SUBODH MANGESH WAGLE

Residence: A 20, B. K. Avenue, Survey No. 87/10-A, Azad Nagar, New D. P. Road,
Opposite Paranjape School, Kothrud, Pune, 411 038, India
Phone: +91 (20) 6561 5594, 9422009406 [Office] 98222 86682 [Personal Mobile]
Office: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, V. N. Purav Marg, Deonar, Mumbai, 400088
Phone: +91 (22) 2556 3289/3290 (Ext. 324)
e-mail: subodhwagle@gmail. com

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Ph.D. College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of Delaware, USA December
Area of Concentration: Energy and Environmental Policy 1996
B. Tech. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, India, May 1982
Branch: Mechanical Engineering

RECENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND AFFILIATIONS

Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai October 2007 to Present

Trustee and President, Prayas, Pune, India July 1995 to Present
Core Team Member, Energy Group, Prayas July 1999 to October 2006
Group Coordinator, Resources and Livelihoods Group, Prayas November 2000 to Present
Adjunct Faculty, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, May 2003 to Present
University of Delaware, USA
Adjunct Faculty, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural August 2006 to September
Areas, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay 2007
Member, Board of Studies, School for Rural Development, August 2006 to Present
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Member, Steering Committee, Rural Campus, Tata Institute April 2006 to Present
of Social Sciences

About Prayas and Work at Prayas

Prayas is a registered non-profit organization working for protecting and promoting the broader public
interests in the sectors of energy, health, resources and livelihoods (or environment and
development), and learning and parenthood. The focus of the organization is on providing services
and support to disadvantaged sections of society as well as to organizations working for these
sections, in the areas of generation, dissemination, and application of strategically relevant
knowledge. The activity portfolio of the organization includes: research, analysis, conceptualization,
articulation of conceptual and policy formulations, documentation, publication, public education,
advocacy, capability building and training, and knowledge support and facilitation. The organization is
trying to enhance its own efficacy by developing new models in the conceptual, organizational, and
strategic spheres.
Four independent groups within the organization work in the four sectors mentioned above. The main
focus of the activities of the Energy Group of Prayas (or PEG) has been on four themes: (i) techno-
economic, financial analysis and regulatory intervention, (ii) electricity sector policy analysis and
advocacy for public interest, (iii) capacity building and training of civil society and other actors, (iv)
building perspective and knowledge-bases required. PEG has been a pioneering civil society group
active in the electricity sector. It has many unique attributes, including its comprehensive and
consistent work on key strategic issues, emphasis on broader public interest, its perspective of
‘people-centered governance’, and the range of strategies it uses. PEG also has many significant

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achievements to its credit, such as its impact on the Enron controversy, considerable success in
regulatory interventions, impact on policy development in the sector, and development and
articulation of a new conceptual perspective. The group consists of four core team members and
some research and support staff. Dr. Wagle is one of the members of the Core Team, who nurtured
and developed the group and made significant contribution to its successes. Though most Prayas
outputs carry joint credits, some of the outputs (publications, documents, workshops, and
presentations) in which Dr. Wagle played primary or significant role are listed later.
The Resources and Livelihoods (or ReLi) Group of Prayas has been working in the areas of
development, environment, and governance and at the perspective, policy, and practice levels. The
main focus is on generating and processing knowledge to create strategically useful ‘knowledge-
bases’ and ‘knowledge-products’ that are useful, especially, for civil society activists at the state and
grassroots levels. This is often done in collaborative or participatory manner. The ‘knowledge-bases’
and derived products are then used for conducting ‘down-stream’ activities aimed at public and media
education, lobbying and advocacy, and at building perspective and capabilities of different stake-
holders. Though comparatively young (started in November 2000), the group has been able to create
its mark in different areas, such as, (a) perspective and discourse building on alternative
development, (b) advocacy on disaster management and employment guarantee scheme, and (c)
sustainable cultivation practices for poor. Dr. Wagle has single-handedly conceived and developed
the ReLi Group of Prayas, which now has fourteen professionals from different disciplines. In the last
six years, Dr. Wagle has led thirteen major research, analysis, and advocacy projects funded by
UNDP, the Planning Commission, and some major foundations in diverse areas such as: sustainable
agriculture for poor, discourse building on alternative development, analysis of government
development schemes, development of planning and governance tools, employment guarantee
scheme, disaster management, and land productivity and rights. This work has created about forty
major ‘knowledge-products,’ including research reports and papers, analytical reports, policy
documents, and public-education documents.
The main responsibilities handled by Dr. Wagle over the years in Prayas include: (i) research and
analysis, especially at perspective and policy levels, (ii) articulation of various elements of the two
perspectives that evolved from research and actual experience, (iii) conceiving, designing, and
guiding research and analysis projects, (iv) strategizing, developing, and providing support for
conducting ‘down-stream’ activities, (v) designing, developing, and conducting capability building
activities, (vi) nurturing and mentoring a group of young researchers in the ReLi group.
The particular role Prayas has taken upon itself requires that it uses diverse approaches for outreach
and impact. The focus, on most occasions, is on simplifying the knowledge and presenting it often in
the local language, in order to make it amenable to a wide range of sections of society. Sometimes,
the focus is on reaching out to and influencing a limited or select group of decision and opinion
makers. Accordingly, instead of academic journals, other types of outreach media are used more
frequently.

About Work at IIT, Bombay

Since August 2006, Dr. Wagle has been working as an Adjunct Faculty at the Centre for Technology
Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA), IIT, Bombay on the part-time basis (two or three days a week).
His primary responsibility has been to provide assistance and support to the Head, CTARA in
developing the master’s program in technology and development. Dr. Wagle contributed significantly
to conceiving and preparing conceptual documentation for the proposed program as well as to
preparation of the broader design and the two-year course calendar for the program. He also
contributed significantly to the allied activities such as:
(a) organizing and making presentations in the meeting of the associated faculty from the institute,
(b) conceptualization and implementation of the process of obtaining feedback on the program
design from a range of outside experts and authorities
Apart from this, Dr. Wagle worked on organization of various institute-level activities in order to
provide necessary visibility and acceptance to the proposed program, including:

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(a) Substantive and logistical inputs for planning the Energy Seminar in the “Think Policy
Conference” organized on the occasion of the Pan-IIT Event.
(b) Institute Colloquium on Climate Change by Prof. John Byrne, Director of Center for Energy and
Environmental Policy, University of Delaware, USA
(c) Organizing an informal group of institute faculty interested in policy issues
An innovative idea of a multi-stakeholder partnership in disaster management in Maharashtra was
conceived and operationalized by Dr. Wagle with involvement of two interdisciplinary centers at IIT,
Bombay, JTCDM of TISS, Maharashtra Economic Development Council, Oxfam, and Prayas.
In addition to providing support for research and field activities by other faculty members, Dr. Wagle
made significant contribution to writing the Vision Document for CTARA, in preparation to the Golden
Jubilee Celebrations of IIT Bombay.

PAST ASSIGNMENTS AND WORK EXPERIENCE

Associate Professor December 1996 to June 1999

Officiating Director May 1998 to June 1999
Indian School of Political Economy, Pune, India
• Major themes for research: Power and Energy Sector Policies in India; Proposals for Alternative
Development in Energy and Water Sectors; and Environmental Struggles in Rural India
• Conceiving and organization of workshops, seminars, and training programs
• Coordination of School’s public education activities

Research Associate, September 1992 to May 1994

Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP), September 1995 to November 1996
University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
• Assisted Director, CEEP in advising Working Group III of the United Nations sponsored
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Analyzed issues of environmental sustainability and
international equity that accompany climate change policy options.
• Participated in designing and conducting the training program “Certificate in Sustainable
Development for Managers” for mid-career officials from Indian Administrative Service as well as
from Indian corporate sector and academia.
• Assisted Director, CEEP in developing two graduate level courses: “Political Economy of
Environment” as well as “Sustainable Development: History, Debate, and Its Future.”
• Participated in two conferences of National Association of Science, Technology, and Society (USA)
• As a doctoral student, undergone four lecture courses related to themes in the area of technology,
society, environment, and development.

Doctoral Fellow, September 1994 to May 1995

Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, University of
Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
• Conducted a field-study for dissertation research in India. Extensively interviewed grassroots-level
activists working on environment and development issues in the western part of the state of
Maharashtra in India. Studied two development controversies in the area: Saradar Sarovar Project
(Narmada Dam) and Enron’s Dabhol Power Project.

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• Worked in India with a non-profit organization, Prayas, carrying out public interest policy research.
Participated in techno-economic analysis of the power purchase agreement and analysis of other
policy issues that were raised in the controversy over Enron’s power project in Maharashtra, India.

Independent Consultant, June 1989 to July 1992

Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Consultancy and research in the fields of energy, environment, and development. Worked on
research projects in the areas of rural energy and renewable energy including a project to evaluate a
wood-gasifier dissemination program in the state of Maharashtra.

Project Coordinator, April 1985 to May 1989

Managaon Plantations, Maharashtra, India
(A non-governmental, multi-program rural development project)
• Conceived, designed, and implemented various schemes and projects in the areas of agro-forestry,
horticulture, sericulture, animal husbandry, low-cost construction, and low-cost irrigation. Adapted
various new techniques and methods developed in laboratories and research centers to actual field
conditions in order to provide employment to local farmers and tribal youths from surrounding areas
as well as to involve them in dissemination of these new techniques.

Senior Research Assistant, April 1984 to March 1985

Center for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Indian
Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
• Assisted in evolving the action plan for the newly established Center.
• Worked on establishing formal and informal linkages between the Center and government and non-
government field agencies in the coastal area of Maharashtra.
• Assisted in research projects including analysis of rural energy consumption survey, evaluation of
Integrated Rural Energy Program of the Planning Commission, and dissemination of solar dryers
through voluntary agencies.

Rural Technology Volunteer, December 1982 to March 1984

Consortium on Rural Technology, Gandhi Peace
Foundation, New Delhi, India
• Worked with voluntary agencies on short-term assignments in the fields of social forestry, lift
irrigation cooperatives, and industrial water pollution in rural areas in order to obtain direct exposure
and first-hand experience of handling problems in technological interventions for development of
rural areas.

Senior Research Assistant, July 1982 to November 1982

Center for Rural Development & Appropriate Technology, Indian
Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
• Worked with a village community on field-testing and dissemination (demonstration and training) of
efficient “LORENA” model cook-stoves using firewood.

MAJOR AWARDS AND HONORS

• The first ‘Alumni Achievement Award’ from Center for Energy and Environmental Policy,
University of Delaware, USA, April 2005

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• George Herbert Ryden Prize for the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Social Sciences
awarded by the University of Delaware, USA. August 1997
• Mark A. Haskell Award awarded by the College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of
Delaware, for “consistently superior performance in the area of political economy,” April 1995
• Graduate (Doctoral) Fellowship of University of Delaware (1994-1995)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS

Electricity Sector Policies, Reform, and Regulation
“Assessing Infrastructure Reform for the Social Development Content” (to be published).
“Power Politics at the Mercy of Vested Interests” in the book Beyond the Market: The Future of Public
Services, edited by Daniel Chavez Transnational Institute, Amsterdam and Public Services
International Research Unit, London, February 2006
Electricity Sector Reforms in Asia: Experiences and Strategies, edited this compilation of selected
papers prepared for the Asia Power Sector Reforms Workshop organized jointly by Prayas,
Transnational Institute (Amsterdam) and Focus on Global South (Bangkok), April 2004
“A Note on the Discussion Paper on Rural Electrification by Ministry of Power, Government of India,”
unpublished note widely circulated in policy and civil society circles, January 2004
The Base Document on the Public Participation Model for Power Sector Reforms in Maharashtra an
unpublished document written for internal use for public education and advocacy activities, December
2003
Privatization or Democratization: The Key to the Crises in the Electricity Sector: Case of Maharashtra
a document published by Prayas, June 2003
Protecting Public Interest through New Regulatory Instruments in the Electricity Sector: A Case Study
of Prayas' Efforts in the State of Maharashtra, India, an unpublished document written for limited
circulation November 2002
The Reform Process and Regulatory Commissions in the Electricity Sector: Developments in
Different States of India, edited this compilation of selected papers and presentations made during
the ‘Event on the Power Sector Reforms’ organized by Prayas and Focus on the Global South,
Mumbai, India, October 2001
“The Real Challenge in Power Sector Restructuring: Instilling Public Control through TAP” Energy for
Sustainable Development, vol. V, No. 3, pps. 95-102, September 2000
Regaining Rationality through Democratization: A Critical Review of MDBs’ Power Sector Activities in
India, the document written as the ‘Country Report’ for the multi-country “MDB Energy Project,” June
1999
“Promoting Public Interest: Civil Society Institutions and the Independent Regulatory Agencies in the
Electricity Sector” a note submitted to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, 1999
“Accountability: The Real Crisis in the Power Sector Left Unaddressed,” an unpublished article, May
1998
“Regulation in the WB-Orissa Model: Cure Worse Than Disease” in Economic And Political Weekly,
Vol. XXXIII, No. 17, dated April 25, 1998
“SEB Privatization: Transcending the Issue of Ownership” in the Economic and Political Weekly
(October 4, 1997).
Reviewed Papers as a Referee
“Rural electrification in India: Is there a case for separate rural tariffs?” written for the journal Utilities
Policy edited by Dr. Don C. Smith and published from Denver, Colorado, USA, April 2006

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 “A Decade of Energy Sector Reform in India: A Study of Socio-Economic and Environmental
Sustainability” written for the special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production on the ‘Sustainability
of Energy Sector Reforms in Developing Countries’, published by Elsevier and edited by Prof. James
Haselip of Imperial Centre for Energy Policy and Technology (ICEPT), London, September 2005
Enron Controversy
“Restarting Dabhol: Who Will Bear the Costs? And Why?” in Economic and Political Weekly, June 18,
2005 pp. 2594-2599
“The Enron Disaster” in India Infrastructure Report 2002 published by IDFC and 3i Network, 2003
Battling Enron in India: A Case Study of the Second Phase of the Controversy over Enron’s Dabhol
Power Project in India (December 2000 to January 2001), an unpublished document written for
limited circulation, June 2002
“TNCs as Aid Agencies? Enron and the Dabhol Power Plant” in The Ecologist vol. 26, No. 4: 179-184
July/August 1996
The Enron Story: Controversial Issues and People’s Struggle, a monograph published by Prayas,
Pune, June 1996
“Enron Renegotiations: Bungling By the Government” in Economic and Political Weekly, vol. xxx no.
49: 3127-28, 9th December 1995
“Dabhol Project PPA: Structure and Techno-economic Implications” in Economic and Political
Weekly, vol. XXX, no. 24: 1449-55, 17th June 1995
The Enron Controversy: Techno-Economic Analysis and Policy Implications, a collection of five
papers published by Prayas, Pune, India, June 1995
Sustainability and Livelihoods Issues
“The Long March for Livelihoods: Struggle against the Narmada Dam in India” in book series Energy
and Environmental Policy, Volume 8 edited by John Byrne, Lee Glover, Cecilia Martinez published by
Transaction Publications, London, 2002
“Energy, Development and Women” in the book Nurturing Nature: Women at the Centre of Natural
and Social Regeneration, ed. Chhaya Datar, Earth Care Books, Bombay, 2000
Alternative Development: Models and Issues, a document prepared for the meeting of the National
Alliance of People’s Movements, 1999
“Environmental Movements in India: A Critique and a Note” in Journal of Indian School of Political
Economy, (January - March 1999)
“Development Alternative in Institutional and Knowledge Spheres” a review article in Journal of Indian
School of Political Economy, (October-December 1998)
“The Political Dynamics of Grassroots Environment-Development Struggles: The Case-Study of the
Struggle against the Enron Power Project” in the Journal of Indian School of Political Economy,
(January - March 1998)
“The Political Dynamics of Grassroots Environment-Development Struggles: The Case -Study of the
Struggle against the Narmada Dam” in the Journal of Indian School of Political Economy, (July -
September 1997)
“Autonomous Development: A Radical ‘Political’ Critique of the Conventional Development Paradigm”
a review article in Journal of Indian School of Political Economy, (April - June 1997)
“Whither Indian Environmentalism?” a review article in Journal of Indian School of Political Economy,
(January - March 1997)
“Distributing Costs of Global Climate Change” in IEEE Technology and Society, Spring 1994, pp. 17-
24

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“Sustainable Development: Some Interpretation, Implications, and Uses”, Bulletin of Science,
Technology, and Society (vol. 13, no. 6): 314-323. Paper presented at the Eighth Annual Conference
of National Association of Science, Technology, and Society at Washington DC in January 1993.
Governance and Citizenship
“Direct Public Involvement in Governance: Making Disaster Management Effective, Efficient, and
Sensitive”, unpublished, jointly written paper for the First India Disaster Management Congress, New
Delhi, January 2007.
“Disaster Management: New Role for Civil Society Organizations in the Changing Macro-Reality”,
unpublished, jointly written paper for the First India Disaster Management Congress, New Delhi,
January 2007.
“Assessing Electricity Sector Reform for the Social Development Content: Using Guidelines from
World Bank Literature”, unpublished document, August 2006.
“Revisiting Good Governance: Asserting Citizens’ Participation and Politics in Public Services” in
Beyond the Market: The Future of Public Services, edited by Daniel Chavez, Transnational Institute,
Amsterdam and Public Services International Research Unit, London, February 2006.
“Ensuring Public Confidence and Ownership of Hydro-Policy: Transparency, Accountability, and
Participation in Policy Making” a note prepared for Ministry of Power, Government of India, June 2005
“Beyond the State and the Market” in special issue of journal Seminar on ‘New Priorities: A
Symposium on Social Agenda for India’, September 2004
“Public Control through Regulation: Role of Civil Society,” unpublished paper written for Transnational
Institute, Amsterdam, December 2002

MAJOR CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, AND WORKSHOPS

Conceived and conducted (solely or jointly)
“National Workshop on Electricity Act” organized jointly by Center for Public Policy of IIM Bangalore
and Prayas at Pune, July 2005
A state-level workshop on the “Issues in the Electricity Act” organized by Prayas at Pune, June 2005
A workshop for the staff of the World Bank at the Washington D.C. headquarters titled “Participation
and Transparency: Improving Infrastructure Regulation,” April 2005
An international ‘Think-Share Workshop’ titled “Neglected Dimensions of Electricity Sector
Restructuring: Equity, Sustainability, Governance, and Institutions” organized jointly by Center for
Public Policy of IIM Bangalore and Prayas at Pune, January 2005
A strategy workshop for country representatives of the Climate and Energy Program (Asia and
Pacific) of WWF at Bangkok, July 2004
A ‘Skill-Share Workshop’ on “Power Sector Reforms” for Indonesian NGOs organized jointly by
Prayas and WWF (Climate and Energy Program) at Jakarta in September 2003
An Asia-level workshop titled “Electricity Sector Reforms in Asia: Experiences and Strategies” at
Bangkok organized jointly by Prayas, Transnational Institute (Amsterdam) and Focus on Global South
(Bangkok) in October 2002
A national workshop titled “Event on Power Sector Reform’ in Mumbai organized jointly by Prayas
and Focus on Global South (India Chapter) in December 2000
Presentations and Participation in Conferences and Seminars
“Making NREGS Work in Maharashtra: Challenges and Future Work” presentation made at the
national workshop titled “Implementation of NREGA: Experiences and Ways Forward”, organized by
st
Society for Participatory Research in Asia, New Delhi, 1 June 2006

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“Lesson for NREGS from Maharashtra,” the presentation made at the workshop titled ‘Facilitating
NREGA: Responses from Civil Society Groups’ organized by Oxfam Family organizations, New Delhi,
April 2006
Participated in deliberations of the workshop titled “Developing Institutions for Public Accountability in
Urban Services” organized by ‘Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)’ of the World Bank, New Delhi,
February 2005
Presentation titled “Democratic Governance: Key to Sector Reforms” made in the cluster titled ‘Good
Governance and Sector Management’ in the Ministerial Conference on Energy for Development at
The Hague (Netherlands) hosted by the Government of Netherlands, 14th to 16th December 2004
(Prayas was one of the three official invitees from civil society)
Participated in deliberations of the ‘International NGO Conference on Energy for Development’, at
Amsterdam hosted by HIVOS and NSM of the Netherlands, 9th to 11th December 2004
“The Prayas Initiative and Accountability Framework” presentation made at the workshop titled
“Enhancing Citizens’ Voice and Client Power” organized by ‘Water and Sanitation Program’ of the
World Bank at New Delhi, March 2004.
“Comprehensive Strategy for Social Movements for Resources: Combining Rights, Productivity, and
Capabilities” and “Comments on the Thesis Document of the Energy Platform” presentations made at
the conference of the Energy Platform created by Latin American NGOs, held at Cartagena,
Colombia, September 2003
Presentation commenting on the draft World Bank study report in the workshop entitled “Concluding
Workshop on Study of Power Sector Restructuring and Poor” organized by the World Bank, New
Delhi, December 2002
Delivered ‘C. B. Joshi Memorial Lecture’ of ‘Bombay Geographic Association’ on “Maharashtra Power
Sector: Crisis and the Privatization Panacea,” October 2002
“Development and Democracy: Core Social and Political Concerns” presentation made at the
conference titled ‘Power Sector Reform and Privatization’ organized by the World Bank Institute, May
2002
“Reforms in the Indian Electricity Sector: Resisting the World Bank Model” presentation made at the
workshop organized by Both Ends, Amsterdam, August 2000
“SEB Reforms and Power Sector Regulation: A Civil Society Perspective” presentation at the
workshop organized by the Independent Power Producers’ Association of India, Mumbai, November
1999
“Destruction of Rural Livelihoods and Marginalization of Rural Women: Role of Energy in the
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Problems and Prescriptions,” the paper presented at the VIII National Conference on Women
Studies (30th May 1998 to 2nd June 1998)
Conducted sessions for the UGC Faculty Refresher Courses organized by Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, Mumbai, Departments of Economics and Department of Geography of University of
Mumbai, Department of Sociology and Women’s Studies Center of University of Pune

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