Bhumi Purohit Wins 2023 William Anderson Award

India-West Staff Reporter

PRINCETON, NJ – In a study that sheds light on the persisting challenges faced by women in politics, Bhumi Purohit, a distinguished Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, is making waves with her research that delves into the intricate web of behavioral and institutional barriers hampering women’s political representation and has won her the prestigious Willaim Anderson Award.

Her thesis, aptly titled “Laments of Getting Things Done: Bureaucratic Resistance Against Female Politicians in India,” has garnered significant attention from experts and peers alike. One of the most groundbreaking aspects of Purohit’s research is her revelation that bureaucrats exhibit bias against elected female politicians, a bias that manifests in lowered expectations of these women’s abilities to effectively implement policies and mobilize local communities to pressure the state.

In recognition of her contributions, Purohit has received acclaim from the Award Committee for her pioneering research. The committee commended her study for being the first to systematically dissect the complex landscape of bureaucratic resistance against women politicians in India’s local governance structure. Purohit’s findings resonate strongly, indicating that female elected village heads face significantly more bureaucratic resistance than their male counterparts.

In the summer of 2023, she will assume the role of Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University’s McCourt School