Dr. Santhosh Mathew is a seasoned political economist who dedicated over three decades to the Indian Administrative Service, spanning from 1985 to 2017. Holding a PhD in Development Studies from IDS, Sussex, an MSc in Social Research Methods from the University of Sussex, and an MA in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, he seamlessly integrated teaching and

research into his civil service roles. Dr. Mathew served as Professor of Social Management at India’s civil service college in Mussoorie (1994-2000) and assumed the role of National Program Director (2000-03) for the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) program in India.

His distinguished career includes positions such as Principal Secretary for Rural Development & Public Grievance, Government of Bihar, Joint Secretary (Skills, Policy &IT) at the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education, Government of India, and Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar.

Presently, Dr. Santhosh Mathew is a valuable asset to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in New Delhi, leading a team focused on state capacity, public finance, health systems design, human resources in health, and philanthropic partnerships. Additionally, he contributes his expertise to the governing boards of institutions such as the Global Innovation Fund (GIF) in London (https://www.globalinnovation.fund/), the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI -deemed university) at Belur Math, Howrah (https://rkmvu.ac.in/), and the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategy Council in Thiruvananthapuram (https://kdisc.kerala.gov.in/en/).

He also serves on the advisory board of several organizations, including the eGov Foundation (https://egov.org.in/), Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (https://www.cegis.org/), Centre for Research in Schemes and Policies (https://crispindia.net/), and ShikshaLokam (https://shikshalokam.org/).