Santhosh Athakattu MATHEW

Biography

A. Santhosh MATHEW is presently studying for a DPhil at the University of Sussex [IDS]. He has chosen to take four years off from his civil service career in India to explore the relationship between policy and electoral outcomes. His last assignmnet in government was as Secretary to the Government of Bihar in the department of Human Resource Development in charge of Elementary and Adult Education and State Project Director for Govt. of India's Project for Universalisation of Elementary Education. Prior to rejoining Government of Bihar on the 1st of July 2003, he helped set up LEAD India as an NGO run by LEAD fellows in India. As National Program Director for LEAD in India, MATHEW worked for 33 months. Prior to LEAD India, MATHEW was Professor of Social Management at India's National Academy of Administration, Located in Mussoorie. After joining the IAS in 1985, from 1986 to 1994, he worked for the Government of Bihar in various districts as Sub Divisional Officer, Deputy Developement Commissioner and District Magistrate. During these assignments as well as those in the Agriculture and Industries departments of the State Government he helped the people and the State Government deal with policy and implimentation issues in livelihood promotion, water conservation, social mobilisation of the under privilaged, poverty reduction, disaster management, agriculatural research, sericulture, handlooms, information technology and governanace reform.

He is interested in exploring the link between social movements and mainstream politics. His other passion is e governance and social mobilisation around issues of water. He sees right to information as a vital tool for citizen empowerment and government accountability.

This biography was last updated on January 31, 2006