Projects

SUMIRAN ARDHAPURE

Research Associate

Sumiran Ardhapure is a Research Associate with the Financial Inclusion vertical at LEAD.

Prior to joining LEAD, Sumiran worked as a research assistant at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics on a project measuring the impact of chronic stress on economic decision making.

Sumiran holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor’s degree in the same subject from Fergusson College, Pune.

He enjoys deconstructing inequality and its various interconnections, particularly its combined implications on economic-decision making and poverty. In his spare time, Sumiran whips up homemade recipes, reads for pleasure, makes art and plays the occasional football.

VYSAKH D. SATHEESH

Research Associate

Vysakh D. Satheesh is a Research Associate with the Financial Inclusion vertical at LEAD.

He has previously worked on projects investigating group dynamics and social preferences among School Management Committee members in Delhi and later unpacked the policy landscape for Menstrual Hygiene Management in India.

Vysakh holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Ashoka University, during which time he completed a capstone thesis on the disparities in entry and exit and mobility among MSME entrepreneurs across caste groups. Vysakh enjoys blending a range of contemporary perspectives tied to micro-developmental economics in his work, such as discrimination, intersectionality, education and labour.

Vysakh employs books, movies and music as his tools of escapism. He’s a passionate fantasy and sci-fi reader but is usually just looking for a good story beautifully told. A certified cat-dad, Vysakh spends his free time planning his next travel adventure while indulging in local delicacies.

SAMPURNA BASU

Research Associate

Sampurna Basu is a Research Associate with the Financial Inclusion vertical at LEAD.

Prior to joining LEAD, Sampurna worked as a pro bono consultant and assisted with research work on development priorities for the Early-Stage Evaluation of the Human Capital Index at the Independent Evaluation Group, World Bank.

Sampurna has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Her research interests revolve around pressing questions surrounding women’s participation and work-family policies across contexts. On the weekends, you can catch Sampurna curled up in a cosy corner with a pile of pre-loved books and movies.

VARUN HARIHARAN

Research Associate

Varun Hariharan is a Research Associate with the MSME & Entrepreneurship vertical at LEAD.

Varun holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Math, from New York University. His college thesis analysed the effect of economic resilience on recovery after the onslaught of hurricanes in the United States.

Prior to working in LEAD, Varun was involved with the social impact investment scene in New York and public policy research initiatives such as The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania. Varun’s research interests include dissecting the historical impact of economic policies on marginalised communities. An avid bibliophile, Varun likes to unwind by rewatching the Sopranos.

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