Amogh Dev Rai

Amogh Dev Rai is currently Director Research, Advanced Study Institute of Asia. Managing Editor of the Decypher. Trained as a multi-disciplinary academic he has been and currently is part of multiple research project funded by the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Culture, amongst others. The project he has just completed ‘To study the progress, impact and challenges faced by project beneficiaries of Device Development Program (DDP) in Deploying Innovative Solutions and way forward’ was funded by the DST. Another project he is in the process of completing has been with geographer, and historian of Delhi, Shubham Mishra on ‘Chronoscopes of Delhi: Spatially Shahjahanabad’ a web based interactive museum of Old Delhi.

Amogh Rai graduated with a degree in Political Science from Delhi University in 2010, during college for two years worked as a research assistant to the late great Prabhash Joshi on his planned book on Hind Swaraj and as his research assistant for his weekly article in Jansatta. Post College worked in the Indian desert on water conservation tradition and learnt about ecosystem conservation while working on using maps, and new technologies for documenting ‘Khadin’ a remarkable water conservation and farming system which is in continued usage since the last 2500 years. From 2011 to 2013 studied Masters at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, where he got a degree in Environment & Development, worked on a study of the Cheetah reintroduction plan, which concluded that the Kuno grassland was not ready for the reintroduction. As part of his dissertation he worked on mathematical modelling of Myrica esculenta. Post his dissertation he chose to eschew a career in consulting and spent four years studying the Central Himalyan ecosystem and the social processes while also being part of a meso social organisation and served as a senior administrator, during this process he worked with various aid organisations understanding funding, poverty alleviation, and trans-boundary natural resource extraction. Served as a project evaluator for several small, and large projects in the Central Himalayas. Presented papers in academic conferences, and raised money for ecological restoration projects. While studying and working in field ecology he developed an interest in understanding the economic pathways for natural resource management. Went to the University of York for another master’s where he studied in a twin program and got to work on a field project with the World Bank. Worked in Kagera, Tanzania and came back to India to set up a research program in health and environmental economics. Instrumental in organising a national leadership conference in the Vigyan Bhawan on Academic Leadership, in 2018 where discussions on NEP and other issues were held. Worked with various stakeholders in researching the impact of price in pharmaceutical innovation with the President of AIIMS Bhopal, and Jammu who is a leading pharmacoeconomist. Setup Sanrachna in 2019 and has been working on innovation, IP, health economics, and access to education. Since 2021 he has been the editor of one of the largest newsletters on IP with a readership of over 600,000, which has recently been turned into a website. Serves as the publisher of The Behavioural Review.

Amogh Rai is also part of the jury for the National IP Awards. Invited membership of a few government committees as an expert. A visiting Professor at JNU, and till recently another eminent institution. Served as a Provost of the SGT University where he was instrumental in setting up the Thanu Padmanabhan CCSP. During his term he was also instrumental in setting up the prestigious Atal Community Innovation Centre in association with the NITI Aayog, India. Amogh Rai has delivered 22 invited talks, panels, and keynotes in the last year alone. While also being the curator of a digital and cultural conference. He has also been part of a Venture Capital enterprise, and serves on the board of a research trust. He is also a fellow of two learned societies. He can be reached at amogh@advancedstudy.asia.