Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics
Dr. Cheela Soumya is an Agricultural Economist and academician with expertise in Rural Development, Women’s Empowerment, Climate Change Economics, and Sustainable Livelihoods. Her academic and research interests are centred on understanding contemporary challenges in agriculture and rural development, with particular emphasis on inclusive growth, gender empowerment, climate resilience, and livelihood transformation.
She earned her Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the prestigious ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi. She holds an M.Sc. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture from Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University (SKLTGHU), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
Dr. Soumya has demonstrated consistent academic excellence throughout her academic career. She secured All India Rank 29 in the ICAR AIEEA-PG Examination in 2018 and an outstanding All India Rank 2 in the ICAR-AICE JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) Examination in 2021. She was awarded the prestigious ICAR Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship for her doctoral studies and has also qualified the ASRB National Eligibility Test (NET).
Her research focuses on women’s collectives, livelihood development, climate change resilience, and development policy. She has authored and co-authored 16 research publications in reputed national and international journals and conference proceedings.
As an academician, Dr. Soumya is committed to integrating teaching, research, and policy-oriented inquiry to address emerging challenges in agriculture and rural development. Her broader academic vision is to contribute to evidence-based research and knowledge creation that supports resilient rural communities, women-led development, sustainable livelihoods, and inclusive agricultural transformation.
