Dr. Balwant Singh Mehta
Dr. Balwant Singh Mehta
Professor
balwant.mehta@ihdindia.org
Ph.D. in Development Economics, Jamia Milia Islamia
Post Doctoral Fellow, ICSSR
He is currently working as a Professor at the Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi, India. His research spans development economics, labour studies, gender, poverty and inequality, child well-being, education, and technology. He has authored 10 books and 20 monographs, and has published more than 100 research articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals. These include PLOS ONE, Social Indicators Research, Information Development, International Journal of Health Governance, Indian Journal of Labour Economics, FIIB Business Review, Economic & Political Weekly, Journal of Development Studies, and Indian Economic Journal. He has also edited volumes published by Springer, Routledge, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and MIT Press. His work has received wide recognition, reflected in several international fellowships and honours. These include the Amy Mahan International Fellowship at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Spain; a Research Fellowship at the Singapore Internet Research Centre (SiRC); the Emerging Researcher Award from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada; a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from ICSSR, New Delhi; and a Research Fellowship under the Just Tech Rapid Response programme of the Social Science Research Council, New York, USA. He was also a finalist for two consecutive years in the national Hackathon organised by ISDM, India. Dr Mehta is an alumnus of the International Training Centre of the ILO, Turin.
He holds PhD in ‘Development Economics’ and postgraduate degrees in Economics, Management, and Computer Science. He has completed specialised courses in ‘Labour Statistics and Analysis’ & ‘Employment in Ageing Society’ at the ILO Training Centre, Turin, and advanced courses in Econometrics, Statistics, and Machine Learning from leading institutions such as the University of Michigan (USA), Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands), University of Southampton (UK), University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), and IIITs in India, among others.
Prof. Mehta has coordinated over 55 research studies, including multi-country studies and collaborated with major national institutions such as NITI Aayog, Ministry of Labour and Employment, National Commission for Women, NIUA, ICSSR, NIRD, and several state governments. Internationally, he has also partnered with renowned organisations including the ILO, UNICEF, UNDP, IDRC, Volkswagen Stiftung (Germany), SANEM(Bangladesh), Save the Children, ActionAid, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (South Africa), Economic Policy Research Institute (South Africa), FXB Centre at Harvard University, University of Sussex (UK), World Bank, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Swedish Development Centre, PATH International, Population Council of India, CARITAS International (Australia), Asian Social Science Research Councils(Australia), and Social Accountability International (USA), among others.
He also holds key editorial roles, serving as an Associate Editor of The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, published by Springer & also reviewer for leading journals, including BMJ Public Health, Urban Studies, Applied Economics, Cogent Business & Management, Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Mobile Media & Communication, Digital Communication and Media Studies, Health Systems, World Development Sustainability, Discover Education, Scientific Reports, Discover Global Society, and Human Development Journal, among others. Prof. Mehta regularly writes for leading national dailies such as The Hindu, Mint, The Pioneer, and Moneycontrol, offering expert commentary on socio-economic issues. His recent books, which have received global acclaim, include: Inequality of Opportunity and Poverty in India Using a Machine Learning Approach (Springer Nature, Singapore); Indian Youth’s Journey from Education to Decent Work: Issues and Challenges (Springer Nature); Future of Work: Opportunities and Challenges (Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group); Women and Labour Market Dynamics (Springer Nature); Mapping the Path: Progress and Promise on the SDGs: Analysis for India (Academic Foundation).
Beyond academia and research, Prof. Mehta has organised several international seminars and training programs, served on government committees, and has been invited as a keynote speaker at various universities and prestigious forums such as Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, IIT Delhi, Kerala Central University, Himachal Pradesh University, FICCI, VVGNLI, IDS Jaipur, the ILO, Geneva, IFO, Munich, and the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is also a co-author of several important national-level reports, including: India Employment Report, 2024 and 2014; Tribal Human Development Report, 2024; and South Asia Employment Report, 2018, among others.
He has also worked as a consultant with several reputed national and international organisations, including IIM Lucknow, CARITAS International, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Asian Development Bank, the World Food Programme, Social Accountability International (USA), Asian Institute of Transport Studies, and Landsa, among others.
a reviewer for leading journals, including BMJ Public Health, Urban Studies, Applied Economics, Cogent Business & Management, Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Mobile Media & Communication, Digital Communication and Media Studies, Health Systems, World Development Sustainability, Discover Education, Scientific Reports, Discover Global Society, and Human Development Journal, among others.