Sarada Prasanna Das
Fellow, Energy Transitions
Sarada Prasanna Das is Fellow at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC). He works on the sociology and politics of electricity governance and energy transition in India. He is also interested in environmental governance and water-energy-food nexus in the context of India. He has worked on post-reform electricity regulation and governance in Haryana, electricity reforms in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, and power procurement practices and resource planning by discoms in India. Prior to SFC, he worked at the Centre for Policy Research, Centre for Energy, Environment & Resources, and CUTS Institute for Regulation & competition. He holds PhD, MPhil and MA degrees in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Publications
Books and book chapters
Energy Transitions
Re-Powering Rural Dignity: Rural Transformation Through Energy Transition
Sarada Prasanna Das and Ashwini K Swain
Springer Nature | 19 May 2026
The chapter explores how renewable energy—particularly solar energy—and reliable electricity access can strengthen rural livelihoods by supporting both farm and non-farm activities. It highlights pathways to promote electric-powered value addition, diversify rural economies, and expand productive uses of energy in ways that are sensitive to intersectional barriers. In doing so, the chapter envisions dignified and inclusive access to modern energy as a foundation for building a more resilient rural India.
Reports
Energy Transitions
Energy Transitions Preparedness Initiative: Transport Sector FY 23-24
Aswathy KP, Karthika PS et al.
ETPI | 21 February 2026
The study aims to understand the energy transition preparedness of the transport sector across 10 states in India and identifies key initiatives, progress, and emerging good practices across the states.
Reports
Energy Transitions
Energy Transitions Preparedness Initiative: Buildings Sector FY 23-24
Deepak Tewari, Sumedha Malaviya et al.
ETPI | 18 February 2026
The study aims to understand the energy transition preparedness of the buildings sector across 10 states in India and identifies key initiatives, progress, and emerging good practices across the states.
Journal articles
Energy Transitions
Cities at the Forefront: Shaping Low-carbon Futures in India
Sarada Prasanna Das
VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities | 20 October 2025
Several cities have been trying to create a noticeable impact on reducing emissions through different energy transition interventions. This paper highlights some of these efforts by Indian cities of different sizes to create different energy transition pathways.
Reports
Energy Transitions
Energy Transitions Preparedness Initiative: Buildings Sector
Deepak Tewari, Rushabh Soni et al.
ETPI | 28 May 2024
This study aims to understand the energy transition preparedness of the buildings sector of 10 states in India and highlights good examples from the states.
SFC Perspectives
Adaptation and Resilience
Climate Policy
Energy Transitions
Environmental Governance and Policy
SFC Perspectives on Adaptation and Resilience, Climate Policy, Energy Transitions, and Environmental Governance and Policy
SFC
SFC | 19 March 2024
SFC Perspectives are intended to stimulate discussion by providing an overview of key issues and avenues for action to inform India's sustainable development trajectory.
SFC Perspectives
Energy Transitions
Enabling the Energy Transition: Technology, politics & institutions in India’s energy system
Ashwini K Swain, Sarada Prasanna Das, Suravee Nayak, Catherine Ayallore and Navroz K Dubash
SFC | 18 March 2024
Our research and engagements at SFC focus on rethinking the configuration of technology, politics and institutions in Indian energy as a necessary complement to techno-economic solutions for enabling the transition.
Books and book chapters
Environmental Governance and Policy
Media, Politics and Environment: Analyzing Experiences from Europe and Asia
Detlef Briesen and Sarada Prasanna Das
Springer, Cham | 14 June 2023
The book studies how environmental protection is embedded in the political systems by comparing industrialized countries and emerging economies. It brings froward how concrete environmental policy emerges from a complex interplay of mass media and political conflicts.
Books and book chapters
Environmental Governance and Policy
State’s Commitment to Environmental Governance in India: Struggle Between Developmental Pressure and Sustainability Challenges
Sarada Prasanna Das
Springer, Cham | 14 June 2023
This chapter examines the concept and practice of environmental governance in India. It argues that balance in the environment-development trade-off is necessary to meet growth objectives and that enforcement measures do not necessarily obstruct the growth.