Dr Radhika Pandey: A Leading Voice in Indian Macroeconomics and Public Finance
Dr Radhika Pandey is a distinguished economist, academician, and policy researcher whose work has profoundly shaped India’s macroeconomic and public finance landscape. As Associate Professor and Senior Fellow at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), New Delhi, she applies more than two decades of expertise in economic research, policy formulation, and teaching (nipfp.org.in).
🎓 Academic Excellence & Professional Journey
Dr Pandey earned her PhD and MA in Economics from Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, and her BA (Honours) in Economics from Banaras Hindu University (theprint.in). Before joining NIPFP in 2008, she taught finance, law, and regulation at National Law University, Jodhpur (radhikapandey.com). This multidisciplinary foundation enabled her to bridge legal and economic perspectives in her policy research.
🔬 Research Focus and Publications
Dr Pandey’s scholarship spans numerous macroeconomic domains:
- Business cycles, capital controls, inflation targeting, and financial sector regulation (nipfp.org.in).
- Her recent working papers include:
- The journey of inflation targeting in India (2024)
- Understanding States’ Debt and Bond Markets (2024)
- Potential implications of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (2024)
- The electricity chokepoint in Tamil Nadu public finance (2024) (nipfp.org.in).
Her broader publication record, accessible via RePEc and ResearchGate, includes pivotal pieces on firm-level activity, monetary policies, and structural reforms, collectively cited over 400 times .
🏛️ Influential Policy Roles
Dr Pandey’s analytical insights translated into practical governance through key roles in:
- Lead coordinator, Task Force for Public Debt Management established by the Ministry of Finance (2014) (nipfp.org.in).
- Member, Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission under Justice B. N. Srikrishna (2011) (nipfp.org.in).
- Contributor to the Working Group on Foreign Investment chaired by U. K. Sinha (nipfp.org.in).
- Part of the technical secretariat on fintech and virtual currencies for NIPFP’s Financial Steering Committee (globalsourcepartners.com).
Her work has directly impacted Reserve Bank of India’s frameworks and the structure of India’s sovereign debt management system .
🗣️ Communication & Teaching
A celebrated communicator, Dr Pandey writes the weekly “MacroSutra” column and produces accompanying videos for ThePrint since 2021, shedding light on current macro-financial issues (theprint.in). Her lectures to professional and academic audiences at Carnegie India, IMPRI, and IMI‑NSE Academy are acclaimed for their clarity and depth (worldslegends.com).
🤝 Reputation & Legacy
Colleagues and students describe Dr Pandey as both rigorous and compassionate. On LinkedIn, Sharad Kumar Jha remarked:
“Her expertise is in macroeconomics, financial policy, and regulations… she is not only extremely knowledgeable, but she also believes in compassion and empathy” (linkedin.com).
Ila Patnaik acknowledged her potent blend of academic integrity and policy impact:
“There are so many policies of the Indian government where you can see Radhika’s influence and research… She didn’t focus on just publishing papers but on real research that goes behind actual policy making” (en.wikipedia.org, theprint.in).
🔚 Conclusion
Dr Radhika Pandey has been a rare scholar-practitioner whose research not only enriches academic discourse but also tangibly influences India’s economic policy frameworks. Her thought leadership in inflation targeting, debt management, capital flows, and financial sector reform exemplifies her pivotal role in nurturing a robust and inclusive economic environment. As her career continues to unfold, she remains an inspiration to economists, policymakers, and students alike.
