Ashok Kumar Sircar

Areas of Interest & Expertise

Rural livelihoods
Land question
Local democracy
Civil society
Alternative development

Biography

Ashok Sircar leads the Centre for Local Democracy.

He has been with Azim Premji University from 2011, and for the last five years, had headed the School of Development.

He teaches a course on Political Economy of Land and Development in India, and Local Democracy and Development in India. He also earlier taught a course on Women and Work in India. Ashok has worked in the Electronics industry for 15 years producing very sophisticated electronic components for space and military applications, followed by a stint in the NGO sector working for another 12 years, in grassroot to international organisations, and the last 10 years in academia.

Courses

Research Design and Primary Data Collection | starts in January 2026
This certificate deepens the understanding and skills to do a systematic field study in the social sector.
Register Now
Ashok Kumar Sircar, Juhi Tyagi, Manjula M, Rajesh Joseph

Professional Development Courses

Local Governance and Social Accountability in India
Understanding on issues related to local governance, social accountability and delivery of welfare entitlements
Local Democracy and Welfare Entitlements: Theory, Policy, and Practice
Designed to extend knowledge and understanding of the key issues related to local democracy to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of India.
Imagining Development: From Vision to Action
Connecting technical competencies in the development sector with a vision of a desired future.
Rethinking Development
The 6 day course titled ‘Rethinking Development’ provides a landscape view of the various new ways of development thinking and practice are gaining ground in India.
Tools in Qualitative Research
Gain proficiency in qualitative research using participatory research methods and case studies.
Local Democracy and Welfare Entitlements: Theory, Policy, and Practice

Publications

Journal article

Right to public services laws. (2012, May 5). Economic & Political Weekly.

Book chapters

Chapter on policies and programmes on livelihoods. (2020). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2020. SAGE.
Chapter on policies and programmes on livelihoods. (2018). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2018. SAGE.
Chapter on policies and programmes on livelihoods. (2016). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2016. SAGE.
Chapter on policies and programmes on livelihoods. (2015). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2015. SAGE.
Chapter on policies and programmes on livelihoods. (2014). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2014. Oxford University Press.
Reflections on livelihoods policies. (2014). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2014. Oxford University Press.
Reflections on livelihoods policies. (2013). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2013. SAGE.
Reflections on livelihoods policies. (2012). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2012. SAGE.
Reflections on livelihoods policies. (2011). In State of India’s livelihoods report 2011. SAGE.

Conference presentation

What is preventing Indian women from getting their land rights: A study of implementation of Hindu Succession Act amendment 2005. (2014). In Proceedings of the World Bank Land & Poverty Conference 2014.

Policy brief

Women’s land rights. (2015). Oxfam India.

Working paper

Women transforming Indian agriculture: A collection of case studies from Kudumbashree, Kerala, and IKP, Andhra Pradesh. (2013). Landesa India.