Kushal’s path to Cornell has spanned continents and disciplines, unified by a single driving question: how can evidence-driven innovation change the lives of people facing the world’s toughest challenges? Today, as a PhD student in Applied Economics, he explores this through research linking new farming technologies to better livelihoods for smallholder farmers in South Asia.

Kushal holds a BS-MS in Biological Sciences from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, where he dedicated himself to student well-being as the head of the student government's executive body. In this role, he was involved in designing and executing novel student immersion programs and advocating for student voices at every level. These experiences taught him the art of building community from scratch, navigating a tangle of bureaucracy, and making the abstract tangible.

Outside of research, Kushal finds his balance outdoors and in conversation. You might catch him running the gorgeous Ithacan trails, trying to get back into tennis, or lost in thought on a long walk with the latest podcast (always up for recommendations!). He’s happiest when he’s sharing stories, learning about others’ passions, or making unlikely connections between ideas. His door is always open for a chat over an Araku coffee or Nilgiri masala chai!