OUR TEAM
LEADERSHIP
Anup Roy
Founder
Anup is an experienced professional in the area of development research with a career spanning over 20 years with proven experience in executing and managing large-scale primary data collection (RCTs, Quasi-experiment, exploratory studies etc), while providing strategic, technical and operational oversight to Research Management, Data Quality Assurance & Improvement, Human Subject Ethical Principles and Dissemination of Findings for developing policy influence plan on varied issues in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Anup established DAI in 2020.
Sitaram Mukherjee
Co-Founder
Sitaram is a seasoned development professional and survey expert with a passion for unlocking valuable insights. With more than 15 years of experience working in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and UAE, he specializes in designing and conducting surveys that deliver accurate and actionable data.
He thrives on helping organizations gather crucial information, analyze responses, and make informed decisions. Whether it's crafting survey questionnaires, implementing data collection strategies, or interpreting results, he brings a meticulous approach and a keen eye for detail. By employing innovative survey methodologies and employing best practices, he strives to deliver meaningful results that drive growth and enhance decision-making.
Sitaram co-founded DAI in 2020.
RESEARCH TEAM
Allen Francis
Research Manager
Allen engages with multiple projects at DAI as a Research Manager, he also works closely with the founders in business and organisational development.
Allen has over 9 years of experience in research, international development and social start-ups. He co-founded initiatives in sustainable agriculture and promoting sustainable consumption. He was a German Chancellor Fellow working on attitudes and behavioural motivations for sustainable consumption. Allen studied a B.E. in Civil Engineering from the Gujarat Technological University and a M.A. in Sustainable Development Practice at the TERI School of Advanced Studies.
Shreya Padiyar
Research Manager
Shreya is a Research Manager at DAI. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
Her interests lie in development economics, labor economics, political economy, and experimental research methods. During her Master's degree, she worked with intergovernmental organizations and social enterprises across themes such as financial inclusion, rural development, gender policy, and economic diversification. Prior to that, she worked at Bain & Company as a project leader with the company's macroeconomic think tanks.
Sahil Pawar
Project Manager (GAP)
Sahil Pawar is the Project Manager at Global Action for Policy Lab (GAP) at Northeastern University, hosted at DAI. He has a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune. He has previously worked in the financial technology space as an Associate at Cambridge Wealth as well as interned with research institutions such as Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Policy Research Organisation and technology startups including Moonraft Innovation Labs and Evolve Inc.
Sahil's interests lie at the intersection of macroeconomics, international development, financial markets and decarbonization. Outside work he enjoys 70's metal music and playing football.
Jisa Shaji
Senior Research Associate
Jisa is a Senior Research Associate at DAI. She holds a Masters's degree in Applied Economics from Christ University and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from St. Xavier's College Kolkata. She has worked as a Teaching and Research Associate in the Economics department at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.
Her primary research interests lie in education, development economics and public policy. She has a keen interest in developing innovative, research-based, and experiential learning techniques, aiming to create impactful learning experiences on a larger scale.
Palak Agarwal
Senior Research Associate
Palak is a Senior Research Associate at DAI. A postgraduate in Gender Studies, she is keen on experimenting with different research methodologies. She has previously worked with IEIC, J-PAL and KPMG.
She holds a deep interest in policy making. One of her favorite things is travelling and talking to people, about anything and everything.
Swati Chauhan
Senior Research Associate
Swati is a Research Associate at DAI. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Miranda House, University of Delhi. She has a research experience of more than two years wherein she has gained extensive insights into data collection, field management, analysis, and writing.
Her aim is to learn and understand the issues in the field of social and economic development. She enjoys reading, writing, and collecting poetry and quotes outside of work.
Dibyajyoti Basak
Research Associate
Dibyajyoti is a postgraduate in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and is currently working as a Research Associate for DAI Research and Advisory Services. He has worked with Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) as a Field Associate for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021. Post that, he worked as a Research Associate for IFMR LEAD.
He is keen to explore the interdisciplinary nature required to solve complex socio-economic issues. He pursued Science during his high school education, following which he studied English Literature at Jadavpur University.
Vagisha Pandey
Research Associate
Vagisha joins DAI as a Research Associate. She completed her BSc Economics, Maths and Statistics from Christ University, and holds an MA in Economics from Ashoka University.
She is passionate about economics research spanning a range of development and environmental issues, and is keen on exploring community based Research Designs.
Sidra Ali
Research Associate
Sidra joins DAI as a Research Associate. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from NLSIU, Bangalore and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from MLB College, Bhopal. Her previous experience at Development Solutions focused on gender and education projects.​
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Her primary research interests lie in education, gender dynamics, development economics and policy based interventions. Beyond research, Sidra is passionate about teaching and takes joy in imparting knowledge and skills to young minds.
Tanya Choudhary
Research Associate
Tanya is a Research Associate at DAI. She holds a postgraduate degree in economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune. Her key interests lie in policy-making, institution-building, local government, and E-governance. She interned with with The Takshashila Institution and the Centre for Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Development which helped develop her interests and gain useful research and analytical skills.
Outside of academia, she is a voracious reader and connoisseur of cool facts.
Sreelekha S
Research Associate
Sreelekha is a Research Associate at DAI. She holds a master’s degree in Economics from Azim Premji University, Bangalore. Previously, she worked with Jan Sahas Foundation in Delhi, where she was primarily involved in research and data analysis across various projects at the intersection of social protection and migration.
Her research interests lie in development economics, particularly at the intersection of gender and employment, poverty, education, and the environment.
Krishangi
Research Associate
Krishangi joins DAI as a Research Associate. She completed her MA in Economics from OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat and holds a BA (hons) in Economics from MSU Baroda. Her research interests span development economics, applied microeconomics, political economy and experimental methods.
At DAI, she aims to leverage theory and practical experience to contribute to meaningful research that drives sustainable development and informed policymaking.
Shreesh Chary
Research Associate
Shreesh Chary, a Research Associate at DAI holds a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Symbiosis School of Economics, Pune. He has contributed to several peer-reviewed journals through his publications, reflecting a strong foundation in econometric research and economic analysis.
Shreesh's research interests center around international knowledge spillovers, economic growth, and trade. He aims to expand his work by exploring how these global dynamics intersect with microeconomic development and policy-making, combining rigorous quantitative methods with real-world applications in development economics.
Jackson Jesinth
Research Associate
Jackson has joined DAI as a Research Associate. He is a Masters in Epidemiology and Public Health from Central University of Tamil Nadu and a BSc, Medical Genetics from Chettinad University.​
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Prior to joining DAI, he was a Technical officer at ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology in a statewide community survey for prevalence of Non-communicable Disease and its risk factor. He is passionate about Public Health, Health Systems research and community based research designs .
Ruthu Ganesh Jayalakshmamma
Research Associate
Ruthu has joined DAI as a Research Associate. She recently completed her Master’s in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, and holds a B.A. (Hons) in International Relations, Political Science, and Sociology from Symbiosis University, Pune. Ruthu is deeply passionate about development, sustainability, public policy and political economy.
With a solid academic background and hands-on experience in both qualitative and quantitative research through internships and projects, she is eager to apply her skills and insights to support informed policy decisions and contribute meaningfully to positive change in these fields.
Ragavi Jaganathan
Research Associate
Ragavi is a Research Associate at DAI. Armed with an undergraduate degree in Economics (Honours) and a Master’s in Public Policy, she has refined her critical thinking, analytical skills, and quick decision-making through her work on the Jal Jeevan Mission and WASH projects at IIM Bengaluru. Her fascination with the intersection of economics and public policy drives her research interests in education, gender dynamics, and policy interventions. Additionally, her experience in the HR documentation team has enhanced her team-building and people management skills. ​
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Outside of work, Ragavi finds joy in writing Tamil poetry and savoring a variety of culinary delights.
Tushita Agnihotri
Research Associate
Tushita, a Research Associate at DAI, holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Warwick and a BA from Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi. Her research interests lie at the intersection of labor economics, discrimination, development policies, and socio-political economy. She is particularly interested in examining how gender, caste, and race influence economic outcomes and shape societal structures.
Beyond her research, she enjoys traveling and exploring diverse culinary experiences!
Monisha
Research Associate
Monisha is working as a Research Associate at DAI. She holds a Bachelor's in Commerce and a Master's in Public Policy from Christ University, Bangalore. Her previous experience as a Field Consultant at the Centre for Policy Research allowed me to engage in data collection and analysis, focusing on governance and health initiatives at the grassroots level and has a strong interest in governance, education, rural development, and public policy, with a particular focus on developing policies that make a tangible impact.
Outside of work, she is a planner at heart. She loves to travel and trek, always looking for new places to explore and new challenges to conquer.
Prerana Beebireddy
Research Associate
Prerana joined DAI as a Research Associate in April 2025. She holds a Master's degree in Financial Economics from the University of Hyderabad and a Bachelor's degree in Economics, Public Administration, and Social Management from St. Francis College for Women.
With over two and a half years of experience in the development sector, Prerana has contributed to organizations such as the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and J-PAL South Asia. Her work has provided her with valuable expertise in policy-making, conducting Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), and analyzing the agricultural landscape in Telangana. During her academic journey, Prerana developed a strong interest in Game Theory, Microeconomics, and International Trade. She is eager to expand her knowledge and make a lasting impact in the development sector.
ADMIN TEAM
Sayan Bhattacharjee
Operations Manager
Sayan joins us as our new Operation Manager. Sayan brings over 12 years of rich experience in field survey management, with a proven track record of handling large teams across India and executing fieldwork in diverse thematic areas. His recent role was with Development Solutions, where he excelled in managing field team members, ensuring data quality, and maintaining strong relationships with project partners and donors.
Sayan's expertise in project budgeting, team training, and administrative management, coupled with his involvement in impactful studies related to child education, women's health, and financial inclusion, will be invaluable to our operations and objectives.
FIELD TEAM
Bhuvnesh Kumar
Research Assistant
Bhuvnesh has joined DAI as a Research Assistant and his current engagements are in the thematic areas of Gender-based violence. Prior to his joining, he was working with LEAD at Krea University in research areas such as GBV, Education and Financial Inclusion on RCT based projects in Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and Delhi. He also worked with JPAL-South Asia and Socialcops as a Field Manager on government schemes and education in Maharashtra and UP.
Bhuvnesh holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Master’s degree in English Literature from Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University Bareilly. His main interests lie in Gender based violence, education and governance.
Manas Samanta
Reasearch Assistant
Manas has joined DAI as a Research Assistant and his current engagements are in the thematic areas of Gender-based violence. Manas is an experienced professional in the area of Social Research with a career spanning over 16 years of handling and monitoring of team implementation in multiple Health, Agriculture, Environmental, Education and many other cross-sectors research project.
Manas holds a Master's degree in Bengali from Burdwan University. Manas wants to work in a challenging and dynamic environment and to keep adding value to the organization he represents.
Deepa Imley
Project Assistant
Deepa Imley has joined DAI as a Project Assistant and her current engagements are in the thematic areas of Gender-based violence. Prior to her joining, she was working with LEAD at Krea University in research areas such as FLFS, Education and Financial Inclusion on RCT based projects in Rajasthan and Delhi . She also worked with NCAER as a Monitor on government schemes and Economic Research (DMAS) in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and UP.
Deepa Imley holds Dual Master’s degree in Chemistry From Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University and a Master's Degree in Social Work from U.P Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Prayagraj. Her main interests lie in Gender based violence, economic growth and development.
Anil Pandey
Research Assistant
Anil Pandey has joined DAI as a Research Assistant. His current engagements are in the thematic areas of Gender-Based Violence. Prior to his joining, he was working with LEAD at Krea University in research areas such as Women Empowerment, Education, Agriculture, Livelihood, Financial Inclusion, Women and Child Health based projects in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi. He was responsible to manage fieldwork for audit studies, randomized control trials and impact assessments.
Anil holds a Master's Degree in Political Science from R.M.L. University Faizabad. Anil has worked in both rural and urban areas and has extensive experience in training, piloting and actual administration of field based surveys.