Dr. Shiladitya Chatterjee, IAS (Rtd.), India

I am an international development economist with expertise on India and Asia and the Pacific. Educated at Presidency College, Calcutta (BA); Delhi School of Economics (MA); and Boston University (Ph.D), I have worked in academics; administration (in the Indian Administrative Service); and international development (at the Asian Development Bank). I taught economics at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University; Boston University; and University of Massachusetts. In India, I worked on grassroots level development in Assam; at the Central Government in the Finance Ministry (Plan Finance), and at the Prime Minister’s Office I helped PM coordinate the economic reforms of 1991-94. As an ADB economist I worked on structural reforms, fiscal decentralization, capital markets development, transport and basic infrastructure. Since 2004, as Head of ADB’s Poverty Unit, I focused increasingly on poverty reduction; forged the ADB-UNDP-ESCAP regional partnership on the MDGs; and supported formulation of the new SDGs. I have contributed to research with a large number of publications and reports. Currently I am advising UN-ESCAP on regional cooperation for the SDGs; the Government of Assam on implementing the SDGs; and the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry in crafting a Vision Bengal 2030. My interests also include writing fiction and have recently published a novel.