Nikhilesh Sinha

I conduct research on housing policy and socio-economic development within the context of third world cities at the Developing Planning Unit at UCL. I also teach a course on Global Citizenship and one on India, the emerging and emergent economy at the Hult International Business School, London.

My doctoral thesis explores the institutional arrangements that underpin and shape rental market transactions in low income settlements in Hyderabad, India. The DPU which is part of the Bartlett: UCL's global faculty of the built environment, takes a multi-disciplinary approach to research and helps to build the capacity of national governments, local authorities, NGOs, aid agencies and businesses working towards socially just and sustainable development in the global south.

Prior to taking up the PhD, I led research at the affordable housing & urbanization vertical of the Centre for Emerging Markets Solutions (CEMS). CEMS is a research-based think-tank attached to the Indian School of Business, where solutions are developed, piloted and then implemented through private as well as public sector initiatives. I hold a Masters in Economics from the University of Hyderabad and a was an Erasmus Mundus Scholar at the European Masters in Law and Economics Program, receiving my Master of Laws from the University of Hamburg. My primary motivation is to understand the dynamics of market and regulatory failure in developing economies, in order to design viable solutions. I believe in an ideologically agnostic approach to problem solving, based on the conviction that neither the private nor the public sector alone holds the key to all of the problems of the developing world. My training in theoretical economics is balanced by my research experience with Mahila Abhivruddhi Society, Andhra Pradesh and CEMS, where I found that theoretical constructs often failed to address real-world challenges. In addition to grass-roots research experience my work involves engaging with policy makers and captains of industry, which has afforded me insights into how research can be translated into policy and action. A vital component in this process is effective communication. Skills developed during my two years with India’s largest media company, the Timesgroup, give me a significant advantage in driving consensus.