VIT-AP SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

AND HUMANITIES (VISH)

RESOURCE PERSONS

DR. S CHANDRASEKHAR (INDIRA GANDHI INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH

DEVELOPMENT, MUMBAI)
DR. K SHANMUGAN (THE INDIAN ECONOMETRIC SOCIETY)
DR. RAJESH KUMAR (IIT MADRAS)
DR. JALANDHAR PRADHAN (NIT ROURKELA)
DR. MASUDUL HASAN ADIL (IIT MANDI)
DR. SUNIL PAUL (IIT GOA)
DR. S. IMTIAZ HASNAIN (MAULANA AZAD NATIONAL URDU UNIVERSITY, HYDERABAD)
DR. ABHINANDAN SINHA (AHMEDABAD UNIVERSITY)
DR. SASWATA GUHA THAKURATA (AZIM PREMJI UNIVERSITY, BHOPAL)

// 20-24
JAN
2025
VIT-AP SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND HUMANITIES (VISH)

The FDP is designed to equip faculty members and research scholars in social sciences with
the essential skills and knowledge to employ empirical methods, analyze data effectively, and
apply econometric tools in their research. Econometric methods play a vital role in analyzing
quantitative data, testing hypotheses, and making predictions about future trends by bridging
theoretical models with empirical analyses from a quantitative perspective.

This FDP will introduce participants to econometric models and analyses, catering
specifically to faculty members and research scholars interested in empirical and quantitative
studies. The program will cover a wide range of topics, including:

Primary data collection through field surveys.

Collection and analysis of secondary data sources.
Application of empirical methods in studying development issues and public policies.
Integration of empirical methods into pedagogy.
In-depth exploration of econometric techniques, including time series and panel data
analysis.

The primary goal of the FDP is to provide participants with an empirical framework for their
research, enhance their ability to craft well-structured research papers and foster a strong
research orientation across disciplines within the social sciences.

BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

Design and conduct empirical research projects effectively using both primary and
secondary data.
Address and overcome challenges encountered during fieldwork.
Utilize econometric tools to analyze social science data.
Interpret and present empirical findings effectively and impactfully.
Enhance the quality and rigor of their research outputs.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-
AP University, Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
VIT-AP SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND HUMANITIES (VISH)

The workshop is open to all, with a special focus on Pre-PhD candidates, early-stage scholars,
individuals planning to pursue a PhD, and career professionals in social sciences. Disciplines
include, but are not limited to: Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Public
Administration, Development Studies, Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, Education,
Languages, Management, and Commerce.

Digital Certificates will be provided to all registered participants.

Fees: Rs. 350/- for Research Scholars; Rs. 550/- for Faculty.
Deadline for Registration: 18th January 2025, 11:59 PM.

For any queries, please write to us at: farooq.mir@vitap.ac.in

https://forms.gle/cPr2c2R9xVYZkYzb8 https://tinyurl.com/28ht9f4t

Dr. Ashraf Pulikkamath, Dr. Soumik Sarkar, Dr. Sunil Khosla, and Dr. Farooq Ahmad Mir

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-
AP University, Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
VIT-AP SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND HUMANITIES (VISH)

ABOUT VIT-AP UNIVERSITY

VIT-AP University has been a forerunner in delivering quality education. Consistently ranked
among the top educational institutions in the country, the VIT group of institutions has
upheld a proud tradition of pursuing knowledge and excellence. In line with this legacy, the
leadership at VIT-AP embodies a dynamic blend of academic innovation and industry
partnerships, with a vision to create one of the finest academic destinations in the world.

Established in 2017 in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, VIT-AP University has quickly emerged as
a burgeoning center of higher education in India. Spread across 100 acres, the University
comprises seven schools offering 24 Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Ph.D. programs in
Engineering, Sciences, Arts, Languages, Business, Commerce, and Law. With over 17,000
students and 400+ research scholars from 26 Indian states and six countries, our campus is a
vibrant melting pot of cultures, fostering a rich and cosmopolitan campus life.

The University places a strong emphasis on internationalization and strives to secure its
presence in QS and other global rankings. Research is a cornerstone of our academic
philosophy, as evidenced by over 3,384 publications in prestigious journals, an impressive h-
index of 42, and an i10 index of 340—all achieved within just seven years of establishment.

Our commitment to innovation is demonstrated through the establishment of Centers of

Excellence in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Internet of Things,
Cybersecurity, Renewable Energy, and the MeitY-sponsored VLSI initiative, "Chip to
Startup." For more details about VIT-AP University and our unwavering dedication to
excellence in education and sustainability, we invite you to visit our official website:
https://vitap.ac.in/

ABOUT VISH

The VIT-AP School of Social Sciences and Humanities (VISH) has established itself as an
independent school since its inception in 2017, integrating the Department of Languages with
Social Sciences courses. VISH is dedicated to equipping students with language proficiency
and a comprehensive understanding of culture, language, society, politics, and economics. Our
faculty provide a well-rounded education that complements other university disciplines,
fostering the development of individuals who can apply knowledge and effectively solve real-
world problems. The School offers diverse programs that build skills, including critical
thinking, problem-solving, knowledge application, and evidence-based analysis. We offer
integrated (BA/MA), and doctoral (PhD) programs, providing a robust academic pathway for
students at every level of their educational journey.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-
AP University, Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
VIT-AP SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND HUMANITIES (VISH)

ABOUT THE INDIAN ECONOMETRIC SOCIETY (TIES)

The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), established in 1960, is a registered society under the
Public Societies Registration Act. It is one of the oldest and largest professional bodies for
econometricians and quantitative economists, boasting over 2,000 members from India and
abroad. TIES plays a pivotal role in advancing econometrics by organizing annual
conferences that bring together experts to deliberate on key issues.

The society also publishes the Journal of Quantitative Economics, which is currently released
three times a year, with plans to increase to four issues annually.

HISTORY OF TIES

The roots of Indian econometrics trace back to 1951 when the International Econometric Society
held joint sessions in India. A landmark moment occurred in January 1960, when C.R. Rao chaired
a symposium on "Statistical Methods in Economics" at the Indian Science Congress, attended by
pioneers like P.C. Mahalanobis, K. Nagabhushanam, and N.S.R. Sastry. This symposium laid the
groundwork for an organized focus on econometrics in India.

The First Indian Econometric Conference was held at the Indian Statistical Institute,
Calcutta, in January 1960, with P.C. Mahalanobis delivering the inaugural address. The
regular conferences eventually led to the formal establishment of TIES in November 1970 at
Madurai during the 10th Annual Econometric Conference. The society was officially
registered under the Registration of Societies Act on July 23, 1971.

OBJECTIVES OF TIES

1. Organizing Conferences: To provide a forum for economists, statisticians, and

mathematicians to discuss econometric issues.
2. Promoting Methodological Development: To advance econometric techniques tailored to
Indian conditions.
3. Research and Training: To conduct and disseminate research through its journal and other
media.
4. Other Activities: To undertake initiatives that support the society’s goals as decided by its
General Body. By fostering collaboration and innovation, TIES continues to be a
cornerstone of econometric research and development in India.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-
AP University, Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
DR. S CHANDRASEKHAR

Dr S Chandrasekhar, an alumnus of Delhi School of Economics and

Pennsylvania State University, is Professor at Indira Gandhi Institute
of Development Research, Mumbai. He was awarded the
Mahalanobis Memorial Medal 2016 by The Indian Econometric
Society, for outstanding contributions to the field of quantitative
economics. For his work on commuting behaviour of workers in
India, he was awarded the Japanese Award for Outstanding Research
on Development (First Prize) at the Global Development Awards and
Medals Competition 2011. He has worked extensively on the issues of
urbanisation, labour markets, internal migration and income
inequality in India. He coordinated the research initiative,
"Strengthen and Harmonize Research and Action on Migration in the
Indian Context", which was supported by a grant from Tata Trusts.
The project also coincided with the Government of India constituting
the Working Group to Study the Impact of Migration on Housing,
Infrastructure, and Livelihood, of which he was a member.

He has a keen interest in data standards and improving data quality.

He has served on a variety of government advisory panels connected
with key statistics, including the Standing Committee on Statistics,
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and the All
India Financial Inclusion Survey by NABARD. Presently, he is a
member of the Steering Committee for the National Sample Surveys,
under the aegis of the National Statistical Commission.

His teaching interest includes Big Data and Machine Learning for
Economists, Development Economics; Econometrics; Indian
Economy; Introduction to Python for Economists; and Structural
Transformation.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
DR. MASUDUL HASAN ADIL

Dr. Masudul Hasan Adil currently serves as an Assistant Professor in

Economics area at the School of Management, IIT Mandi.

Prior to this, he has served as a post-doctoral fellow at IIT Bombay

and IIT Palakkad. He has completed his PhD in Economics from the
Mumbai School of Economics and Public Policy (MSE-PP) and
Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi. He has MPhil in
Economics from the School of Economics, University of Hyderabad. He
has af-filiated to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research
(IGIDR), Mumbai, as a visiting scholar. His research interest lies in the
areas of Monetary economics, Macroeconomics, and Time series
analysis.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
 DR. K SHANMUGAN

Dr. K. Shanmugan is the Secretary of The Indian Econometric

Society (TIES) and a dedicated academic and researcher in the
field of economics. He serves as an Associate Professor in the
Department of Business Economics, under the Faculty of
Commerce, and holds a Ph.D. from The M.S. University of Baroda,
Gujarat, where he also completed his postgraduate studies.

Dr. Shanmugan has authored numerous books and articles

published by reputed publishers, reflecting his expertise and
contributions to the field. He has also been instrumental in
organizing several high-profile events and conferences,
including the prestigious Annual Conferences of The Indian
Econometric Society (TIES) and the Rajasthan Economic
Association.

Through his academic endeavors and organizational leadership,

Dr. Shanmugan continues to play a pivotal role in fostering
dialogue and research in the field of economics.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
 DR. RAJESH KUMAR

Rajesh Kumar is a professor of linguistics in the Department of

Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of
Technology Madras, Chennai.

He obtained his PhD in linguistics from the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining IIT Madras, he taught at IIT
Kanpur and IIT Patna in India and at the University of Texas at
Austin in the USA. He has been a visiting faculty at the Tata
Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai in India. His book on Syntax
of Negation and Licensing of Negative Polarity Items was
published by Routledge in their prestigious series Outstanding
Dissertations in Linguistics in 2006. He has been the associate
editor of the journal Language and Language Teaching. He has
been part of the language teaching program at all the institutions
he has been affiliated with. The broad goal of his research is
uncovering regularities underlying both the structural form (what
language is) and sociolinguistic functions (what language does) of
natural language. He works on structure of South Asian Languages.

He is keenly interested in issues related to language

(multilingualism) in education; politics; human cognition; and
landscape.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
 DR. S. IMTIAZ HASNAIN

S. Imtiaz Hasnain is a well-known Sociolinguist and the Maulana Azad

Chair Professor at Maulana Azad National Urdu University,
Hyderabad. Formerly, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and
Chairman of the Department of Linguistics at Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU).

Prof. Hasnain has held esteemed positions, including EWC Fulbright

Scholar at the East-West Center, Hawaii, and Senior Fellow at the
Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). He has been a Visiting
Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a Visiting Scholar
at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, among others. He
was honoured with the "President’s Inspired Teachers for 2015"
award, recognising his contributions to higher education.
A prolific academic, Prof. Hasnain has supervised 22 Ph.D. theses, led
six funded research projects, and presented at numerous national
and international conferences. He has also contributed significantly
as an editor and reviewer for leading journals and publishers.

His work has shaped language policy and education in India through
his involvement in national committees and his contributions to
publications by top academic publishers. Internationally, his
expertise in linguistics is widely sought, inspiring scholars globally.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
DR. JALANDHAR PRADHAN

Dr. Jalandhar Pradhan is a Professor of Health Economics at the

National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, where he leads a
Centre of Excellence on Public Health Nutrition in collaboration with
UNICEF. With over 15 years of experience in teaching and research,
Dr. Pradhan has made significant contributions to health policy,
health systems, health financing, and health outcomes.

Dr. Pradhan holds a PhD in Health Economics from the International

Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, and a Postdoctoral
degree from the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic
Institute (NIDI), The Netherlands. His academic journey reflects a
commitment to advancing the field of health economics, with
numerous contributions to peer-reviewed journals, books, and
reports addressing critical public health challenges.

As an educator and researcher, Dr. Pradhan is passionate about

employing rigorous data analysis and economic methods to improve
health and well-being across diverse populations. He actively
collaborates with colleagues, students, and stakeholders from
various disciplines, creating an inclusive and stimulating
environment for learning and innovation. His dedication to fostering
a culture of excellence extends to his leadership of research teams
and the guidance he provides to emerging scholars.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
DR. ABHINANDAN SINHA

He is an Assistant Professor at Ahmedabad University. He has a

Bachelor’s in Science with Honors in Statistics from Calcutta
University, and a Masters in Statistics from Indian Statistical Institute
Kolkata (lSI). He briefly worked as a researcher at Le Centre national
de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) India, on Multidimensional
Poverty Indices, and went on to earn a PhD in Quantitative
Economics from his alma mater, the Indian Statistical Institute, to
pursue his interest in social science.

His area of expertise is Development Economics. His research interest

lies in the political economy of development, with mathematical
modelling of game theoretical applications. He also devotes time for
research and policy-based startups and writes occasional columns on
relevant issues. He was awarded the second prize in Best Paper
Competition, Data Dissemination Workshop by the U.N.D.P. and
Census Directorate of India for his paper titled “Employment
Vulnerability Index: A New Approach.”

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
DR. SASWATA GUHA THAKURATA

Saswata Guha Thakurata teaches Economics at Azim Premji

University Bhopal, India.

He enjoys teaching macroeconomics, microeconomics,

development economics, Indian economy, political economy of
development, history of economic thought and data analysis using
R. He completed his PhD from the University of Hyderabad, India.
His thesis is primarily focussed on the political economy of growth
in India since the 1980s. His research interests include dynamics of
economic growth in developing countries, inequality,
informalization, role of government in economic growth and
development, migration and post-Keynesian economics. He has
published his research in peer-reviewed journals such as Singapore
Economic Review, Review of Radical Political Economics, Social
Indicators Research, Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy.
He also writes op-ed articles and publishes popular writings on
current economic issues.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh
 DR. SUNIL PAUL

Dr. Sunil Paul is an Associate Professor with expertise in economics,

specializing in macroeconomics, monetary economics, applied time
series econometrics, and computational social sciences. He holds a
Ph.D. in Economics from Pondicherry Central University.

Dr. Paul has held various professional appointments throughout his

career. He served as an Assistant Professor at the Madras School of
Economics, Chennai, and also as a Visiting Faculty member at the
Department of Economics, Central University of Tamil Nadu.

Dr. Paul’s research contributions are extensive and impactful. His

recent publications cover topics such as labor income share, market
power, automation, and the dynamics of oil price shocks on financial
stress and stock markets. His work has been published in renowned
journals, including Applied Economics Letters, Bulletin of Economic
Research, and Economic Modelling.

As a passionate educator, Dr. Paul teaches courses that align with

his research interests, significantly contributing to the
advancement of knowledge in macroeconomics, econometrics, and
computational social sciences. Through his teaching, research, and
professional engagements, Dr. Sunil Paul continues to make a
substantial impact in the field of economics.

FDP on Data, Dialogue and Discovery: Quantitative Approaches For Social Sciences
VIT-AP School of Social Science and Humanities (VISH) VIT-AP University,
Amravati, Andhra Pradesh