Dr. Arun Panda is a Senior Fellow with the Climate Program at WRI India.

Dr. Panda brings with him more than thirty years of experience of working in the government, serving as Secretary, Ministry of MSME and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health, Government of India. His initiatives include government support for 120 technology centers to enhance the manufacturing competitiveness of MSMEs and upgrade their skill in AI, AR/VR, robotics, and IoT. He was also instrumental in refurbishing the Credit Guarantee Scheme and fast-tracking the MSME Fund of Funds, Distressed Asset Fund, etc. He has extensive experience in the health sector, having served as the Mission Director of the National Health Mission and Director-General of the National AIDS Control Organization. During his tenure as the Principal Secretary of Housing & Urban Development with the Odisha Government, he spearheaded urban reforms and urban renewal activities in the state.

At WRI India, he advises the Climate and Energy programs on just low carbon transitions in micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) clusters in India.

Dr. Panda holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy from the Department of Economics in University of Southern California, Los Angeles and a Masters in Political Science from the University of Delhi.