Journey to PhD study

Prior to starting my PhD Development Policy and Management, I was working as a researcher with a research and policy organisation in Bengaluru, India. 

While the seeds for a PhD programme were sown during my master’s study, the concrete ideas that I wanted to explore and the resolve to pursue it came through my work experience on the field. As I worked with diverse grassroots communities that were engaging with digital technologies, the idea for the project emerged and began to take shape.

I am funded through the SEED (School of Environment, Education and Development) scholarship. Funding was one of the biggest challenges and it wasn’t easy to secure a scholarship. I got a fair bit of help from my supervisor to develop a sharp research proposal which I believe is the key to funding.

Focus of PhD 

My project aims to build evidence for how digital technologies can be used to shape improved social impact outcomes. Despite there being a lot of focus on this topic, I think there is very little theory building in this space, and consequently a dearth of evidence that can inform policy making. I hope my research can make a meaningful contribution to this space.

The field of digital technologies is fast evolving and changing and this has implications for development. There is a real worry that the topic you started working on may not be relevant by the time you are ready to submit your thesis. Take ChatGPT for example – it was nearly non-existent two years back and now it has become part of our daily lexicon! I think this is the most exciting but also the most challenging part of my discipline – keeping pace and staying on top of the development impacts of newly emerging digital tools and technologies.

Your advice for future PhD students?

I think it is useful to think of the PhD as an opportunity to develop multiple skill sets – and not just as an academic journey. Of course, it is an immensely enriching intellectual experience, perhaps one of its kind, but it’s also so much more than that. It is an opportunity to develop analytic reasoning capabilities, project and time management skills, leadership and influencing skills, and (creative) writing skills. It is a journey of passion, but it is also a work platform that can open many doors for you. So keep pushing and knocking on all opportunities that come your way.

Why Manchester?

For me, the selection of the PhD program was very much driven by the supervisor and the alignment of my research interests with theirs. More broadly speaking, I was interested in working with faculty and researchers who’s work had a “digital development” focus and Manchester’s Centre for Digital Development was an added attraction for me.

Your PhD Routine 

I follow a hybrid routine – work from the University 2-3 days a week, and from home on the other days. Outside of my PhD, I enjoy running and trekking, reading feminist fiction, and watching spy thrillers. On any given day, I make sure I do one of these in conjunction with my regular PhD related work. A long run in particular is my go-to activity when I think I’ve had enough of reading and writing, and it never fails to rejuvenate me.

Anuradha by the canal at Old Trafford stadium

PhD challenges

Having worked in the corporate sector for over 10 years before getting back into academia, I was used to consuming byte-sized content. Developing the attention span as well as the headspace to get back to deep immersive reading and copious note- taking was a big pivot, and required very deliberate intent and practice.

I was always afraid of criticism, or thought I was incapable of handling it well. But the PhD journey has toughened this part of me, and I am slowly learning to handle, and welcome constructive critical feedback about my work.

After completing my PhD, I would like to pursue post-doctoral opportunities in the space of digital development, hopefully exploring unanswered or unexplored themes from my doctoral project.

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