The NCR-based think-and-do policy tank said the Mumbai professor brings nearly three decades of consulting, academic and advisory experience, including 18 years at Deloitte, Avalon Consulting and SmartAnalyst.
CIPP said her expertise in strategic agility, institutional adaptability, entrepreneurship and the digital economy will support policy work on MSMEs, startups, inclusion and implementation challenges.
The appointment reflects a wider Indian trend of drawing academia and industry experts into public policy as institutions seek more practical, execution-focused solutions for a fast-changing innovation economy.
Is hiring corporate consultants for public policy a breakthrough for India, or a risky experiment in governance?
With MSMEs in crisis, can corporate strategy actually fix India's deep-rooted policy implementation problems?
As India rushes to regulate AI, will this new appointment champion innovation or tighten government control?
Driving Institutional Agility and Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Dr. Gayathri Sampath’s Vision for India’s Policy Ecosystem
Overview
In May 2026, Dr. Gayathri Sampath was appointed Senior Fellow at CIPP to help bridge the gap between policy design and implementation amid India's push to modernize governance. Her unique background in corporate consulting, academic research, and entrepreneurship enables her to lead initiatives that reduce barriers for MSMEs, promote gender-inclusive entrepreneurship, and enhance institutional agility. By fostering collaborations with government and industry, her work aims to create a more vibrant MSME sector, responsive governance, and greater participation of women entrepreneurs. Building on India's strong digital infrastructure, these efforts also support regulatory modernization and position India as a leader in global digital governance, despite challenges in scaling and funding.