planning Commission, Government of India.
This project examines how transport corridor investments — railways and road bridges — shape land value capture, urbanisation, and the spatial distribution of economic activity across India. Using high-resolution satellite data and novel GeoAI datasets, it estimates causal effects of infrastructure access on built-up density, firm location, and agglomeration patterns over three decades.
Research on how land market frictions, tribal land rights, and property institutions shape structural transformation and urbanization across Indian states.
Using satellite imagery and causal methods to estimate the social costs of large energy infrastructure projects, including human displacement and project delays.
Tech for Tribal is a technology and skilling initiative focused on bridging the digital divide for tribal communities across India. Working at the intersection of grassroots community development and applied technology, it supports access programs, vocational tech training, and digital literacy initiatives designed with and for tribal populations.
Co-founded during the Covid period, Moolya Foundation was a digital platform for policy education and civic engagement. Through its Winter and Summer School programs, it trained over 2,000 students in policy analysis and communication across India and Nepal — building a generation of young policy thinkers from outside traditional academic centres.