Dr. Shaibal Gupta is a social scientist, Founder Member-Secretary of Asian Development Research Institute in Patna, Bihar.The Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) is a non-profit civil society organization, dedicated to social science research established in 1991. He is also the director of the Centre for Economic Policy and Public Finance (CEPPF), which has been set up in ADRI by the Government of Bihar as a dedicated centre for research on public finance. He is the best-known expert on the politics and economics of Bihar. His research focuses on the structure of the Bihar economy as well as on various development issues in Bihar with a political economy perspective. He is an economist by profession. He has spent many years studying Bihar.
Dr. Gupta was a Member of the high level Committee for Evolving a Composite Development Index for the States, headed by Raghuram Rajan (currently the RBI Governor). He has given his thoughtful note of dissent in the Committee report. Sections of the media have highly praised his correct and honest views about the allegedly flawed Index developed by the Committee. Dr Gupta has worked on various research projects with the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex; International Labour Organisation, World Bank and London School of Economics. He has held advisory positions in various committees.
Dr. Gupta was a director of the Andhra Bank until his term expired and Member Executive Committee, National Literacy Mission(NLM) - India, Government of India, Ministry of HRD, New Delhi.