Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies, IIT Bombay

🎉 Congratulations to Dr Rahul Sapkal on the publication of his recent paper (jointly with Kinchan Chakma and Daksha Parmar) titled “Bridging the Care Gaps: Exploring the Role of Digital Labour Platforms for Elderly Care in India” in the Development Journal (Springer).
📖 Read the article here:

Bridging the Care Gaps: Exploring the Role of Digital Labour Platforms for Elderly Care in India - Development The rapid platformization of healthcare in the Global South is reorganizing elder care, yet workers’ experiences remain underexplored. This article investigates algorithmic control and care quality through lived experiences of Indian care workers across three arrangements: hospital-based referral ...

🎉 Congratulations to Dr Sekhar Bonu for his recent paper (jointly with Indu Bhushan) titled "Is publicly funded health insurance associated with healthcare utilisation and financial protection in India? Evidence from a cross-sectional household survey (CAMS 2022–2023)" appeared in BMJ Open.
Abstract:
The paper using nationally representative data from the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey 2022–2023 examines the association of India’s publicly funded health insurance (PFHI), mainly Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with healthcare utilisation, out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). The paper finds that PFHI was associated with improved access to inpatient services and partial financial protection, but association with outpatient care indicates a major source of financial burden. Policy reforms should expand PFHI benefits to outpatient services, strengthen primary care through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and tailor implementation to state contexts and vulnerable populations to achieve equitable and comprehensive financial protection

📖 Read the article: doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-106382

Is publicly funded health insurance associated with healthcare utilisation and financial protection in India? Evidence from a cross-sectional household survey (CAMS 2022–2023) Objectives To examine the association of India’s publicly funded health insurance (PFHI), mainly Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with healthcare utilisation, out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). Design Cross-sectional study using nationall...

🎉 Warm Welcome to Dr Sekhar Bonu at ADCPS! 🎉
We are delighted to share that Dr Sekhar Bonu has joined the ADCPS, IIT Bombay, as an Honorary Visiting Professor on June 2, 2026.

Dr Bonu brings with him an extraordinary wealth of experience in public policy, governance, development, and evaluation. He previously served as the Director General of the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog (2019–2022) and had a distinguished tenure at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila (2004–2019), contributing significantly to health systems, urban infrastructure, and regional cooperation in South Asia.
A distinguished 1987-batch IAS officer, Dr Bonu held several senior leadership positions in Rajasthan and served as the Collector of Banswara. He holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University and is also a CFA Charterholder.

On behalf of the ADCPS family, we extend a very warm welcome to Dr Bonu. We are confident that ADCPS will greatly benefit from his rich experience and valuable insights in policy, governance, and development.

We look forward to an enriching association.

Congratulations to Rakendu S. for her paper (co-authored with Prof. N. C. Narayanan) titled ‘A Participatory Geographic Information System-based Route Optimisation for Decentralised Municipal Solid Waste Management System: A Case Study from a Flood-prone Town in Kerala, India’ published in Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy. Other contributors are Antony Gosh Zen Vadakkan and Arya P. R.

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A participatory geographic information system-based route optimisation for decentralised municipal solid waste management system: A case study from a flood-prone town in Kerala, India - Rakendu Suresh, Antony Gosh Zen Vadakkan, Arya P. R., N. C.... Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) remains a critical challenge in India due to rapid urbanisation, increasing waste volumes, and limited institutional cap...

👏 Congratulations to Dr Prerna Yadav for successfully defending her PhD thesis, “From Food Security to Water Crisis: Policy Sequencing and Groundwater Overexploitation in India", on 21 May 2026, under the supervision of Prof. NC Narayanan.

👏 Congratulations to Dr Kaniska Singh for successfully defending her PhD thesis, “The Politics of Managing Disaster Vulnerabilities: A Study of Flood Policy Processes in the Kosi River Basin, India", on 19 May 2026, under the supervision of Prof. NC Narayanan.

🎉 Heartiest Congratulations to Prof. Sundeep Oberoi! 🎉
We are delighted to share that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, has constituted an 11-member expert committee comprising experts from Academia, Industry, and Government to examine the impact of Quantum Computing on cryptographic standards, processes, and rules under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
We are proud to announce that Prof. Sundeep Oberoi has been appointed as the Chairman of this committee.
👏 Wishing him continued success in this prestigious national responsibility.

👏 Congratulations to Dr Trupti Patil for successfully defending her PhD thesis, “Hypertension-Related Disability in India: S*x- and Gender-Based Evidence and Policy Responses", on 15 May 2026, under the supervision of Prof. Arnab Jana & Co-Supervisor Prof. Sarthak Gaurav.

ADCPS IIT Bombay Get Together (Farewell Dinner Honoring Our Graduating Students) held on 29th April was a wonderful occasion filled with reconnecting, laughter, memories, and togetherness.

Thank you to everyone who joined and made the gathering so special. Looking forward to many more memorable moments together! ✨

👏 Congratulations to Dr Brishti Banerjee, PhD, for successfully defending her PhD thesis, “Governing Housing Informality: Policy Categories, Governance Practices and Lived Experiences in Guwahati, India", on 09 May 2026, under the supervision of Prof. Himanshu Burte & External Co-Supervisor Dr Malini Krishnankutty