Dr. K. Chandra Shekar

Dr K. Chandra Shekar is an economist specialising in innovation studies, MSMEs, Industrial Development, clusterisation, Industrial carbon emissions, digitalisation, financial inclusion, and the Informal Economy and Development Studies. He is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg. Before joining academia, he served as an Economic Officer in the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, where he contributed to the Economic Survey 2023-24 and other national policy publications.

Past Affiliations:
Economic Officer (Gazetted), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Research Consultant, Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), Government of Kerala
Senior Research Associate, Goa Institute of Management
Research Associate, Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT)

Educational Qualifications:
PhD in Economics, Centre for Development Studies, affiliated with Jawaharlal Nehru University (2022)
Ph.D. Intern, UNU-MERIT (United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology), Netherlands (2018)
M.Phil. in Economics, Central University of Gujarat (2015)
Integrated M.A. in Economics, University of Hyderabad (2013)

Selected Publications:
Shekar, K. C., & Shagishna, K. (2026). Informal Sector, Financial Inclusion, and Role of Digitalisation: A Firm-level Analysis from Bangladesh, Ghana, and India. Economic & Political Weekly, 61(29).https://www.epw.in/journal/2026/29

Shekar, K. Chandra. "Informality, Innovation, and Firm Performance: Evidence from World Bank Enterprise Survey in India, 2013–2014." Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2025, doi:10.1186/s13731-025-00478-9.
Shekar, K. Chandra, and Unnikrishnan P. V. "Building a Holistic Innovation Ecosystem: The Role of Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council." Economic and Political Weekly, 2023, https://www.epw.in/journal/2023/49/commentary/building-holistic-innovation-ecosystem.html.
Shekar, K. Chandra, K. J. Joseph, and Beena P. L. "Innovations and Firm Performance in Informal Manufacturing Enterprises: Field-based Evidence from India." Economic and Political Weekly, 2023, https://www.epw.in/journal/2023/30/special-articles/innovations-and-firm-performance-informal.html.
Shekar, K. Chandra, and Manikantha Nataraj. "Subcontracting and Enterprise Development in India's Informal Manufacturing Sector." Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 2022, doi:10.1108/JSBED-02-2022-0106.
Shekar, K. Chandra, and K. J. Joseph. "Determinants of Innovation and Interactive Learning in Informal Manufacturing Enterprises in India." Science and Public Policy, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scab089.
Parwez, S., and K. Chandra Shekar. "Understanding Grassroots Innovations in India: Evidence from the Countryside." Society and Business Review, 2018, doi:10.1108/SBR-07-2018-0081.
Shekar, K. Chandra, and George Paily. "The Need for an Innovation Survey in India." Economic and Political Weekly, 2019, https://www.epw.in/journal/2019/38/commentary/need-innovation-survey-india.html.
Parwez, S., Ruchi Patel, and K. Chandra Shekar. "A Review of Microfinance-Led Development: Evidence from Gujarat." Global Social Welfare, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-017-0095-3.
Other Peer Reviewed Papers
Shekar, K. Chandra. "Role of Informal Sector Competition on Innovation in Urban Formal Manufacturing Enterprises in India." Asian Journal of Innovation & Policy, vol. 10, no. 1, 2021.
Shekar, K. Chandra. "Status and Role of Urban Informal Workers in Solid Waste Management: A Study of Rag Pickers in Hyderabad City." Journal of Governance and Public Policy, vol. 5, no. 1, 2015.
Reports and Other Publications
Shekar, K. C., and Vidyarani, K. Impact of Digitalisation on Financial Inclusion and Firm Performance of Informal Sector in India: Pre and Post COVID Analysis. CDS Working Paper No. 519, Centre for Development Studies, 2025.
Shekar, K. Chandra. "Industry: Small and Medium Matters." Economic Survey 2023-24, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Department of Science and Technology (DST) and UNIDO. Assessment of Firm-Level Innovation in Indian Manufacturing (NMIS 2021-22), 2023.
Department of Economic Affairs. The Indian Economy: A Review. Ministry of Finance, Government of India, 2024.
Azim Premji University. COVID-19: Lockdown Impact on Informal Sector in India, 2020.