Professor Bidisha Chakraborty: Professor at Jadavpur University, India

Prof. Bidisha Chakraborty is a senior academic in the field of Development Economics and currently serves as Professor at the Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Over the past two decades, she has built a robust portfolio of theoretical and policy-relevant research on human capital, growth, inequality, and child labour. Her scholarly work integrates complex mathematical modeling with real-world socio-economic challenges, particularly those faced by developing countries. A widely published economist, she has co-authored several influential papers and contributed to interdisciplinary studies on mental health, education systems, and welfare policy. She is also actively involved in teaching and mentoring postgraduate students and doctoral candidates.

Online Profiles

Scopus Profile

Prof. Chakraborty’s academic profile is accessible via the Jadavpur University Economics Department, which outlines her research interests, institutional affiliations, and contact details. While no direct links to ORCID, ResearchGate, or Google Scholar are currently listed, her publications are available through academic databases such as Springer, Elsevier, and JSTOR. She frequently collaborates with Indian and international scholars and presents at major economic conferences globally, making her a well-networked researcher in the field.

• Total Documents: 18

• Total Citations: 55 (from 49 citing documents)

• h-index: 4

Education

Prof. Chakraborty completed her Ph.D. in Economics from the Indian Statistical Institute in December 2008, focusing on growth dynamics, human capital formation, and policy interventions in dual economies. Her doctoral research, under the supervision of Prof. M.R. Gupta, contributed novel theoretical frameworks to the field of endogenous growth. Her academic journey reflects a strong quantitative and analytical background, grounded in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, dynamic systems, and applied econometrics. She has also been associated with premier institutions during her research training years.

Research Focus

Her research interests lie at the intersection of macroeconomic theory and developmental policy, particularly focusing on endogenous growth, education, public policy, labour markets, inequality, and child labour. She is especially known for her work on integrating human capital into dynamic growth models and evaluating the role of education subsidies, landholding patterns, and government policies on economic outcomes. In recent years, she has expanded into interdisciplinary areas such as socioeconomics and mental health, addressing how institutional and behavioral factors influence well-being and productivity in low-income settings.

Experience

Prof. Chakraborty began her career as a Junior and then Senior Research Fellow at the Economic Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, where she engaged in advanced theoretical modeling and empirical analysis. Since joining Jadavpur University, she has been involved in academic administration, curriculum development, and graduate-level instruction, along with guiding M.Phil. and Ph.D. research. She has participated in policy discussions and presented her work at international conferences in the U.S., U.K., China, and Russia. Her experience spans pure theoretical research to field-based socio-economic studies, reflecting a well-rounded academic career.

Research Timeline

Her academic publication record began in 2006, marked by foundational work on dual economy models and the inclusion of human capital in growth frameworks. Between 2006 and 2010, she published extensively on macroeconomic models of education and inequality. From 2011 onward, her work diversified to include public-private partnerships, service sector dynamics, and taxation in growth models. In the last decade, her research has increasingly integrated empirical work—on child labour, urban mental health, and happiness metrics—adding depth to her theoretical background. This timeline reflects a steady evolution from formal modeling to interdisciplinary applications.

Awards & Honors

While formal awards are not explicitly mentioned, Prof. Chakraborty’s contributions have been recognized through invitations to major academic conferences such as the Midwest Econometrics Group, DEGIT, and the Asian Meeting of the Econometric Society. Her paper presentations at Boston University, the University of Iowa, and University of Lincoln reflect international recognition. She has also received funding support from institutions like ICSSR and has collaborated with researchers from reputed Indian institutions and international universities, underlining her status as a leading researcher in development and policy economics.

Top-Noted Publication

Among her numerous contributions, the paper titled “Human Capital Accumulation and Endogenous Growth in a Dual Economy”, published in the Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics (2006), is considered one of her most impactful. Co-authored with Prof. M.R. Gupta, the paper developed a dynamic model linking dual-sector structures with educational investments and long-term growth. It remains frequently cited in studies analyzing the structural transformation of economies and the role of educational subsidies in fostering equitable development. The model has influenced both theoretical discourse and policy considerations on human capital and development in emerging economies.

Article

Women Empowerment, Parental Education and Future Human Capital Formation (Evidences from Urban Slum Area in India)

• Focus: The study explores how women’s empowerment and parental education influence the future human capital of children in urban slums.

• Key insights: Women’s decision-making power significantly affects children’s school enrollment and nutrition outcomes.

• Publication: Journal of Quantitative Economics, 2025