Internship at CEEW

During my internship at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), I evaluated four methane-abatement levers for Moodhan - biogas, feed additives, ration balancing, and selective breeding - against India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, voluntary carbon markets, and global rules. I joined discussions on Paris Agreement Article 6 and translated Clean Development Mechanism lessons (high MRV/compliance costs, financing gaps) into fixes for Moodhan: cooperative aggregation, digital MRV, and blended finance. I interviewed developers (e.g., Shailendra Jain) to validate costs and issuance timelines, and I mapped government programs (GOBAR-Dhan, NNBOMP, Harit Dhara, Ration Balancing/NDDB, Rashtriya Gokul Mission) to show how layering carbon finance can de-risk adoption and scale rural participation - producing a policy-to-pilot blueprint for Moodhan.

• Purpose: Test if livestock methane-mitigation in India can be financed via voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) and India’s CCTS, using real-world cost variability.

• Methods: 10,000-run Monte Carlo modeling geography, herd size, aggregation, and MRV; costs expressed as ₹/tCO₂e and benchmarked to Indian VCM prices (₹1,200–2,500/t). MACC used for policy comparison.

• Interventions studied: Biogas, Ration Balancing (IFRBP), Harit Dhara, Selective Breeding/management.

• Headline results (modal costs):

  • Selective breeding: ~₹0/t (often net-negative).

  • Biogas: ~₹440/t (reliably below credit prices).

  • IFRBP: ~₹770/t (viable with good feed access & aggregation).

  • Harit Dhara: ~₹7,500/t (needs subsidies/supply-chain efficiencies).

• Why these rank well/poorly: Co-benefits (fuel substitution, milk yield, fertility) lower effective costs—favoring Biogas & Selective breeding; Harit Dhara’s unit costs keep it high on the MACC.

• Policy use: Prioritise Selective breeding and Biogas; make IFRBP work via aggregation + digital MRV; consider targeted subsidies for Harit Dhara.

• Limit noted: Inputs modeled largely as independent; correlated regional drawbacks could worsen tails - worth future work.

Co-authored with Amey Madkaikar, Queens’ College, University of Cambridge.

Examining the Success of Carbon Credits in the Livestock Sector in India:Research

Authored white paper on Moodhan: policy & pilot analysis, pilot projects model ~30% methane cut and ~$198k/yr credit revenue; publication pending on One Young India website.

Decarbonizing the Livestock Sector in India- White Paper (Project Moodhan Impact Report)

Authored white paper on Moodhan: policy & pilot analysis, pilot projects model ~30% methane cut and ~$198k/yr credit revenue; publication pending on One Young India website.

Analyzes schemes such as GOBAR-Dhan, the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP), Harit Dhara, Ration Balancing, and Rashtriya Gokul Mission, proposing how layering carbon finance could incentivize smallholder participation while overcoming MRV and financing barriers.

CEEW Research Policy Blog: Exploring Policies in Decarbonizing the Livestock Sector in India's Carbon Offset Markets

Internship at The Praja Foundation

During my fellowship, I co-developed and validated a detailed survey for Pune municipal councillors, piloted it, and iterated question wording to reduce bias and improve response rates. I used the responses to test indicator reliability and refine parameters for the Urban Governance Index (UGI) 2024, tightening definitions around fiscal autonomy, service delivery, and citizen participation. I also distilled the Praja Health White Paper and the UGI 2024 Report into crisp, actionable policy briefs tailored for city officials and legislators, and supported the Fellowship Program with clear visual assets and explainer charts. In parallel, I researched India’s 74th Constitutional Amendment using RTI to map how devolution, participatory governance, and accountability mechanisms actually function on the ground - and how they shape city election outcomes.

Independent Research

• Authored multiple board research projects across Mathematics, Economics, Commerce, and Accountancy

Internships & Experiential Learning

• School Accounts Department: Assisted with asset management and journal recording; verified entries against vouchers, updated fixed-asset registers, and practiced valuation methods used in the department.

Additional Independent Research & Internships

Policy Fellow - Civics Innovator Fellowship & One Young India Graduate

I’m a Policy Fellow (8% acceptance) in the Civics Unplugged: Civics Innovator Fellowship, where I’ve worked with an international cohort on environmental justice and urban infrastructure - producing adaptation memos, analyzing Tier-2 city vulnerabilities, and recommending governance and infrastructure fixes aligned to weekly tracks on climate, tech & civics, media literacy, and urban futures. I also graduated from the One Young India Policy Writing Program, where I trained in scoping, evidence synthesis, structure, and policy proposals; as my capstone, I authored an original white paper, “Decarbonising India’s Livestock Sector: Policy & Implementation White Paper Leveraging Carbon Credits for Rural Prosperity - Projected Impact from Moodhan Pilot,” which is currently under review.d fixed-asset registers, and practiced valuation methods used in the department.