By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:A major new scholarly volume, Trajectories of Development: Odisha@100, edited by Amarendra Das, Keshab Das, Deepak K. Mishra, and Udaya S. Mishra, has been published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis), London on May 29, 2026. The book presents a comprehensive and interdisciplinary assessment of Odisha’s economic, social, political, and institutional transformation since the formation of the state in 1936.
The curiosity to understand the varying course of development necessitates an evolutionary account of historical processes, contemporary transitions, and future possibilities. Odisha’s approaching centenary of state formation offers a particularly significant moment to revisit its development journey in all its complexity and diversity.
Published under the aegis of the Odisha Economic Association (OEA), the volume brings together scholars, academics, activists, and public intellectuals to reflect upon the state’s development trajectory as the state aspires to emerge as a developed and inclusive economy.
The book is a unique and comprehensive collection comprising 24 chapters contributed by 45 eminent scholars and experts from diverse disciplines. It documents, analyses, and interprets multiple dimensions of Odisha’s transformation over the decades, covering themes such as economic transformation, fiscal turnaround, agriculture, industrialisation, labour and migration, education, health, tribal development, regional disparity, governance, urbanisation, climate change, disaster management, tourism, and social change.
More than serving as a ready reckoner of Odisha’s development story, the book assumes significance as an intellectual resource for all those interested in diagnosing development within a regional setting. It is expected to be valuable not only for academic and research communities but also for policymakers, administrators, planners, civil society organisations, students, and development practitioners. The volume is expected to contribute meaningfully to policy discussions and governance debates while also serving as a potential vision document for Odisha’s future development trajectory.
The editorial leadership for this ambitious volume was provided by four distinguished scholars:
- Amarendra Das, Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NISER Bhubaneswar.
- Keshab Das, Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi and Director, Centre for Research in Regions & Development, Bhubaneswar.
- Deepak K. Mishra, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
- Udaya S. Mishra, Professor, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai.
The process of bringing out this volume involved the participation of numerous contributors and stakeholders who shared their perspectives through a series of consultation workshops organised by the OEA. The publication of this book marks an important institutional accomplishment for the OEA in keeping with its longstanding commitment to scholarship, public engagement, and policy discourse on Odisha’s development.
While the present edition has now been released for an international readership, an Indian edition of the volume is expected to follow shortly.
It is often said that “the present is the past of the future.” This collection meaningfully brings together the past, present, and future of Odisha’s development journey, thereby ensuring its relevance for years to come.
