Dr. B. R. Ambedkar School of Economics University, Bengaluru

Dr. Sumirtha Gandhi

Dr. Sumirtha Gandhi
Assistant Professor
Email: sumirtha@base.ac.in

Educational Qualification

  • PhD, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, Chennai (2021)
  • MA in Analytical and Applied Economics, Loyola College-Chennai (2008 – 2010)
  • BA in Economics (Hons.), Hansraj College, University of Delhi (2005 – 2008)

Teaching Specialization

Behavioral Economics, Growth & Development, Health Economics

Other Research Role

Research Associate at Empower

Areas of Interest

Impact evaluation, Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health, Geriatric Health, Public Policy, Education and Behavioral economics.  

Technical & Software Handling Skills

STATA-15, R & R-Studio, LISREL, LiST, SPSS-22, DIVA-GIS, Origin-18, Excel, EViews-10.

Publications and Other Contributions

  • “Predictors of the utilization of Continuum of Maternal Health Care Services in India”. BMC Health Services Research
  • Horizontal Inequity in the Utilization of Continuum of Maternal Health Care Services(CMHS) in India: An Investigation of ten years of National Rural Health Mission(NRHM). International Journal for Equity in Health
  • Monitoring the inequality in the coverage of Reproductive, Maternal, New-born and Child Health Coverage Indicators in India Using Demographic Health Survey Round, 2015-16. Plos One, 2021 ( Co-authors- Tulasi Malini Maharatha, Umakant Dash, Suresh Babu)
  • Projecting Demand-Supply Gap of Hospital Capacity in India in the face of COVID-19 pandemic using Age-Structured Deterministic SEIR model. Infectious Disease Modelling, 2020 (Co-authors- Veenapani Rajeev Verma, Umakant Dash & Anurag Saini).
  • A systematic review of Demand-based & Supply-based Interventions on continuum of maternal and child healthcare in south Asian countries, Journal of Public Health, 2020 (C0-authors- Shruthi Ramesh, Umakant Dash)
  • Traversing the margins: Access to healthcare by Bakarwals in remote and conflict-prone Himalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Pastoralism Research, Policy and Practice, 2019, (Co-authors-Veenapani Rajeev Verma & Umakant Dash).
  • Health seeking behavior among particularly vulnerable tribal groups: A case study of Nigiris. Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, 2017, (Co-authors- Veenapani Rajeev Verma & Umakant Dash).
  • Contributed in analysing the Technical Report on Key Indicators of Morbidity, Utilization and Health Expenditure using NSSO Data –Tamil Nadu in September 2016.

Accepted Paper

  • Received Acceptance for the paper titled Horizontal Inequity in the Utilisation of Continuum of Maternal Health Care Services (CMHS) in India: An Investigation of ten years of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). International Journal for Equity in Health in 2021.

Working Papers

  • Impact Evaluation of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) on Maternal and Child Health Interventions in India using Demographic Health Survey Round (2015-16).
  • Menstrual Hygiene Management in Poor Adolescent Girls: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Case Study in the Slums of Chennai and Delhi.

Conference Presentations and Workshops Attended

  • Presented a paper on Dropouts in Continuum of Maternal Health care interventions in India, 2019, University of Basel, Switzerland
  • Presented a paper on Continuum of maternal health intervention in India: From pre- to post-reform period in Fifth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, 8 – 12 October 2018, Liverpool, UK.
  • Presented a paper on “Access to Health Care and Health Seeking Behavior of Geriatric Care in India “in an International Conference” IHEA Conference, Boston (7th -11th July’17). 
  • Presented a paper on “Traversing the margins: Access to healthcare and seeking behavior among Nomadic Pastoralists along the Line of Control and Conflict Areas of Jammu and Kashmir” in an International Conference IHEA Conference, Boston (7th -11th July’17).
  • Presented a Paper on Demand and Supply Side Barriers to Health Care Utilization among the Transhumant Tribes of Jammu and Kashmir in March 2017 organized by DAKAM in Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Presented a paper on “Health seeking behavior among particularly vulnerable tribal groups: A case study of Nigiris” International health Economic Association Conference held in Milan, Italy in 2014.
  • Participated in workshop on National Health Accounts organized in Bhopal by PHFI in August 2015.
  • Participated in workshop on Economic evaluation of health policies and programs organized by PGI Chandigarh in collaboration with PHFI in December 2015.
  • Worked as a research assistant in the workshop on Econometric modeling of human capabilities (Using NFHS data set) organized by Humanities & Social Sciences, IITM in February 2016.
  • Participated and Organized a Workshop on Equity in Health Financing Workshop at IIT Madras for duration of 12 – 16 July 2016.
  • Disease Specific Health Accounts Workshop at Thiruvananthapuram organized by PHFI and USAID 6- 10 June, 2016.
  • Workshop on “Analyzing Medical and Health Data using R”, Thiruvananthapuram (6 – 7 October 17).
  • Workshop on “Statistical Data Analysis using R Software” Bengaluru (11 – 13 October 17).

Ongoing Research

  • Biases and Hesitancy and Covid-19 Vaccination : A case study of India

Current Projects

  1. Title: Quantum and Spread of Government Support to Households: Direct and Indirect Transfer of Subsidies, Goods and Services under Social Protection Policies in Select States of South India
    Role: Co- PI
    Funding Agency: UNICEF, Hyderabad
    Amount (Rs. in Lakhs): 38.00
    Duration and Year: 7 months, 2021-22
  2. Title: A study on Child Education during COVID_19 Pandemic – Karnataka
    Role: Co-PI
    Funding Agency & Collaborators:  Newcastle University, UK [ Pauline Dixon & Steve Humble]
  3. Title: Impact of Ahar Anudan Yojana on Nutrition and Healthcare among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Madhya Pradesh
    Role: Co- PI
    Funding Agency: AIGGPA, Bhopal, MP
    Amount (Rs. in Lakhs): 23.6
    Duration and Year: 9 months, 2021-22
  4.  Title: Impact of MGNREGS in preventing distress migration in Marshal village, Afzalpur Taluk, Kalburgi district
    Role: Co- PI
    Funding Agency: RDPR, Karnataka
    Amount (Rs. in Lakhs): 12.16
    Duration and Year: 6 months, 2021-22
  5. Title : Child budget analysis and Public Expenditure Efficiency for the state of Uttar Pradesh.  
    Role : Co-PI
    Funding Agency : UNICEF, Lucknow
    Amount ( Rs. In Lakhs) : 8.00 Duration and Year : 4 months, 2021-22