Dr Dhanya MB is an economist working as Fellow (Faculty) at VV Giri National Labour Institute. She has more than two decades of research experience in the domain of labour market studies and has done her PhD in Economics on the topic of Self-Employment through microfinance and Rural Women Empowerment (2004-2008). She is the Coordinator of the Centre for Labour Market Studies and Integrated Labour History Research Programme, two of the major research centres of the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI). Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India deputed Dr Dhanya to look after the work of India’s G20 Presidency 2022-23 in addition to VVGNLI’s existing work from August 2022 to 2023. She has been involved in policy initiatives of the Government of India on various subjects such as Member of the Taskforce to study the rise of automation and future of work (2024), Working Group member for the National Chief Secretaries Conference (2024), Member of the Employment Working Group (EWG) of the G20 Indian Presidency 2023 and also Prepared G 20 Issue Paper on Gig and Platform Economy and Social Protection, Working Group member on ratification of ILO Convention-Forced Labour Protocol 2018, Drafting of National Employment Policy (2018-19), Member of Tripartite Working Group to facilitate the process of the ratification of the ILO convention No 87 & 98 (2013-14) to mention a few.
Dr Dhanya was an invited expert speaker at the 3rd ILO-Korea TVET Forum, where she presented research on “Growing Skill Responses in the Changing World of Work: Special Reference to South Asia,” organized by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok (2023). She was also an invited expert speaker on “India-Germany Labour Nexus: Exploring Market Dynamics in Europe” at the international conference on South Asia and Germany, organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for South Asia (2024). She has been nominated to undertake various research studies for BRICS Research Network of the Labour Research Institute, preparing India reports for both BRICS Russia & Brazil Presidencies recently. Completed Gig and Platform Employment India report (2023-24) & currently working on the report on Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the world of work (2025). Dr Dhanya presented on "Platform Employment in India" at the first and second webinars of the BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutes, hosted by the All-Russia Scientific Research Institute of Labour under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation (2024). In 2022, she represented India at the BRICS Country Labour Research Institute Network seminar, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Labour and Social Security, China, where she delivered a presentation on India’s employment and income policies in the post-pandemic context.
Dr Dhanya is an ILO-certified trainer for the Gender-Sensitive Business Management Programme of Gender and Entrepreneurship Together South Asia (GET AHEAD) by the International Labour Organisation (2023 onwards). She is also the Course Director and Coordinator for the International Training Programmes on the ‘Future of Work and Technology’ for participants from developing countries, as well as ‘Innovative Leadership: Driving Change and Fostering Growth’ for emigration officials from Tanzania under the ITEC programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
Dr Dhanya has authored/submitted books/monographs/reports and also coedited books in the area of Labour Market studies including ‘Platform employment: role in the labour market and problems of platform workers labour regulation’ (Forthcoming 2025, BRICS Labour Research Institute study), ‘Navigating the Gig Economy: An Intersectional Investigation into the Experiences and Challenges of Women in the Indian Gig Economy’ (2025, VVGNLI), ‘E-formalization process in BRICS Countries’ (2024, BRICS Labour Research Institute study), ‘India-Germany Labour Nexus: Exploring Market Dynamics in Europe’ (2025, Friedrich Naumann Foundation Germany), ‘Gig and Platform Workers: Vision 2047’ (2025, MoLE), ‘Post Covid-19 Lockdown Scenario of Youth Unemployment in India’ (2020, UNICEF & RGNIYD); ‘Promoting Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship: A Study with Special focus on ‘Startups’ (2020, VVGNLI); ‘Quality Employment Generation in Micro and Small enterprises (MSEs) in India: Strategies and way forward’ (2018, VVGNLI); ‘Worker’s Rights and Practices in the Contemporary Scenario: an overview’ (2014, VVGNLI), ‘Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and informal economy in India’ (2013, VVGNLI); and ‘Engendering Gender Statistics’ (2012, VVGNLI).
She has been invited as resource person/guest faculty/panel speaker for delivering lectures by various institutions like JNU, IEG, PDNASS, NEUPA, NILERD, NICS, ITS, ILO, PAFI, NEHU, NHRC, Ambedkar University, FNF, NCW, University of Hyderabad to mention a few. She also delivered lectures in various national and international programmes organized by VVGNLI and its Regional Collaborative Institutions. She is also associated as Reviewer of the Journal published by Elsevier; Article editor of Sage Open Journal; Panel of the expert to evaluate PhD theses of universities etc. She also has been involved in coordinating various national and international training programmes, workshops/seminars on different areas related to labour and employment. She has also been involved in offering comments for 316 Session of Governing Body of ILO on social protection floors and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work; prepared background material for the 101 ILC at Geneva; examined the ratification of the ILO conventions No 98, 87, 138 &182, etc; to mention a few.
She also published several research articles in different journals at the national and international levels and chapters in edited books. Some of her article publications include:
BRICS and the Gig Economy: A Focus on India's Platform Employment (Social and Labor Research, All-Russian Research Institute of Labor), Youth Employment, labour Market and SDG: challenges and way forward (2024, Economic and Political Weekly), India-Germany Labour Nexus: Exploring Market Dynamics in Europe (2024, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for freedom), Small firms in the labour market and youth employment provisions: Does innovation matter? (Labour & Development,2022); Employment, Remuneration and Forced Labour: Issues and Concerns (Journal of Extension& Research, 2019), Labour Force Participation, Composition, Skill Requirement and Future Challenges: An investigation for the hill state Uttarakhand (Gyan Books, New Delhi 2017), Engendering Labour Statistics: A Cross Country Comparison of Gender Differentiated Statistics (Social Change-Sage publications, 2014), Changing Trends of Gender in Labour Force: Exploring through Labour Statistics (Manpower Journal- New Delhi, 2012), Micro Credit, Rural Women Empowerment and Health: Perspectives on Kerala (Manpower journal- New Delhi), Women Entrepreneurship through Microfinance (Labour and Development- 2011), Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing social issues – perspectives from Capability Approach (Macmillan publisher-New Delhi, 2011), Multidimensional Poverty Index: Relevance and application in Indian Context (Allied Publishers-New Delhi, 2011), Youth empowerment through microfinance: A case study on Yuvashree programme of Rural Kerala (Global Research Publications-New Delhi, 2011), Micro finance, Women Empowerment and Banking Habit: Perspectives on Kerala (THE MicroFINANCE REVIEW, 2010), Women empowerment and microfinance: Case study from Kerala (MPRA Paper-Germany, 2010), Human Rights and Gender Equality (Discovery Publishers- New Delhi 2009), Indian Youth and Demographic Transition (SSRN Paper- New York, 2010), Book review on Globalisation, Development and Transition: Conversations with Eminent Economists (Capital & Class- UK, 2011).
She has presented research papers and participated in various national and international conferences/consultations organized by IGIDR, ILO, World Bank, Chinese Academy of Labour and Social Security, National Labour Market Observatory of the Ministry of Labour of Brazil,All-Russia Research Institute for Labour, PDNASS, CWDS, IRMA, UN Women, IJM,RGNIYD, French Institute, Institute of Public Enterprises, National Law University and Judicial Academy, National Commission for Women, Ministry of Labour & Employment, British Council, NIEPA, CDS, Sharda University etc. on various themes like Indebtedness and Social Exclusion, Relevance of Policy Reforms on Development: Challenges before Emerging Economies, Redesigning social science research: Suitable methodologies for public action. She is also involved in the course writing for Masters Programme in Labour and Development (IGNOU, New Delhi) and developed e-course material for ‘Code on wages’ for the igot platform. As part of the National Resource Centre on Education (NRCE) at NEUPA, identified teaching, learning resources and developed a syllabus for the subject of labour economics to develop a national repository of resources freely accessible to teachers. She has also undergone training/Course in the areas of ‘Wage policies and Living Wages’ organised in collaboration with the Work Quality Department of the ILO co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; “Private-sector Engagement for Livelihoods and Employment Opportunities of Vulnerable Groups in Fragile, Conflict-Affected and Emergency Situations” by ILO-ITC, Turin; “Short Course on Research Skills for South Asia” by IZA/FCDO, Germany; ‘Promotion of Youth Employment in Fragile Settings’, ‘Designing and implementing effective wage policies’, jointly organized by International Training Centre (ITC)-Turin and ILO- Delhi; and ‘Management of Social Security Systems’ organized by PDNASS. She was on the editorial board of the Journal of Economics and Public Policy by NMIMS and Awards Digest by VVGNLI.
Her research focuses on evolving labour market issues, mainly including the future of work, emerging jobs and skills, gig and platform economy, labour economics, employment policy, entrepreneurship and startups, migration, gender issues in labour, and public policy.
