I am an Economist at Amazon. I received my PhD from Department of Economics from University of Washington. My research interests are in the areas of Empirical Industrial Organization and Development economics.
Floods, Droughts, and Inflation Expectations (with Abhiprerna Smit)
This paper examines whether precipitation related natural disasters like floods and droughts affect inflation expectations of consumers. We exploit variation in the frequency of floods and droughts related disasters across Indian states to understand whether climatic shocks can explain variations in expectation formation process of households. Using data from Reserve Bank of India's inflation expectations survey, we find that, on average, an additional flood event in past three months within a state raises households' short term (three month ahead) inflation expectations by 6.7%. An additional drought event raises the short term inflation expectations by 5.2%. Floods and droughts also affect the second moment by raising dispersion of expectations, especially for the one-year ahead inflation. Our findings highlight the increasing risk of unanchored inflation expectations, which can impede the effectiveness of monetary policy, in a world with increasing climatic events.
What Constrains Financial Inclusion for Women? Evidence from Indian Micro data. (with Saibal Ghosh)
[Link]
World Development, 2017
The role and relevance of gender in financial inclusion has been an evolving area of research in recent times. Although there are several cross-country studies on this aspect, few within-country studies have addressed this issue in a comprehensive manner. In this context, exploiting disaggregated household-level data for India, we analyze the interface between gender and finance. More specifically, we examine whether gender matters for financial inclusion and if so, what are the possible factors that influence this relationship. Our findings suggest significant disparity in both the access to as well as the use of finance by gender. On average, female-headed households are 8% less likely to access formal finance and 6% more likely to access informal finance as compared to households that are headed by males, after taking into account other relevant household and state-level characteristics that are important in explaining financial access by households. Similar evidence carries over to the use of finance: households headed by female use 20% less cash loans as compared to male-headed households. Subsequently, we investigate the possible channels which impede financial inclusion for female-headed households. Our analysis highlights that for female-headed households, education and wages are more relevant in explaining the access to finance whereas political and social factors are much more germane in explaining the use of finance.
Furthering the financial inclusion agenda in India: how important is gender? (with Saibal Ghosh)
[Link]
Economic and Political Weekly, 2016
Exploiting household level survey data, this paper analyses the interface between gender and financial inclusion. The multivariate regressions that take on board several household and state-level controls suggest significant disparities in both the access to as well as the use of finance. More specifically, female-headed households are 10% less likely to access formal finance as compared to households that are headed by males. Similar evidence carries over to the use of finance as well. From a policy standpoint, the paper highlights several policy interventions which can serve the cause of greater financial inclusion of women in the country.
I have been a teaching assistant and an instructor at UW.
1. ECON 200 B: Introduction To Microeconomics
Spring 2019 | Syllabus: Click here
Winter 2019 | Syllabus: Click here
Fall 2018 | Syllabus: Click here
2. ECON 100: Survey of Economic Principles
Taught at Shoreline Community College, Fall 2018
Syllabus: Click here
1. ECON 200 AA: Introduction To Microeconomics
Assistant to: Dr. Haideh Salehi-Esfahani, Spring 2017 and Spring 2018.
2. BECON 510: Microeconomics for Managers
(for Foster Hybrid MBA Program)
Assistant to: Dr. Alexis Leon, Winter 2018.
3. TMMBA 501 A: Managerial Economics
Assistant to: Dr. Alexis Leon, Fall 2017.
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