How can one influence social policy in a meaningful way from outside the government? Many readers would be dismayed by the myriad poverty issues our country faces and the disconnect they feel from government policies. There are several ways to influence these policies, and Shrutika Sabarwal, an inspiring researcheris championing one such way in which she contributes to this effort.

Armed with a Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, USA, one of the top schools in her field, Shrutika has dedicated her career to using research and data to influence government policy. Spanning over several years, she has worked with prestigious organizations such as Population Council, Catalyst Management Services (CMS), and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), with a focus on conducting rigorous research in social policy areas such as gender-based violence, reproductive health, HIV, sanitation, nutrition, education, labour, and the ageing population.She has worked on several research studies with funding awards from national and international organizations that have helped expand research in these fields. Her published research in international journals has also been widely cited in other research work and books.