Arhan Bagati is a Research Fellow at the Harvard Center for International Development (CID), working with Prof. Gautam Nair. He is the Founder of Kashmir’s Yumberzal Applied Research Institute (KYARI), an independent research institution based in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Through KYARI, Arhan works to generate locally grounded research around some of the region’s most pressing development challenges. The institute’s work includes, but is not limited to, rural development, tourism, waste management, agriculture, drug abuse, and the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous tribal communities. KYARI also seeks to bridge research and implementation through collaborations with civil society, cultural institutions, businesses, and other organizations, with a broader aim of strengthening local capacity and bringing greater policy attention to Jammu & Kashmir’s development priorities.
Arhan has also worked with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for over a decade as its Awareness and Impact Ambassador and served as India’s first and the world’s youngest Deputy Chef de Mission at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, helping lead India’s then-largest Paralympic contingent to a historic 19-medal performance. Building on this experience, he is working to expand the Paralympic movement in Jammu & Kashmir, including efforts to strengthen PCI’s institutional presence in the region and create greater opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sport.
Arhan holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Politics and Asian Studies from Pomona College.