Ashoka University professor gets Elizabeth Adiseshiah Award 2026 for contributions to development studies

Kanika Mahajan, an associate professor of economics at Ashoka University, Delhi-NCR has received an Elizabeth Adiseshiah Award 2026 for her contributions to the development studies.

Mahajan’s research focuses on labour economics, gender, and firms, with particular emphasis on structural barriers to women’s economic participation in India.

Her work has also highlighted the issues of declining female labour force participating, wage inequality, and firm adaptation "in the face of economic shocks," according to an official notification. Her research has been published in leading international journals and has contributed significantly to policy conversations around inclusive growth, the notification said.

Importance of Elizabeth Adiseshiah Award 2026

“The award carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and is widely regarded as a recognition of impactful research shaping policy and discourse in India’s development landscape,” according to an official statement.

A jury of scholars select awardees with the final decision reflecting excellence in research and its contribution to development studies.

The Malcolm and Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust confers the Elizabeth Adisehiah Award annually to a young scholar below the age of 45 for outstanding contributions to development studies.

Explaining her research work on the gaps in women’s participation in India, Mahajan said: "It is particularly meaningful given the award’s emphasis on research that engages directly with policy and development challenges. Much of my work has focused on understanding the persistent gaps in women’s participation in India’s labour markets, as well as the factors that can sustain employment growth in the country, issues shaped by both structural constraints and evolving economic opportunities.”

“There is still much to uncover, and I hope this recognition draws greater attention to the need for sustained research in these areas, while also encouraging more women to contribute to the field,” she added.

As part of the honour, the associate professor will deliver the Elizabeth Adiseshiah Memorial lecture at the award ceremony in August 2026.