Dr. D. Rajasekhar

Dr. D. Rajasekhar is a development economist with a distinguished career in research, public policy and institutional development, with extensive experience in governance and socio-economic development.

He holds a PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1994), an M.Phil. in Applied Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (1986), and an M.A. in Economics from Sri Venkateswara University (1982).

He served as Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, from 29 October 2021 to 31 May 2025. He previously served as Professor and Head of the Centre for Decentralisation and Development at ISEC, as Vice Chancellor (IC) of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar School of Economics University, Bengaluru, and as Abdul Nazir Sab Chair Professor at the Centre for Multi-Disciplinary Research, Dharwad. He has also held visiting and chair professorships at institutions in India and abroad. His research has resulted in 29 books and monographs and more than 100 research papers. He has contributed to policy and advisory bodies of the Governments of India and Karnataka, including the Research Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).

Areas of Expertise:
His areas of expertise include decentralisation and local governance, development economics, poverty reduction, social protection, public service delivery, microfinance, rural development, local organisations and NGOs, and child labour.

Key Contributions / Achievements:

• Served on several policy committees and expert groups of the Governments of India and Karnataka, including the Planning Commission’s Committee on Social Protection Policy and Karnataka committees on decentralisation, community-based rehabilitation, minimum wages, and skill development.
• Recipient of the Sanjaya Lall Prize for research on social accountability and social audits in Karnataka.
• Received an International Labour Organisation (ILO) Best Paper Award for research on health insurance as a social innovation for farmers’ cooperatives.

Publications / Research:

• Rajasekhar, D. (Ed.). (2022). Handbook of decentralised governance and development in India. Routledge.
• Rajasekhar, D., Manjula, R., & Paranjothi, T. (Eds.). (2020). Cooperatives and social innovation: The experiences from the Asia Pacific region. Springer.
• Rajasekhar, D., Manjula, R., & Devendra Babu, M. (Eds.). (2022). Decentralisation in contemporary India: Status, issues and the way forward. Routledge.
• Rajasekhar, D., Devendra Babu, M., & Manjula, R. (Eds.). (2020). Decentralised government, cooperatives and rural development. Rawat Publications.