Maitreesh Ghatak

Maitreesh Ghatak is a Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he also serves as Director of the Development Economics Programme at STICERD and PhD Programme Director. He holds a PhD from Harvard University (1996) and has held previous positions at the University of Chicago and LSE as a Research Fellow. His research focuses on Development Economics, Public Economics, and the Economics of Organizations, with a particular emphasis on poverty, microfinance, land rights, and public policy in India and developing economies.

• Education: PhD in Economics (Harvard, 1996), MA (Delhi School of Economics, 1991), BSc (Presidency College, 1989).
• Honors: Fellow of the Econometric Society (2024), British Academy (2018), and International Economic Association (2021).

His research interests span anti-poverty policies, microfinance institutions, organizational incentives, and the political economy of development. He has advised governments and international organizations, including the World Bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Ghatak is a co-editor of Economica and has authored influential papers on topics such as universal basic income, land acquisition, and social enterprise theory.

He has supervised over 20 PhD students, many of whom hold academic and policy roles globally. His policy work includes analyzing India's growth trajectory, land reforms, and pandemic responses. Ghatak is a frequent commentator on Indian economic issues in media outlets like The Hindu and Hindustan Times.