Vidya Putcha is an early childhood development (ECD) specialist with thirteen years of experience carrying out research and supporting decision makers, funders and program managers in low- and middle-income countries who are providing ECD.
As an associate director for R4D’s education portfolio, she leads projects on early childhood development related to promoting ECD in primary health care, supporting and strengthening the early childhood workforce, and increasing financing for early childhood development services. This often involves strategic guidance for policymakers, funders and implementers on topics such as tracking investments, standards, and training and professional development.
Before joining R4D, Ms. Putcha was a consultant at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution where she worked on research studies related to financing early childhood development. She also worked at the World Bank providing countries with policy guidance for improving their educational assessment systems. Before that, she taught middle school students in Indian government schools.
Ms. Putcha holds a master’s in international relations and international economics from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a BA in development studies from Brown University. She speaks English and Telugu.
Articles and other publications
- Atinc, T., Putcha, V., van der Gaag, J. 2014. Costing Early Childhood Development Services: The Need to Do Better. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution.
- Gustafsson-Wright, E., Gardiner, S., Putcha, V. 2015. The Potential and Limitations of Impact Bonds: Lessons from the First Five Years of Experience Worldwide. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution.
- Putcha, V., Upadhyay, A., & Burnett, N. 2016. “A Call for Public Financing: Innovative Finance is Welcome, but not Enough.” In Early Childhood Matters: Advances in Early Childhood Development. The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation.
- Putcha, V., Upadhyay, A., Neuman, M., Choi, M., & Lombardi, J. 2016. Financing early childhood development: An analysis of international and domestic sources in low- and middle-income countries. Vol. I & II. Washington, DC: International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity.
- Putcha, V. & Van der Gaag. 2015. Investing in Early Childhood Development: What is Being Spent and What Does it Cost? Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution.
- Upadhyay, A. & Putcha, V. 2017. “Better policies for improved financing of services for young children.” In Early Childhood Matters: Advances in Early Childhood Development. The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation.
