Tata Centre for Development to tackle India’s complex development challenges with innovative solutions

The Tata Centre for Development at UChicago, led by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy in the United States and the University of Chicago Trust, a charitable trust in India, will integrate evidence-based policy research, an innovative implementation platform and proven leadership in education programs to tackle practical development issues across India.

Working closely with policy makers, practitioners, academics and students, the centre will focus its work initially in three main areas: health, water, sanitation and energy and the environment.

One pilot program among several is a partnership with the State of Karnataka to improve access to and usage of health insurance across the state, including a training program to disseminate best practices based on the outcomes of their work. This will be the largest and most comprehensive study of health insurance in India to date.

“The University of Chicago focus on evidence-based research for having direct impact on major societal concerns can be very productive in dealing with the issues of growth and development facing India,” said University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer. “We are very grateful for the partnership and support provided by Tata Trusts in establishing the new centre where this important work can be done.”

Tata Trusts have been long standing champions of innovation and value the large scale impact that it brings in its wake. The Tata Centre for Development’s integrated approach to solving some of India’s developmental issues harnesses the Trusts’ history of being pioneer partners to unconventional but sustainable interventions across the varied themes of Health, Water and Sanitation as well as energy solutions.

“Now more than ever before, there is an urgent need to address social and economic development challenges in India,” said  Ratan Tata, Chairman-Tata Trusts. “We have long believed in the importance of challenging traditional methods of intervention. I am keen to see the Tata Centre for Development at UChicago implement its new model for integrating research, and achieving high-impact outcomes.”

The Tata Centre for Development, which will be located at the University’s centre in Delhi, will help build capacity for government, corporate and non-profit groups across India. It will also engage experts from the University and across diverse organizations in India to study and implement solutions to major policy challenges.