SHODH: The Institute for Research and  Development

  Director-Projects - SHODH: The Institute for Research   and Development, Nagpur  

106, KT Nagar, Nagpur- 440013, Maharashtra State, India

Tel: +91-2570690, 2555625, Fax: +91-712-2549521

e-mail: shodhngp@dataone.in, ruchaghate@gmail.com

• Ph. D. (Eco.) from Nagpur University in 1989. Topic of research : Indian Forest Policy and Its Economic Impact on Tribals in Maharashtra.
• M.A. (Economics)   from   Bombay University in 1982 
• Post-doctoral overseas fellowship in Environmental Economics under the World Bank aided India Capacity building program, at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, between August 1999 and June 2000.

• At Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, for two months Sept-Oct. 2002. Awarded with ‘teaching award 2003', School of Environment, Resources and Development, for outstanding teaching performance for the course ‘Research Design and Methods'.
• At Research Methods and Proposal writing training workshop at Mekong Institute Foundation, Khon Kaen, Thailand, from 30^th June to 5^th July 2006.
• At the Summer School in Goa for undergraduate students of The College of William and Mary, Virginia University, a course on ‘Environment and Development’ in Indian context, from May 28 to June 8, 2007.

• Member of Tata Energy Research Institute team (as expert in institutional analysis) for conducting ‘Situation Analysis of the poverty-ecosystem link in the Indo-Hindukush region’, a project funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK, August 2007 to February 2008.
• Coordinator, Workshop on ‘Economic Development, poverty reduction and policy change: environmental economics for policy makers’, organized by SANDEE, UNDP and UNEP, at AIT Bangkok, Dec. 10-13, 2007.
• Member, working group on wildlife, biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and animal welfare for the Environment and Forests sector for the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012), Ministry of Environment and Forests and Planning Commission . 
• Member, World Bank “Chhattisgarh Tribal Livelihoods scoping Mission”, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh from 31st March to 2nd April 2006.
• Member, World Bank supervisory Mission on ‘Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management', (APCFM) Project, From 16th to 28th February 2003.
• Member, World Bank supervisory Mission on ‘Kerala Forestry Project', From 9th to 21st   November 2003.
• Member, World Bank supervisory Mission on ‘Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management', (APCFM) Project, From 8th to 19th December 2003.
• Consultant on an Indo-Dutch co-funded project entitled “Water Scarcity: A Result of Non-Economic Pricing and Inefficient Management: A Case Study of Nagpur City”, executed by CMDR, Dharwad, Karnataka.
• Guest Editor for South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), Newsletter nos.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
• Co-edited a special issue entitled “Environment and Development”, of Marathi Journal Samaj Probadhan Patrika, Vol. 44/176, Oct-Dec. 2006.
• National consultant as Tribal Development specialist for World Bank funded project on “Need assessment of forest-dependent people from three states of ‘tribal belt’ of Central India”.
• On editorial board of book entitled “Promise, Trust and Evolution: The Commons of South Asia”, Sponsored by SANDEE, to be published by Oxford University Press, UK.

Institutional affiliation: 

• Secretary, SHODH: The Institute for Research and Development, Nagpur.

• Member of Nomination Committee of The International Association for the Study of Common Property (IASCP), USA, from 2004-06.

• Fellow of South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), Nepal.

1. ‘Bureaucratic Strategies in Relocation’, Economic and Political Weekly, Nov. 10-16/17-23, 2007, Vol. XLII (45 and 46), pp. 21-24.
2. ‘Role of monitoring in institutional performance’, (Joint) 2007, Current Conservation, Issue no. 1, July 2007.
3. ‘Role of monitoring in institutional performance: forest management in Maharashtra, India', (Joint) 2006, Conservation and Society, Vol. 3(2), July-December. Pp. 509-532.
4. ‘Environmental Protection, Development and Rehabilitation: A case from Tadoba- Andhari Tiger Reserve’, (in local language Marathi), Samaj Prabodhan Patrika, Vol.44, No. 176, Oct-Dec. 2006.
5. ‘People within parks-forest villages, land-cover change and landscape fragmentation in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India', 2006, Applied Geography, 26, pp. 96-112.
6. ‘Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve: Relocation versus wildlife preservation', Economic and Political Weekly, Nov. 12th 2005, Vol. XL (46), pp. 4807-4809.
7. ‘The Land On Which Forest Stands Is Not Ours, So What? Forest Products Are Ours! A Study of Three Collective Action Based Forest Regimes Without Land Tenure' (joint) in Forest, Trees and Livelihoods , 2004, Vol. 14 p.p.91-108.
8. Community-Based Forest Management And Land-Use Planning: A Case Study from Maharashtra, (Joint) Society of Indian Forester, VAN VIGYAN, 2003, 41(1-4), Pp. 115-130
9. ‘Global gains at local costs: Imposing protected areas: evidence from central India', in International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 2003, 10(4), P.p. 377-389.
10. ‘Does Leadership Matter?: A Study Of Self-Initiated Forest Management From Central India' Asia - Pacific journal of rural development , 13,no.1 2003, 89-104

1. ‘Integrating Informal with Formal Forest Management Institutions for Sustainable Collective Action in India’, (jointly with Deepshikha Mehra) In Decentralization, Forests and Rural Communities edited by Edward Webb and Ganesh Shivakoti, Sage Publications (2008).
2. ‘Good in Intention, Bad in Practice: Forest Development Agency: Nesting of JFM committees’, (jointly with Deepshikha Mehra) in Joint Forest Management in India (Vol II), Edited by P. Bhattacharya, A.K. Kandya, and K.N. Krishna Kumar, Aavishkar Publishers, Jaipur, 2008 (pp 519-533)
3. ‘A Tale of Three Villages: Practiced Forestry in India’, in Promise, Trust and Evolution
   Managing the Commons of South Asia, Edited by Rucha Ghate, Narpat Jodha, and Pranab Mukhopadhyay, Oxford University Press, U.K. 2008 (pp 122-143).
4. ‘Leadership in community initiated forest management’ in New Development Paradigms & Challenges for Western and Central India (eds.) by R. Parthasarthy and Sudarshan Iyengar, Concept Pub. Co.: New Delhi, 2006 (pp 429-473). 
5. ‘Ashram schools in Nagpur division: a qualitative analysis’ (joint), in Studies in Tribal, Rural and Urban Development (ed.) by Robin D. Tribhuwan. Delhi, Discovery, vol.1. 2000.
6. ‘Andhari tiger sanctuary: a case study’, in Studies in Tribal, Rural and Urban Development (ed.) by Robin D. Tribhuwan. Delhi, Discovery, vol. 1, 2000.
7. ‘Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development', in Economic Growth and Environment, (eds.) by Dr. Mrs. S. Murti, RBSA Publishers. Jaipur, 1998.
8. ‘Forest policy and its impact on tribals', in ‘socio-cultural Dynamics of tribal development', (eds.) by R.S.Negi & John Gaikwad, Tribal Research & Training institute, Pune, 1990

1. 1992, ‘Forest Policy and Tribal Development', Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi with financial assistance from ICSSR, New Delhi.
2. 2004 ‘Uncommons in the Commons: Community-initiated Forest resource management', Concept Publishing Co., New Delhi

1. Principal Investigator “Decentralization in Forest Management: Changing Incentives and Attitudes through JFM”, funded by SANDEE, 2008-10 (ongoing).

2. Principal Investigator "Tendu/Kendu Leaf Management And Trade In Vidarbha Region Of Maharashtra State" funded by Regional Center for Development Cooperation, Bhubneshwar, Orissa. 2007.

3. Co-Principal Investigator “Forests-Based Sustainable Development: An exploratory study of Gadchiroli District” (jointly with Vrikshamitra) sponsored by Oxfam, Australia, 2007.

4. Co-Principal Investigator, “Dependence on forest of communities on fringes of protected areas: A case of village Wadala located outside Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve” 2006.  
5. Principal Investigator, Forest Department granted evaluation study of thirty villages federated under Forest Development Agency in Central Chanda, Gadchiroli, Bramhapuri, and Wadsa Forest Divisions.
6. Co-Principal Investigator, “Dependence on forest of communities on fringes of protected areas: A case of village Kondegaon located outside Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve” 2006.
7. Principal Investigator, “Institutional arrangements of two Successful self-initiated attempts in forest management in Maharashtra, India – A revisit” Funded by Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, 2005-2006.
8. Principal Investigator, “Alternate income opportunities and dependence on non-timber forest products” Funded by Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, 2005-2006.
9. Co-Principal Investigator, Minor study on “Fact finding and mitigations measures: A study of tribal land alienation and restoration in Jiwati Taluka, Chandrapur District”, 2005.
10. Co-Principal Investigator, The World Bank funded project on “Need assessment of forest-dependent people from three states of ‘tribal belt' of Central India”, 2005.
11. Principal Investigator, “Search for Adaptive Co-Management of Wildlife Reserves: Evolution of a Model” funded by Workshop in Political theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA.
12. Principal Investigator, “Impact Of Relocation On Forest Dependent Communities: A Case of Protected Area Of Vidarbha Region In Maharashtra State, India” funded by Workshop in Political theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA.
13. Principal Investigator, “Water Scarcity: A Result of Non-Economic Pricing and Inefficient Management: A Case Study of Nagpur City” funded by ICSSR, New Delhi.  
14. Co- Principal Investigator, “Invariant dependency of Common Property Resources at Different Stages of Development: A Case Study of Water in India”, Co-investigator for I.D.P.A.D sponsored project.   
15. Principal Investigator, ‘Conceptualizing Regional Development through Forestry', a minor research project funded by University Grants Commission, Delhi, 2003.
16. Principal Investigator ‘Institutional structure and Sustainable collective action' sponsored by SANDEE (South Asian Network for Development of Environmental Economics), 2003.
17. Principal Investigator, ‘Institutional arrangements of two Successful self-initiated attempts in forest management in Maharashtra, India', sponsored by Workshop in Political theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, since July 2001.

SELECTED CONFERENCES/SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS ATTENDED AND PAPERS PRESENTED : (last five years) 

1. ESPA methodology workshop, TERI University, 7-10 August 2007 and 16th-22nd Feb 2008, New Delhi.
2. ‘Alternate Income Opportunities And Dependence On Non-Timber Forest Products’, (jointly with Deepshikha Mehra, and Harini Nagendra) was presented at ISEE conference New Delhi, December 2006.
3. Attended two meetings at New Delhi as member, working group on wildlife, biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and animal welfare for the Environment and Forests sector for the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012), Ministry of Environment and Forests and Planning Commission . (Sept and Oct 2006)
4. ‘Relocation blues: compromises locals have to make for conservation' presented at the 11 th biennial IASCP conference at Bali, June 19-23, 2006 .
5. ‘Good In Intention, Bad In Practice Forest Development Agency: Nesting Of JFM Committees' Presented in national workshop on ‘JFM at cross roads: future strategy and action programme for institutionalizing community forestry', April 20 to 22, 2006, at IIFM, Bhopal.
6. Attended meeting organized by WWF on ‘future of conservation' in New Delhi from 4th to 5th February 2006.
7. Participated in Women core group's state level discussion on “Joint forest management and need for equal participation of women in the State-level committee”, 5-6, Dec 2005.
8. Participated in Maharashtra State level meeting of NGOs and forest officials on “GR 2003 and modifications in it” as special invitee at Van Bhavan, Nagpur, on 2 nd December 2005.
9. Participated in seminar organized by IGIDR-UNDP at Mumbai, and presented “ Forests As Drivers Of Development: From Scarcity To Sustainability” on 5th of September 2005
10. Participated in workshop on “Tools for reaching forest-dependent poor in India: An action research project” conducted by Winrock International Ltd on 1st July 2005.
11. Participated in a meeting with the Tiger Task Force at Van Bhavan, Nagpur, on 12th June 2005.
12. ‘Creating Protected Areas: In Whose Interest, At What Cost? A Case Study Of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra'. Presented in Seminar on “Making conservation work: attempting solutions to biodiversity loss in India”. Organized by Council for Social Development, New Delhi, from 11th to 12th March 2005.
13. Participated in workshop as member of editorial board of SANDEE CPR Book entitled “Promise, trust, evolution”, organized in March 2005 by SANDEE and SHODH at Goa, Bangalore, India and Trieste, Italy.
14. “An economic analysis of forest products and dependence of local people”, presentation at a meeting with Forest minister and forest officials of Maharashtra State, organized by the Forest Department, North Chandrapur circle at Chandrapur on 4th Feb 2005.
15. “Traditional and non-traditional indigenous informal institutions in forest management” to be presented at “Unlocking Human Potential: Linking the Informal and Formal Sectors”, Helsinki, Finland, September 16-18, 2004.  
16. “Ensuring ‘Collective Action' In ‘Participatory' Forest Management” presented at the 10th IASCP biennial conference “The Commons in the Age of Global Transition: Challenges Risks and Opportunities”, Oaxaca, Mexico, August 2004.
17. “Significance of traditional indigenous institutions and practices in forest management: A case of two indigenous communities from Gadchiroli district from Maharashtra State in India” presented at the 10th IASCP biennial conference “The Commons in the Age of Global Transition: Challenges Risks and Opportunities”, Oaxaca, Mexico, August 2004.
18. “‘Equity' in Decentralized Forest Management in India” presented at the 10th IASCP biennial conference “The Commons in the Age of Global Transition: Challenges Risks and Opportunities”, Oaxaca, Mexico, August 2004.
19. “The Issue of Equity in Three Institutional Structures in India” Presented at WORKSHOP AT THE WORKSHOP, Bloomington, USA, June 2-6, 2004.
20. Paper entitled “Bio-diverse economic dependence of indigenous population : A study from Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra”, presented at Third Biennial Conference of the Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE), at Indian Institute of Management, between 18-20 December, 2003.
21. National Seminar on New Developmental Paradigms & Challenges for Western and Central Regional States in India at Ahmedabad, between 4th and 6th March 2003.
22. Inception Workshop for Maharashtra Human Development Report Follow-up Project', UNDP, at Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai, on 14th February 2003. 

Conducted various training and awareness camps.