Archana R. Dholakia

Currently she is a visiting professor at GIDR and a freelance consultant, involved in teaching at various management institutes. She has a total of about 27 years of experience of   teaching and research at various  universities and  management institutions   in the fields like Public Finance, Econometrics, Research Methodology, Micro economics, Macro Economics,  Global Economic Environment, Economic Reforms,  Social Sector studies like education, Health, Poverty and welfare . During her professional career she has taught at  Gujarat University, M.S. University Baroda, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad  (IIMA), Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA), Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India(EDI), Foundations for Liberal Arts and Management Education, Pune (FLAME), National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, Jaipur (NIAM).

She started her research and teaching career from M.S. University Baroda in 1983. From 1988  to October 2007 she worked at Gujarat University, as Assistant Professor (1988-92), Associate Professor(1992-2000),  Professor (2000-2007), Head Of  The Post Graduate Department Of Economics and Director Of  Post Graduate  School Of Social Sciences(2006-07).  She was also a member of the   Academic Council of Gujarat University- one of the largest universities in the country. 

She had won the UGC Junior and Senior research Fellowships,(GOI), Faculty Enrichment Fellowship for Canada, Faculty Research Fellowship, Canada, Fellowship for the training programme on “ Applications of Computers In Higher Education”(UGC-Canada government) and the Indo-Dutch exchange programme for delivering scholarly lectures and seminars in various universities and research Institutes of the Netherlands.

She worked as a consultant to the Asian Development Bank  for a project on ‘ Reforms in tax and non-tax revenue in Gujarat’ in1997-98 and was also a consultant to the Government of Gujarat for the preparation of an approach paper for the mid-term fiscal consolidation plan(2000).  She has also worked as a member of the high powered committee for ‘Identification of Backward Talukas in Gujarat’(2005),  and working committee for Minor taxes, Expenditure reforms etc.(1997-98). Was also a member of the committee for the State Income Estimation (2003-4).

She has published 3 books, 3 monographs and 37 research papers in journals of national and international repute. Has successfully guided 27 M.Phil students and 5 Ph. D students, coordinated various UGC   refresher courses for university teachers, conducted research seminars and workshops. 

Policy Engagements:

1. Member, The High Powered  Committee  For Identification Of The Backward Taluka In Gujarat,  Government of Gujarat, 2004-05
2. Member, The Expert Group on the Regional Accounts of Gujarat, Government of Gujarat, 2003
3. Member, The Working Group for Implementation of Fiscal Reforms - Public Expenditure Management and Control, Government of Gujarat, 1998
4. Member of the Working Group for Implementation of Fiscal Reforms – Minor Taxes, Government of Gujarat, 1998

1. “Tribal Finances in Gujarat”, Paper presented at the workshop on Tribals in Gujarat at GIDR, Ahmedabad  in April, 2008 in the likely volume on Tribals In Gujarat.
2. “Liberalized Markets and Implications On Child Poverty in Canada and India”(co-author), in  Market Forces and Cultural Change: Canada and India (eds. Arti Nanavati and Umesh Naik), published by Centre For Canadian Studies, The MSU, Baroda, 2006.
3. “Alternative Measurement of fiscal performance of Indian states in B.S.Kantawala and T.R.Bishnoi(eds.): Markets And Institutions-Indian Experience During Nineties, Wisdom Publications, Delhi., 2006.