Research Areas:
Agriculture, Development Economics and Ambedkar Studies
Sukhadeo Thorat (born 12 July 1949) an Indian economist, educationist, professor and writer. He is the former chairman of the University Grants Commission. He is professor emeritus in Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is an expert on B. R. Ambedkar. Thorat hails from Mahar community of Maharashta. Thorat graduated with a B.A. from Milind College of Arts, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. He obtained an M.A. in Economics from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, M.Phil/PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Diploma in Economic Planning, Main School of Planning, Warsaw, Poland. Thorat was lecturer at Vasantrao Naik Mahavidyalaya, Aurangabad from 1973 to 1980. He was Faculty Member at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi from 1980 onwards, and visiting faculty at Department of Economics, Iowa State University, Ames, USA during 1989–1991.
He has been a research associate of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC since 1992. He was director, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi from January 2003 to February 2006. He served as the chairman of UGC from 2006–2011
Thorat has been a member of bodies like Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), Social Justice Division of Planning Commission, Academic Council of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Centre of Buddhist Studies, University of Hyderabad, Himachal Pradesh University and in the governing bodies of many more institutions. Thorat was also chairman of Indian Council of Social Science & Research.
Works
He has also authored 70 research papers published in national and international journals. He has worked on more than 25 research projects and has presented papers at national and international seminars and conferences.