When she returns home, Niharikaa hopes to contribute to strengthening national nutrition policy while working at the grassroots level to empower communities.
Niharikaa Naresh will use the knowledge, skills and networks she’s gaining in the UK to improve how policies support better nutrition in practice. Discover more about her Chevening journey and experience at the University of Warwick.
While working closely with communities in India, Niharikaa began to see a recurring challenge: well-designed policies often fall short because they fail to account for how people actually make decisions in their daily lives.
This insight led her to pursue her MSc in Behavioural and Economic Science at the University of Warwick.
‘I realised the overarching importance of understanding behavioural patterns and their economic implications to design effective programmes that ensure sustained long-term outcomes.’
‘Chevening helped me take this leap of faith and, beyond academics, introduced me to a global community of changemakers.’
At the University of Warwick, Niharikaa has deepened her understanding of how behavioural insights can transform public policy.
‘Studying behavioural economics has enriched me far beyond my expectations.’ ‘Modules like behavioural ethics have deepened my understanding of the human condition and sharpened my thinking on how people respond to government interventions and policies.’
Beyond the classroom, she has actively engaged with food systems and community initiatives in the UK, experiences she sees as directly relevant to her future work.
‘These interactions have deepened my understanding of food systems, and I hope to implement some of these learnings in India.’
Central to her Chevening experience has been the network. ‘The Chevening network has been one of the most intellectually stimulating parts of this experience, and through it I have found friends I expect to keep for life.
‘There is something extraordinary about sharing space with such remarkable minds… people who, simply by being who they are, inspire me to be a better person every day.’
‘My long-term focus is to address the gap between policy and the efficacy of social welfare programmes.’
Niharikaa is particularly committed to tackling nutrition security in India through a more integrated approach.
‘Nutrition security in India will remain elusive without the integration of livelihood generation that has been central to my work.’
When she returns home, she hopes to contribute to strengthening national nutrition policy while working at the grassroots level to empower communities.
‘I hope to… equip self-help groups and farmer collectives with the skills and tools to understand consumer behaviour and market trends, enabling them to build resilience during economic challenges.’
‘Moving to a new country did feel a bit daunting, but the tours and activities during the week were perfectly designed to break the ice... I’ve since found my little group of friends, and we’ve been creating so many exciting and unforgettable memories together.’
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Chevening alumna, Magdeline Pokar, founded Asia Research News, Asia’s largest science communication platform. Today, the platform helps raise the profile of Asian research internationally and creates new opportunities for global collaboration, including with UK institutions. We find out more.