Schools and Centres Pages

About us

The Australia South Asia Research Centre (ASARC) is dedicated to research on the economies and societies of the South Asia region. The countries of South Asia are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. 

The Director of ASARC is Professor Shyamal Chowdhury, who holds the role of the Rajiv Gandhi Chair of South Asian Economics. 

ASARC was inaugurated in 1994 by past-President of India, His Excellency Dr K R Narayanan. Past Executive Directors include Dr Richard Shand and Professor Raghbendra Jha. In 2021, a bequest was received from the late Tonia Shand AM to support the research activities of ASARC. 

Shyamal Chowdhury

Professor Shyamal Chowdhury is the Rajiv Gandhi Chair of South Asian Economics at the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy, and the Director of the Australia South Asia Research Centre (ASARC).

Shyamal’s primary research area is economic development, focusing on the economics of seasonal migration, the development of non-cognitive skills in children, microfinance, and technology adoption. He has published in leading journals, including Econometrica, the Journal of Political Economy, the Journal of Public Economics, the Journal of Development Economics, and the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. His research has examined countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Uganda, and Kenya.

Research

The Australia South Asia Research Centre (ASARC) is dedicated to research on the economies and societies of the South Asia region. 

Address

Australia South Asia Research Centre
Crawford School of Public Policy
ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy
J.G. Crawford Building
132 Lennox Crossing
Acton ACT 2601 Australia

General enquiries

asarc@anu.edu.au