Divya Ravindranath is a researcher whose work is at the intersection of informal work, gender, social protection, and urban health.

She is currently leading several research and practice projects that explore models of childcare infrastructure for informal workers, through employers, the state, and community-based organisations. These initiatives aim to enable women to seek and sustain better work opportunities while also strengthening child safety, nutrition, and early childhood development.

Through other recent projects, she has studied women’s roles in both paid employment and unpaid work in Indian homes, the nuances of breastfeeding practices within informal workplace settings, and the impact of informal work environments on the health experiences and outcomes of labourers. Her research has a strong policy and practice focus. She is also keen to explore innovative methodologies for field research.

In the IIHS Urban Fellows Programme, Divya taught a course on Ethnographic Research Methods and Identity and Social Practice, and co-taught courses on Urban Social Protection, Urban Health Systems, and Primary Research Methods.

Her professional journey spans collaborations with various non-profit organisations, both in rural and urban India.

Divya holds a master’s degree and a PhD in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, respectively.