I grew up in India in the 1980s and the 1990s, and India’s economic transition during this period had a profound impact on me and shaped the economist that I am today. I have always been fascinated by the question why some countries are rich while some others are poor. Growing up in India as it was liberalizing its economy, I personally witnessed the transformation that it went through by integrating with the rest of the world to become an emerging economy from a very poor country. I am interested in the role that trade and improved integration play in determining a country’s income levels, and outward oriented policy measures that can shape a country’s economic development.

My other passion is teaching. I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was a young child.  To pursue my dream of becoming a faculty at a reputed university, I obtained my BS and MS degrees in economics from India and then completed my Ph.D from the Ohio State University. My first teaching experience was as an Assistant Professor at Berea College in Kentucky. Thereafter, I have worked as a faculty in other colleges and universities including Washington College, George Washington University and Georgetown University. I joined Johns Hopkins in fall 2017. At Johns Hopkins, I have designed courses that look at the economic experience of the BRIC countries and that discuss varied explanations for why some countries are rich while some others are poor. I have also taught courses in International Trade and Monetary Analysis. I am an academic adviser to economics majors as well.

Apart from teaching, I love travelling, especially to places of historical importance. I am also an avid foodie who likes to try out cuisines from different parts of the world.