Mr Ashutosh Mani Dixit
Mr Ashutosh Mani Dixit was one of the recipients of the Australia Awards in 2012. Mr Dixit completed his Master’s and Graduate Diploma in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia.
Mr Ashutosh Mani Dixit was one of the recipients of the Australia
Awards in 2012. Mr Dixit completed his Master’s and Graduate Diploma in
International and Development Economics from the Australian National
University (ANU), Canberra, Australia.
Mr Dixit says, ‘During my
two years at the Crawford School of Public Policy-ANU, I got the
exposure to economic policy issues and techniques. The policy case
studies were directly related to economic development challenges faced
by countries around the world. Apart from advance policy analysis that I
learned in Australia, what thrilled me is an opportunity to make
lifelong friendship with officials holding important position in
Asia-Pacific and around the world. The linkage was possible because they
were my classmates for two years. I realize that the benefit of
studying in public policy school in Australia goes beyond academic
realm. It enables one to establish a deep connection with government
bureaucrats, policy makers and regulators who hold important places in
their country, and the value of their connections would only appreciate
with time.
Mr Dixit was an executive member of Crawford School
Student Association (CSSA) and General Representative of Post Graduate
and Research Student Association in ANU. He, along with his team from
CSSA organised the first ever Model Global Parliament (MGP) at Old
Parliament House in the Capital City-Canberra. Australian Broadcasting
Corporation Radio-Canberra interviewed him on 27 July 2013, Mr Dixit
says it was an incredible experience to successfully organize MGP in
Canberra and go live on radio in Australia.
Furthermore, he and
his team from CSSA also successfully organized Global Village, where
diplomats and ambassador from six different countries were invited to
the university. The high profile event was the first of its kind at the
University and was highly commended by the Director of Crawford School
of Public Policy-ANU.
Additionally, his team of five was the
regional finalist in the Hult Prize Competition, and represented The
Australian National University as a contestant for the Hult Prize
Regional Final hosted in Shanghai China. The regional finalists were
selected among a pool of more than 10,000 applicants.
In his first
semester in Australia Mr Dixit worked voluntarily in the 180
degree-consulting branch situated in ANU for six months. 180 is the
world’s largest student driven management consultancy with its head
office at The University of Sydney with branches in many world renowned
universities around the globe. His team was responsible for overseeing
social enterprise in Haiti.
He says, ‘It was an enriching
experience connecting with diverse network and making an impact in the
social endeavours. I always wanted to bring this international
experience and network to Nepal. So, I initiated the establishment of
180-Degree consulting branch in Kathmandu University School of
Management. Through its establishment there is a knowledge sharing
platform for students in Nepal. They are connected with students and
mentors from world class universities and are getting involved in
research work. It will also benefit students who want to establish
international networks and share their expertise. Now, I feel that I
have brought something good, and created this new exchange between
Australian and Nepali students, bridging the way to the world.’
On return from Australia, Mr Dixit has worked as visiting faculty
(Lecturer of Economics) in leading colleges and Universities in Nepal.
He says, ‘Thanks to the quantitative skills that I learned in Australia,
which enabled me put a sound research proposal and tearn to travel and
workshop grants in a single year. First was the travel grant to attend
Computational General Equilibrium Modelling in Bangladesh from the South
Asia Network of Economic Modelling and the second was from the United
Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific - Thailand
to attend Gravity Modelling. Additionally, in the same year, I was
invited as a panellist in the Global Development Network (GDN)
Conference in Lima, Peru.
He has also worked as a Consultant in
the National Planning Commission – Government of Nepal and was among the
core team members who researched and drafted the Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) - Terminal Report (Nepal). He is currently working as a
Consultant at The World Bank-IFC, and a Senior Economist at South Asia
Network of Economic Research Institute (a SAARC recognized body). At the
World Bank-IFC, he is working in two projects namely; automation of
foreign direct investment processes in the Department of Industry,
Government of Nepal and data analysis of a women labour force
participation in Rajasthan, India.
He says, ‘Throughout my life,
I have had the desire and vision of being an Economist and researching
on national and international policy issues, poverty and livelihoods.
Thanks to the opportunity provided by the Australian Government to study
in a world class university I had an incredible two years' journey in
Australia as an Australian Awards Scholar.’
You can visit his Blog at http://economics-finance-risk.blogspot.com/
Photo credit: Mr Ashutosh Mani Dixit, DFAT, Hult Prize and MGP
