Dr. Shivani Gharge is a researcher with expertise in school meals, nutrition, and child development. With a strong foundation in data analysis and public health research, she brings a deep understanding of how food systems intersect with education, gender, and equity outcomes.
As Research Coordinator at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Shivani contributes to the development, analysis, and dissemination of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. Her work helps ensure that GCNF’s research agenda and outputs are relevant to policymakers and practitioners worldwide.
Shivani holds a Ph.D. in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), India, where her doctoral research focused on the impact of India’s Mid Day Meal programme on food intake, physical growth, school retention, dropout, and learning outcomes. She also holds an M.A. and M.Phil. in Population Studies from IIPS, and a B.A. in Economics from Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College.
She is a recipient of the Government of India Fellowship for her graduate and doctoral studies, and was awarded the Newton-Bhabha PhD Placement Award, funded by the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).
Shivani currently resides in New Zealand where she enjoys dancing, traveling, and reading.
