Dr. Debdulal Thakur

RESEARCH & SCHOLARLY CONTRIBUTION

• Scopus / WoS Indexed Publications (including book chapters & reports): ~15–20
• h-index: 6
• Total Citations: 230

Research Focus Areas

• Fiscal federalism & public financial management
• Municipal finance & urban governance
• Education economics (SDG-4)
• Financial inclusion & development policy

Distinctive Feature

Unlike purely academic researchers, Dr. Thakur’s work is policy-driven and implementation-oriented, with outputs frequently informing government frameworks and institutional reforms.

Policy Research & Technical Output

• Major reports/projects: 15+
• Collaborations with:
• World Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• UNDP
• UNICEF

Key Contributions

• Gender budgeting and social inclusion frameworks
• Education sector reform (PETS, SDG-4)
• Municipal finance diagnostics across 30+ cities

Ph.D. SUPERVISION

• Ph.D. students supervised: NA
• M.Phil/ Ph.D External examiner: Jawaharlal Nehru University, Central University of Kerala
• PG: Multiple theses across BITS Pilani, Symbiosis, and Krea University

CONTRIBUTIONS (SELECTED AREAS)

• Teaching–Learning Innovations
• Courses taught:
• Public Finance
• Government Accounting
• Financial Inclusion
• Pedagogical innovations:
• Case-based teaching using real policy problems
• Field-linked learning (Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys, diagnostics)
• Integration of data analysis and policy simulation

Outcome

• Shift from theoretical instruction to applied, market-linked learning

Consultancy / Industry Engagement

• Senior Consultant at PwC
• Advisory roles with:
• World Bank
• Asian Development Bank

Key Areas

• Public Financial Management reforms
• Fiscal federalism
• Urban governance and municipal finance

Distinguished Achievement

• Contributed to property tax reform framework submitted to the 13th Finance Commission through work at
  National Institute of Public Finance and Policy
• Study covered 35 Urban Local Bodies and informed revenue enhancement strategies and valuation reforms

Innovation / IPR / Start-ups

• Contributions in:
• Digital financial education (ML-enabled approaches)
• Policy frameworks for innovation ecosystems

Key Work

• “Taxing Innovation” (2025) – policy design for startup growth

Nature of Contribution

• Focus on policy innovation and ecosystem design rather than patent-based outputs

Community Outreach

• Budget advocacy initiatives in West Bengal
• Public resource tracking for children (UNICEF collaborations)
• Education equity and school access studies

Impact

• Strengthened citizen engagement in public finance
• Improved understanding of education access and governance

Institutional Service

• Head, Research Cell (Symbiosis International University)
• Deputy Director (Symbiosis School of Economics)
• Editorial and governance roles at BITS Pilani

Contributions

• Built research systems and compliance frameworks
• Strengthened academic output and institutional visibility

Academic Administration

• Professor & Dean (current role)

Responsibilities

• Academic strategy and curriculum design
• Faculty recruitment and mentoring
• Institutional partnerships and fundraising

Achievement

• Development of applied economics and public policy programs aligned with real-world needs

Professional Development

• International Budget Project training (Tanzania)
• Participation in World Bank and Planning Commission workshops
• Life Member of The Indian Econometric Society

International Collaboration

• Collaborations with:
• World Bank
• UNICEF
• Asian Development Bank

Exposure

• EURAXESS (EU collaboration platform)
• GLOBELICS Conference (Argentina)

SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS & DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTIONS

Global Academic & Development Exposure

• Worked closely with Muhammad Yunus during tenure at PwC (2012), gaining exposure to global microfinance and social business models

National Recognition

• Acknowledged by Kailash Satyarthi for co-authoring
  “Rhetoric vs Reality: The State of Elementary Education in India (2008)”
  Contribution to national discourse on education equity and child rights

Policy Impact

• Key contributor to property tax reform and municipal finance frameworks for the 13th Finance Commission
• Led/participated in multi-state fiscal reform and governance projects impacting:
• Urban finance
• Public service delivery
• Education systems

Thought Leadership & Public Engagement

• Regular contributor to national media:
• The Hindu
• Mint
• Deccan Herald
• DT Next
• Policy Circle

Contribution Profile

• Frequent/monthly opinion columns on:
• Fiscal federalism
• Education policy
• Urban governance
• AI and economic transformation

 Establishes role as a public intellectual bridging academia and policy

Large-Scale Funded Research Leadership

• Led projects funded by:
• World Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• UNDP
• UNICEF

 Demonstrates capacity to:

• Secure funding
• Deliver policy-relevant research
• Engage with government stakeholders