Attend on Zoom: https://uio.zoom.us/j/66941452573?pwd=ZHazVpW36umZpnCWLlObMZtdIjrCQt.1
Abstract:
The presentation focusses on a work-in-progress paper investigating the Gates Foundation’s governance power in India through a political economy analysis of its grants database from 1994 to 2025. By mapping the functional scope and proximity of 961 grants to state and non-state actors, the study reveals how the Foundation cultivates a ‘zone of interest’ that shapes national health and development priorities. The analysis highlights the Foundation’s ‘hybrid’ power, demonstrating its ability to align with government missions while remaining largely insulated from regulatory crackdowns, such as FCRA violations, that have penalized several grantees albeit unevenly. Findings indicate a concentration of resources among strategic intermediaries and a dominant focus on techno-managerial interventions. Ultimately, the paper argues that this unaccounted philanthropic authority creates a democratic deficit, positioning philanthrocapitalism as a structural challenge within global health governance.
Bio:
Dr Vyoma Dhar Sharma is an international development scholar at the Centre for Global Prosperity, University of Oslo. She is interested in examining how philanthropy, racial capitalism, and governance intersect to shape human health. Dr Sharma holds a DPhil in International Development, a Master’s in Development Studies, and an undergraduate degree in English Literature, bringing together training in both social sciences and the humanities. Before joining UiO, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow with the Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global Health. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr Sharma worked as a public health practitioner in India. Her work has been published in Economy and Society, Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, and other scholarly and public platforms.