Have 25 years of experience in the areas of teaching anthropology, participatory research and development, community mobilization, institution building, training and capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, partnership and networking, urban infrastructure development, promotion of social enterprises, ICT enabled learning and development, sustainable livelihoods, climate change and natural resource management. This includes
Academic (nine years): Hold a doctoral degree in social anthropology from the University of Madras, India. Conducted studies among several forest dwelling tribal and rural communities to understand their socio cultural institutions and how these institutions are related to resources and livelihoods. Worked in the Department of Anthropology, University of Madras as a lecturer and taught Anthropology at post graduate level students. The subjects taught were Foundations of social anthropology, applied anthropology and tribal welfare, theories of culture and social structure and economic anthropology.
Field based development intervention and programme management (Nine years): In M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation worked as a Social scientist and contributed for participatory planning and execution of mangrove regeneration and management. Subsequently as a coordinator guided a interdisciplinary team to develope ‘biovillage’ model for different agro climatic zones. Later before left the organization in 2006 as a programme leader for five years managed the programme ‘Ecotechnology for Sustainable Development’ multiple projects were carried out related to agriculture and fisheries development and diversification of rural livelihoods farming and tribal communities. ICT based village knowledge centres were established to support the knowledge management of local communities. Gender mainstreaming is addressed as a cross cutting theme in the entire project cycle. DRR framework was adopted to achieve medium and long term livelihood objectives of disaster prone communities. Conducted training programmes on different themes to different stakeholders at different levels and organized national and international dialogues with policy makers, academics and practiceners in the field. Have working experience with Dorabji Tata trust, UNESCO, IFAD, Volkart Foundation, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Commonwealth of Learning (COL) etc,
Consultancy service (18 years): Providing consultancy service to International and national organizations like Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Commonwealth of Learning (COL), UNISDR, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), GIZ, Swiss Solidarity, International Resource Group (IRG), Oxfam GB, Future Earth, Danish Hydraulic Institute, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), WAPCOS Limited etc. as a social expert involved in the monitoring and evaluation of projects in India and Srilanka, preparation of integrated plans, climate change adaptation etc. Worked to develop a model of Life long learning (L3) of farmers through mobile phones and other ICT tools supported by COL. Facilitate partners sharing experiences: From Indian partners to partners of other Commonwealth courtiers especially to African nations like Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius and island nations like Jamaica and Papua New Guinea.
Experience outside India: Visited around 30 countries covering all continents to participate in meetings, coordinate workshops, as resource person and execute, monitor and evaluate development project works.
Publication and dissemination (as author and co author): Presented more than 200 papers in national and international seminars and conferences. So far published fourteen books (monographs, training manuals, best practices and took kits), nineteen chapters in edited volumes, twenty one papers in reputed national and international journals.
Professional skills in a nutshell as a multidisciplinarian:
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