Rajeev Sharma

Associate Professor & In-Charge – Department of SME Development & National Capital Regional Office

Biography

Possesses more than 20 years of experience in academics including 9 years in the development sector of industrial clusters/SMEs. His areas of specialization include; MSMEs, Cluster Development, Business Development Services (BDS) and Policy Advocacy. Dr. Sharma has notably executed the UNIDO project on capacity building of Cluster Development Agents in Tehran, Iran and has worked as a consultant with ‘Competitiveness: The Cluster Competitiveness Group’, based in Barcelona (for its operations in India). He has several publications in reputed journals and has several research papers in national and international conferences, to his credit.

Academic/Professional Qualification

  • Ph.D. (Economics)
  • MA (Economics)
  • MBA (Operations)
  • IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain – Offered scholarship for 2 weeks Summer School on ‘Cluster Competitiveness & Management’ programme in July 2009.

Areas of Specialization

  • MSMEs
  • Cluster Development
  • Managerial Economics
  • Industrial Economics

Projects

  • ‘Promoting Innovative Clusters’ funded by DST (Rs. 12.5 crore project) aimed to develop and ecosystem that encouraged to work SMEs on innovative ideas and raise the technological levels. As a ‘Project Component Coordinator’ for four different SME sectors – Textile Machinery, Medical Disposables, Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals – at Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Vadodara & Hyderabad; Developed networks of BDS providers with different stakeholders and M&E implementation promoting innovation in the cluster.inery (Ludhiana), Pharmaceuticals (Ahmedabad & Hyderabad)(2007-2010)
  • As an International Cluster Expert coordinated & conducted exposure visit for stakeholders of Circular Knitting Machinery (Textile Machinery Cluster, Ludhiana, Punjab, India) to (Taipei) Taiwan, under the DST project including the possibility of outsourcing technology for Textile machinery from Taiwan (2008).
  • As an UNIDO Training Instructor, conducted a week-long training program (TOT) for Cluster Development Agents (CDAs) on various aspects of cluster development managing industrial clusters at Teheran (Iran -2008)
  • Isfahan (Iran) Stone Cluster: As a Project Coordinator, coordinated an exposure visit of a 50 members’ delegation from Isfahan Stone Cluster (Teheran) to the Jaipur Stone cluster in India, including organizing visit to exhibitions, conducting meetings with important stakeholders in the cluster and organizing visits to the stone units in the cluster (2009).
  • DFID funded Project implemented by SIDBI – ‘Providing BDS in Clusters’ (M&E) As Middle Level Cluster Expert, monitored, evaluated and provided strategic guidance for the project in three clusters of the North Zone – carpets in Bhadohi, leather in Kanpur & pharmaceuticals in Dehradun (2009-10).
  • ‘Vision Plan Document 2020’ for the development of the foundry sector in India, which was published and shared with multilateral agencies and the MSME Ministry for implementation of the recommendations by IIF (Institute for Indian Foundrymen 2011).
Research Publications
  • Chapter 19 - ‘Making Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Competitive: Cluster Development Methodology’ – by Dr. Rajeev Sharma & Ms. Saina Kohli in Energy, Environment and Globalization: Recent Trends, Opportunities and Challenges in India - edited book by Springer 2020.
  • Quality Based Operation and Maintenance practices for smooth functioning of coal handling plant of coal based power plant – by S.N. Dubey, Dr. Rajeev Sharma, Dr. N Dalei in International Journal of Advanced Research and Development (2018), Vol 3, Issue 2, pp. 1242-1246 (ISSN 2455-4030, Impact Factor RJIF-5.24);
  • Performance Optimization of 1800 MT capacity Stacker-Reclaimer in Coal Handing Plant in 600 MW/660MWSub-Super Critical Units – by S.N. Dubey, Dr. N Dalei & Dr. Rajeev Sharma in International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology (2018), Vol. 2. Issue 1, (ISSN 2456-7655, Impact Factor RJIF-5.54);
  • Status and Potential of Circular Knitting Machinery - for Ludhiana Textile Machinery Cluster initiatives was published in Anniversary Issue of Textile Review (2008) magazine, Ahmedabad.  The paper was based on the experience derived during implementation of live project of Department of Science and Technology Project on promoting innovative clusters.
  • Co-edited with Prof. Harsh Bhargava, a Derivative Book titled ‘Managing Microfinance: A Corporate Approach’ published by The ICFAI University Press, Hyderabad, in the year 2006.
  • Co-authored paper with Prof. S. L. Kansra titled, ‘Indo-Canadian Industrial Collaborations: Past and Prospects’ published in Political Economy Journal of India in January-July 2004.
  • Co-authored paper with Prof. S. L. Kansra titled, ‘First Generation Reforms and Competitiveness: India’s Corporate Sector in 1990’s’ published in a book ‘Economic Reforms in India: From First to Second Generation and Beyond’ edited by P.P. Arya and B. B. Tandon (2004).
Seminars & Conferences Attended

International Conferences

    • Presented a paper titled, ‘Strengthening Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs): Evolving Approaches in India’ at 22nd EBES Conference, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy, on 24th to 26th May, 2017.
    • Presented a paper titled, ‘Role of Cluster Development Methodology in Strengthening SME Networks: An Indian Experience’ at the conference on ‘L’intelligence Economique: Strategies d’Innovationet de Competitiveite’ organized by Chambre de Commerece et d’Industrie at Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso -West Africa), on12th & 13th September, 2011.

  • National Conferences
    • Presented a paper titled, ‘Making SMEs competitive with Cluster Development Methodology’ at National conclave cum conference on MSMEs at Doon University, Dehradun, on 10th May, 2014.
    • Attended TCI Conference (2010) at MDI, Gurgaon.
    • Presented paper titled ‘Status and Potential of Circular Knitting Machinery’ for ‘Ludhiana Textile Machinery Cluster initiatives ‘at Texcellence-08 annual conference at Ahmedabad (2008).
    • Presented a paper titled ‘Technology Transfer in India; An Empirical Estimate of Pre and Post Reforms Era’ at National Conference ‘Anvesh’ at NIRMA University, Ahmedabad on 19th & 20th March, 2005.
    • Presented paper titled ‘Indo-Canadian Industrial Collaborations: Past and Prospects’ in the seminar conducted by Centre for Indian Development Studies held at ICSSR, Punjab University on 6th & 7th February, 2004.
    • Presented paper titled ‘First Generation Reforms and Competitiveness: India’s Corporate Sector in 1990’s’ in a UGC Sponsored seminar conducted by University Business School held at ICSSR, Punjab University on 17th – 19th January, 2002.
    • Presented a paper titled ‘R&D Policies and Government Support Measures: A Critical Assessment’ in the National Seminar held at I.I.T Kanpur on 6th & 7th February, 2001.

  • Other Participations
    • Conducted one-week Erasmus programme sessions between programme and partner institution at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, from 18th to 22nd March, 2019
    • Pursued three weeks Faculty Training Program ‘Abhigyat’ at the ‘Foundation for MSME Clusters’ USO House, New Delhi from June to July 2018.
    • Training program (5 days) for Cluster Development of ‘Promoting Integrated Bamboo Based Enterprise Development among SAARC Countries’ at FMC, New Delhi in July 2018.
    • Two weeks Faculty training Programme ‘Abhigyat’ at HPCL, Mumbai, to understand value chain of ‘Oil and Gas’ sector in India in July 2015.
    • Management of Innovation, (2008 – New Delhi), two day workshop conducted by Mr. David Wittenberg (CEO – The Innovation Workgroup – U.S.)