Dr. Lele has also authored numerous papers on agricultural productivity growth and structural transformation and the changing roles of forests and water.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 03, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Uma Lele, PhD, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Lele has garnered extensive success within the agricultural economics community, having dedicated over five decades to research, operations, policy analysis, and evaluation. Her tenure at The World Bank, where she worked for over 30 years and ended as a senior advisor, and her work with several other organizations have been instrumental in the field. Apart from her field-related work, Dr. Lele enjoyed contributing to the University of Florida from 1991 to 1995, where she served as a Graduate Research Professor and directed international studies between 1992 and 1993. Additionally, Dr. Lele has made substantial contributions as an independent scholar and development economist and is affiliated with the Institute of Economic Growth in Delhi.
Dr. Lele's prolific career is highlighted by her groundbreaking achievements and publications. Her leadership as a senior advisor for The World Bank's operations evaluations department allowed her to lead evaluations on forest strategy, and global partnerships which were pivotal. She also became recognized for her influential works, which were published in the Oxford University Press, The World Bank, Johns Hopkins University of Press, and other professional publications. Dr. Lele has also authored numerous papers on agricultural productivity growth and structural transformation and the changing roles of forests and water and was involved in co-authoring a theme paper for the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development, which led to the formation of a roadmap for future initiatives. Moreover, Dr. Lele remains committed to working toward hunger alleviation, a cause close to her heart, as evidenced by her most recent book "Food for All International Organizations and the Transformation of Agriculture."
In preparation for her career, Dr. Lele received a bachelor's degree at Ferguson College/Savitribai Phule Pune University in 1960, followed by a master's and doctorate in agricultural economics from Cornell University in 1963 and 1965, respectively. She was the first woman to receive a doctorate in agricultural economics at the prestigious university at the age of 24.
Underscoring her dedication to advancing knowledge and practice within her field, Dr. Lele's professional affiliations further reflect her commitment to agricultural economics. She is a fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association and India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. She is also a member of the International Association of Agricultural Economists, where she has been serving as the president since 2018. Marking a significant milestone, she was the first female president ever to be elected to her role by the association since its inception in 1929. In addition to her professional memberships, Dr. Lele has been active civically, most notably through establishing the Uma Lele Mentor Fellowship Award, which is awarded to men and women from developing countries.
In light of her success, Dr. Lele received an honorary doctorate from Stellenbosch University in South Africa in 2023. She was also honored with several awards, including a Clifton R. Wharton Jr. Emerging Markets Award from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University in 2018, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics in 2018, and a Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Award from the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences in 2017.
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