BADRI NARAYAN

E-mail: rbadrinarayan@hotmail.com

Education

• Ph.D. in Economics
  The Pennsylvania State University
  August 1994 – December 1999
  Thesis Title: An Examination of Intergovernmental Transfers in the Russian Federation
  Thesis Adviser: Prof. Barry Ickes
  Fields of Specialization: Public Economics, Development and Transition Economics, and Econometrics.
• Master of Arts in Economics
  The Pennsylvania State University
  August 1994 – December 1999
  Elective Fields: Industrial Organization, Development and Transition Economics and Econometrics.
• Master of Arts in Economics
  Delhi School of Economics
  University of Delhi
  August 1983 – July 1985
  Elective Fields: Development Economics, International Trade, Agricultural Economics, and Econometrics.
• Bachelor of Arts in Economics,
  University of Delhi
  August 1979 – July 1982.

Teaching and Research Experience

 

• Responsible for teaching Development Economics I for first year Masters students (Aug - Dec 2000) and Development Economics II for second year Masters students (January - May 2001) at the School of International Studies.

   

   

• Reading list with an emphasis on governance issues.

   

 

• Instructor during summer 1998, fall 1998, summer 1999, and fall 1999. Responsible for undergraduate Microeconomics at principles and intermediate levels. Taught both large and small classes and received consistently good teaching evaluations from students (averages of 5.5 to 6.75 out of possible 7 points).

   

• As graduate assistant, responsible for supplemental instruction for principles course in Microeconomics for large classes.

• Affiliated with the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, worked on Federal Highway Administration Projects. Evaluated Highway Revenue Estimation and Cost Allocation Methodologies for the Federal Highway Cost Allocation Study.
• Research also included study of Gasoline transportation by trailers within the US. Evaluated the efficiency and feasibility of uniform weight and trailer length regulations across the states of the US.

  Lecturer in Economics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.

  (July 1985 – February 1988)

   

• Taught principles course in Microeconomics and introductory course on Indian Economy at the undergraduate level. As departmental head for the new College (Sri Aurobindo College) was responsible for recruitment and laying out department policies.

   

 

Papers and Publications

• Federal Transfers in Russia: Importance of Initial Conditions, co-authored with Barry Ickes. Unpublished working paper, 2001.
• Guest Editor for the Asian Journal issue on Infrastructure Regulation in India, April 2001, published by the Asian Institute for Transport Development.
• Intergovernmental Transfers and Economic Integration: The Case of the Russian Federation, paper presented at the 55^th Conference of the International Institute of Public Finance held in Moscow, August 1999.
• Federal Highway Revenue Estimation: Cost Allocation Perspective, paper Co-authored with Gary L. Gittings, Research Associate, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute. Published in Transportation Record, No. 1558, Transportation Research Board (TRB), National Research Council, 1996.

Work in Progress

• Regulatory Agency for the Indian Railways? Recently there has been talk of creating a regulatory agency for the railways in India. This exploratory paper provides a rationale in terms of separation of powers and decentralization.
• Regional Development and Demand for Rail Transport in India. A spatial analysis of industrial location and effects on transportation demand.

Awards and Grants

• General Manager’s Award Northern Railway for meritorious work during the year 1993-1994, New Delhi, India.
• Young Scholars Award, 1999 from the Local Organizing Committee of the 55^th IIPF conference in Moscow, Russia.
• Pennsylvania State University, College of Liberal Arts RGSO Travel Grant, 1999 for the IIPF conference in Moscow, Russia.
• Global Fund Travel Grant, 1999 from the Office of International Academic Programs, at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.

Professional Experience

Recruited to the Indian Railway Traffic Service, Government of India from the 1986 Civil Services Examination.

Director, Railway Board, Rail Bhawan, New Delhi.

(August 2001- present)

• As Director of the project on Long-Range Decision Support System (LRDSS) responsible for estimating capacity constraints, transportation demand patterns, traffic flows on the rail system and traffic assignment across the system using optimization techniques. The software is GIS based with a complete digital version of the Indian Railway network.

Dy Chief Marketing Manager, Northern Railway Headquarters, New Delhi.

(March 2000 - July 2001)

• Responsible for freight business analysis and marketing for the Northern Zone of Indian Railways. Responsibilities include attracting freight traffic through appropriate design of freight concessions on competitive routes.
• Responsibilities include study of tendering procedures and designing efficient short term and long term contracts with freight customers.

 

• As Senior Commercial Manager drafted a detailed analytical report for a high-powered committee reviewing pricing practices on the Indian Railways (the Railway Fare and Freight Committee).

   

   

• In later years, I was responsible for coordination across the various functional departments (maintenance and operations) to provide better client services.

   

(February 1988 - November 1991)

 

• Two year intensive training on Railway management practices and engineering aspects of Rail transportation. Included field trips virtually covering the entire length and breadth of the Indian Railway network.

   

   

• Held independent charge of one of the largest freight marshalling yards of the Indian Railways. Responsible for operations, requiring dynamic optimization decisions on utilization of locomotive, rolling stock and personnel.

   

Languages and Skills

• Extremely fluent in English and Hindi, reading, writing and speaking. Can Speak and read Tamil. Familiar with spoken Bengali. Basic Spanish.
• Skilled in Econometric software packages like GAUSS, Eviews and EasyReg and spreadsheet software packages like MS Excel.
• Internet based teaching - while in the US provided lecture notes/practice exams/solutions to students on the worldwide web as an additional teaching tool.

References

1. Prof. Barry Ickes, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA – 16802. Email: bwickes@psu.edu
2. Prof. Ed Coulson, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA - 16802. Email: fyj@psu.edu

Personal Details

Marital Status: Married with two children

Date of Birth: 19^th March 1962

Citizenship: Indian