New Faces at DSA: Madhuri Kamtam drives forward EDI initiative
The Development Studies Association welcomes Madhuri Kamtam as their new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Research, Communications, and Events Assistant. Tasked with driving forward a DSA initiative, to improve the retention and progression of academics of colour within UK development studies higher education institutions (HEIs).
This initiative, born out of a 2023–2024 EDI audit, will focus on three transformative components:
- Workshops tailored to support early career academics of colour, building networks and addressing their unique challenges.
- Training programs for senior leaders to dismantle structural barriers to progression.
- Qualitative research to uncover and share EDI best practices within the DSA community.
Madhuri’s multifaceted role will involve coordinating these workshops and training sessions, spearheading research efforts, crafting insightful reports on effective EDI strategies, and producing communications that inspire engagement on these initatives.
Beyond her work with the DSA, Madhuri is a Ph.D. researcher in Global Development at the University of East Anglia (UEA). Her doctoral work dives into the intricacies of India’s informal economy, focusing on the beedi industry—a sector emblematic of labour, gender, and welfare challenges. She has conducted surveys and interviews to evaluate the effects of labour laws on worker welfare, with a particular focus on women.
Madhuri holds a BA in Economics (Hons) from Azim Premji University, Bangalore, and an MSc in Development Economics from SOAS, University of London. As a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Madhuri combines research with lived experience to champion marginalised voices, with contributions to mental health advocacy and caste discourse.
She co-authored a piece in ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies, which emerged from her participation in UEA’s “Time, Space, Belonging, and Mental Health” workshop, amplifying the voices of Black and minority ethnic doctoral students. Additionally, Madhuri has shared her personal stories with caste and gender discrimination through platforms like the University of Cambridge’s mental health podcast and the University of Salford’s conference on decolonising postgraduate research.
Before embarking on her Ph.D., Madhuri worked at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare in Oxford, where she managed technology, communications, and administration. Keep an eye out from emails from Madhuri as she drives forward this aspect of our EDI work.