Prof. Balveer Arora
Professor Balveer Arora serves as the Founder-Chairman of the Centre for Multilevel Federalism (CMF) at the Institute of Social Sciences, in an honorary capacity.
The CMF was established in 2010 during the Institute's silver jubilee year. It is a member of the International Association of Centres for Federal Studies (IACFS) since 2012. Prior to this, Professor Arora held the position of Professor of Political Science at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he also served as Rector and Pro-Vice Chancellor from 2002 to 2005. He currently chairs the CSDS Board of Governors and holds the title of President Emeritus of the Board of Water for People India. He is a former Chairman of the Governing Body of the Blind Relief Association College for Special Education and serves as the Convenor of the Federal Democracy Programme at the India International Centre.
Professor Arora earned his Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Paris Pantheon-Sorbonne, following his academic journey at St Stephen's College in Delhi and Sciences Po Paris. He has held visiting professorships at Sciences Po Paris, as well as at renowned universities in Japan (Waseda), China (CNU), and the United States (University of Pennsylvania). He is the former President of the Alliance Française de Delhi and the Founder-President of the Sciences Po Alumni Association in India. He also chaired the Governance and Nomination Committee of Plan International India's Board from 2008 to 2017. His extensive scholarly work spans five decades, focusing on India’s federal democracy, its political institutions, and processes.
Professor Arora has contributed significantly to academic and scientific communities, serving on the Scientific Councils of the French Network of Institutes of Advanced Studies (RFIEA) and the House of Human Sciences (FMSH) in Paris. He is currently Vice-President of the Institut International Transcultura in Paris and sits on the Scientific Advisory Council for the journal *Communications*. Recognized for his achievements, he was made a Knight in the Legion of Honour—the highest civilian honor of the French Republic—in July 2011 and was previously appointed Officer in the National Order of Academic Laurels in 2002.
Prof Rumki Basu
Prof Rumki Basu is currently Head, Centre for Public Policy and Governance in the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. Formerly, she was Head & Professor of Public Administration in Jamia Millia Islamia (2005-2021).
She has published several books, articles in journals and contributed book chapters on issues of Public Policy & Governance, International Organization, and the Political Economy of Development in India.
Her latest three books, Democracy and Public Policy in the Post Covid-19 World: Choices and Outcomes (2021), Public Administration in the 21st Century (2019) and Governance in South Asia (2017) have been published by Routledge, Francis and Taylor Group.
She has received the Indian Council of Social Science Research Teacher Fellowship Award, and the Bharat Jyoti Award by the India International Friendship Society. She was a recipient of the “Phenomenal SHE” Award Instituted by the Indian National Bar Association. The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) honoured her with the “Mary Hamilton Award” in recognition for her significant contribution to the field of Public Administration through “noteworthy international practice and substantial academic achievements”.
PROF. AKHIL BIHARI OTA, IAS (RTD)
Prof. Akhil Bihari Ota, IAS (Rtd.) is the Honorary Director of Odisha Branch, ISS. He was a former Professor in Anthropology and later joined Indian Administrative Service and retired as Revenue Divisional Commissioner. He worked as Former Director Tribal Welfare, Director of oldest Tribal Research Institute of the Country (Odisha TRI), Odisha State Tribal Museum, Director Secondary Education, former Commissioner cum Director SCSTRTI, Collector, Balasore District. Currently, he is the Senior Advisor, UNICEF and Tribal Development, UNDP. He authored more than 45 books including the recently Published "Encyclopedia of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha" in 5 Volumes.
Prof V. Upadhyay
DR. SURAJIT MAHALANOBIS
Dr. Dinoo Anna Mathew
Dr. Dinoo Anna Mathew is presently Head of Programmes at the Institute of Social Sciences, New
Delhi. Her work at the ISS involves providing strategic leadership in developing a program portfolio
promoting participatory democracy, decentralized governance, and inclusive development. Dinoo is
a development practitioner with extensive experience in the field of gender, democracy, local
governments, peace and conflict studies. She holds a Doctorate in Peace and Conflict Studies from
the University for Peace in Costa Rica, Masters in Gender and Peace Building from the University for
Peace, and a Masters in Social Work from Sree Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala. In her
various capacities in reputed organizations, Dinoo has led programmes and projects, managed
research studies and capacity building programmes. She has taught short courses/ given guest
lectures on gender, development, peace, and conflict for post-graduate academic programs in India
and Indonesia. Her current research engagements at ISS include women in micro enterprises, mental
health, and migration.
Dr. Polly Datta
Her expertise lies in the area of decentralization finance viz. financial empowerment &
management of Panchayat. She did her Ph.d from the University of Heidelberg, Germany on
political economy of public finance (Centre-State-Local financial relations). She was engaged in
various universities/institutes for pursuing her postdoctoral studies. She worked with the United
Nation Development Programme (UNDP), New Delhi and provided technical support to the
Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), GoI on Panchayat finance & financial management and
worked on developing localization of SDGs (viz. self-sufficient Panchayat). She also headed the
Panchayat Finance unit of the Statistical and Financial Data Cell located at the MoPR, GoI
Later, she was engaged with various universities/institutes located in Europe for studying
international financial decentralization models.
As a Visiting Faculty at the IIT Mandi, she taught courses on Panchayat finances, functions and
structures to the students of MA Development Studies
Several monographs & journal articles of hers both in the area of Centre-State as well as Centre-
State-Panchayat relations are forthcoming
Her current research projects include rationalizing & streamlining operational frameworks of
financial power & management of Panchayat; impact of GST on Pancahayat finance; building
Panchayat financial & non-financial data while combining GIS-based spatial data (viz.
SVAMITVA & Gram Manchitra) with textual data-available in the public domain-and citizen-
generated data (CGD) (viz. Gram Vaani) and later on exploring the possibility of using Geo-AI
tool in pursuing the goal of data for environmentally sustainable development of Panchayat.
Dr Pramila Prava Patnayak
Eshana Wahi
Eshana Wahi is currently the Assistant Programme Officer for the Institute of Social
Sciences. Formerly, an intern at the institute, she has a background in research working
with the rural local governing bodies of the country. In 2025, she completed her
Master’s degree in MA Global Studies at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, New Delhi,
which laid the foundation for her interest in social scientific research. Prior to that, she
pursued a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Sociology at Maitreyi College, Delhi
University along which she actively remained a part of several internships in content
writing and other creative extracurricular activities including fine arts.
Dr. Hrishikesh Dhapate
Md Nawazuzzoha
SHAKKIRA K.K
Interns
Rekha Kumari
Bulbul Kumar
Madiha
Shrabani Talukdar
Support Staff
Ms. Vidya Nair
Mr Amrendra Kumar
Mr. Sanjai Sharma
Kalyan Singh Rawat
Mr. Lalit Prasad
Gadhadhar Pardhan
Manoj Goswami
Ashok Kumar
Pramod
