Payal Sarkar

Project Associate, UPTSU 

Payal, an International Relations scholar, transitioned from academic research to policy and program management. She holds a post-graduate degree in International Relations, specializing in Peace and Conflict studies, and a post-graduate diploma in Human Rights and Duties from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

With expertise in designing and overseeing large-scale governance initiatives in collaboration with governmental bodies and non-profits, Payal excels in education, health, and integrated women and child policy analysis, system capacity building, and qualitative research. Her forte lies in providing valuable insights to administrations to identify implementation obstacles and refine existing public policies for greater efficacy.

Driven by a passion for governance mechanisms and developmental discourse, Payal sought to complement her theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. This led her to collaborate with the state governments, where she supported various flagship schemes across sectors like Health, Water Governance, Education, Skill Development, and Urban Development, embedded within the governmental framework.

Through her involvement with IIC, Payal endeavours to explore inclusive institutional mechanisms and scalable solutions for effective governance. She is keen on leveraging research-backed evidence and innovations to drive administrative reform, particularly within the context of the Global South.

Payal currently serves as a project associate within the digital health team at the Uttar Pradesh microsite, overseeing the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Microsite initiative. This initiative is dedicated to expanding digitization within the healthcare ecosystem, aiming to improve access and efficiency.