Arfat Ahmad Sofi
Associate Professor
Department of Economics and Finance
BITS, Pilani- K. K. Birla Goa Campus
Email: arfats@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in
Phone: 0832-2580263 [O]
Chamber: D-308/14 (NAB)

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Education

• Ph.D. Economics: Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India.
• M.Phil. Economics: Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India.
• M.A. Economics: University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India.

Employment / Experience 

• Associate Professor, BITS Pilani, K K Birla  Goa Campus, Goa, from March 2026 to date
• Assistant Professor, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Goa, from August 2018 to February 2026.
• Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, from August 2016 to July 2018.
• Senior Research Fellow at Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, from November 2015 to July 2016

Research Interest

• Applied Development Economics, Public Economics, Energy Economics, Applied Spatial Econometrics

Teaching Interest

• Economic Growth, Development Economics, Regional Economics, Public Economics, Microeconomics, Applied Spatial Econometrics

Selected Publications

• Md Quaisar Ali and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2026). "Productivity Without Movement: Evidence from State-Level Decomposition of Labor Productivity in India, 1980-2023." Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy.

  Vinay Kumar, Rekha R., and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2026). "Who Spends and Why? Spatial Interactions and Political Determinants of Welfare Expenditure in Indian Subnational Governments." The Annals of Regional Science.

• Vinay Kumar, Rekha R., and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2026). "Foreign Aid Allocation, Governance and Spatial Interactions in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Economics and Economic Policy
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, Javeed A. G., M. Y. Bhat, and S. M. Shahzeb (2026). "Assessing the Impact of Sand Mining on Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation Across Countries." Discover Environment.

• Laxita Soontha, Mohammad Younus Bhat, and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2026). "From Ashes to Action: Economic Growth, Ecological Footprint, and Forest Fire Resilience in Advanced and Emerging Economies." Land Degradation & Development. 1-35.

• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, Mohammad Younus Bhat, Showkat Ahmad Shah, and Md. Hafiz Iqbal (2026). "Does Environmental Technologies affect Green Economic Growth? Evidence from South-Asian Economies." in Ed. “The Green Economy and Finance: Investing for a Sustainable Future.

• Vinay K., Rekha R., and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2025). "Spatial Dynamics of Regional Inequality and Fiscal Policy in India: 1991–2023." Networks and Spatial Economics. (Early Cite)
• Aditi C., M Y Bhat, and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2025). "Rising disasters, crumbling futures: The unexpected impact of environmental catastrophe on children across economies." Journal of Environmental Management. Volume 394, 127312.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, M Y Bhat, and Javed A Bhat (2025). “Green Wheels in Motion: Electric Vehicle Sales in the path to Decarbonization” Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. Volume 142, 104704.
• Divya S. R., Aswini K. M.,  and  Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2025). "Precarious Work and Employment Deprivation: An Econometric Study of Unemployment Duration in India (2020–2024)." The Indian Journal of Labour Economics. (Early Cite)
• Renjith Raj and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2024). “An enquiry into rehabilitation as a climate change adaptation policy: the case of the Western Ghats of Kerala, India” GeoJournal, 89, 201.
• Renjith Raj and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2023). “Does climate change leads to severe household-level vulnerability? Evidence from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India” Land Use Policy, Vol. 130, July, 106655.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, Subash S. and M.Y. Bhat (2023). “Economic Growth and Club Convergence: Is there a neighbor's effect?” International Journal of Finance and Economics. Volume28, Issue3, PP. 2475-2494.
• Y. Bhat, Laraib A., Arfat Ahmad Sofi, Rupesh K. (2023) “Valuation and Effective Management of the Dal Lake’s Diverse Ecosystem using Choice Experiment Method” Ecohydrology. Volume 16, Issue 2, PP. 1-14.
• Vedant Khandelwal and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2022). “Profitability of Pairs Trading Strategy in Stock Markets: Empirical Evidence from the Indian Stock Exchange.” Empirical Economics Letters. Volume 21, Issue 8, PP. 1-14.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, M. Y. Bhat, Laraib A., Ruhi R. A. and Aswani R. S. (2022). “Renewable energy and transitioning towards sustainable tourism: Inferences from kernel density and nonparametric approach.” Renewable Energy. Volume 193, PP. 963-975.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and M. Y. Bhat (2022). “Does Biofuel Consumption Improve Environmental Quality? An Econometric Analysis.” International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. Volume 20, PP. 2063–2072.
• Y. Bhat, Arfat Ahmad Sofi, and Shambhu Sajith (2022). "Domino-effect of Energy Consumption and Economic Growth on Environmental Quality: Role of Green Energy in G20 Countries" Management of Environmental Quality. Vol. 33, No. 3 PP. 756-775.
• Y Bhat, Arfat Ahmad Sofi and Shambu S (2021). Exploring Environment-Energy- Growth Nexus in OECD Countries: A Nonparametric Approach. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. Volume 13, PP. 9929–9942.
• Y Bhat and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2021). Willingness to pay for Biodiversity Conservation in Dachigam National Park, India. Journal for Nature Conservation. Vol. 62 (August 2021).
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi, M. Y. Bhat and Aswini Kumar Mishra (2021). Testing Spatial Interactions in Kaldor’s Growth Laws: A Cross-Country Analysis. Journal of Public Affairs. Volume 22, Issue 3, PP. 1-12.
• Y Bhat, Arfat Ahmad Sofi and Aswani R. S. (2021). Sustainability of Biofuels: The dynamic nexus between CO₂ emissions and bioenergy consumption in OECD countries in Kaushik et. al. (eds). Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability Approaches - Global Lessons and local Challenges. Springer Nature
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and Subash S. (2020). FDI, Labour Market and Welfare: How Inequality Navigates Welfare Loss? in Siddharthan and Narayan Eds. FDI, Technology and Innovation, Springer Nature, PP. 223-243.
• Y. Bhat, M.S. Bhatt and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2020). Valuing Biodiversity Attributes: A Choice Experiment Design. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. Vol. 192, Article No. 499. Springer Nature
• Y. Bhat, M.S. Bhatt and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2020). Valuing Biodiversity of Dachigam National Park: A Choice Experiment Application. Management of Environmental Quality. Vol. 31(6), PP. 1569-1585. Emerald Insights
• Y. Bhat and Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2020). Economics of Bioenergy in India in M. Y. Bhat et. al. Eds. Energy Economics and the Environment: Preservation, Conservation and Sustainability, Sage.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and Subash S. (2018). Do Indian States Mimic, Compete or Interact in Local Public Spending? A Spatial Econometric Analysis. Asian Economic Journal. Vol. 32(2), PP. 187 – 213. Wiley
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and S. Raja Sethu Durai (2017). “Income Convergence in India: Evidence from Nonparametric Panel Data” Journal of Economic Studies, Vol. 44 (3), PP. 400-411. Emerald Insights
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and S. Raja Sethu Durai (2016). Income Convergence in India: A Nonparametric Approach. Economic Change and Restructuring. Vol. 49 (1), PP. 23-40. Springer Nature
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and S. Raja Sethu Durai ( (2015) Club convergence across Indian states: an empirical analysis. Journal of Economic Development. Vol. 40 (4), PP. 107-124.
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi and S. Raja Sethu Durai ( (2015). Income Disparities across Indian States: Evidence from Kuznets Curve and Shift Analysis. International Journal of Development Issues. Vol. 14 (2), PP. 171 - 187. Emerald Insights
• Arfat Ahmad Sofi (2015). Sectoral Analysis of Income Convergence: Evidence from India. Indian Journal of Economics and Development. Vol. 11 (3), PP. 649-659.

International/National Projects and Monographs

• India Youth Development Report and Index – 2017 published by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India and Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Tamil Nadu, India.

Conferences/Papers Presented

• Presented a paper at 21st KIMEP International Research Conference by Kimep University Kazakhstan, EM Normandie Business School and Zagreb School of Economics and Management in collaboration with the UN PRME Eurasian Chapter on “Sustainable Prosperity: Navigating Economic Growth in AI Era” scheduled for 12-13 APRIL 2024.
• Accepted for presentation “Renewable Energy Consumption, CO2 Emission, and Economic Growth Interface in OECD Countries: A revisit through Club Convergence and Spatial Analysis.” International Conference on the Contemporary Issues in Finance, Trade and Macroeconomy. During April 4-5, 2020 Hilton Kozyatağı Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Presented “FDI, Labor Market and Welfare: How Inequality Navigates Welfare Loss?” has been accepted for presentation at the 4th Annual Economics Conference organized by Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics in collaboration with The Indian Econometric Society (TIES) to be held on 7th March 2020 at Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics, NMIMS, Mumbai.
• Presented a paper titled “Spatial Interaction and Kaldor’s Growth Laws:  A Cross-Country Perspective” (with S. Subash and A K Mishra) in XX April International Academic Conference On Economic and Social Development, at Higher School of Economics, Natioanl Research Univeraity, Moscow, during 9th to 12th  April 2019.
• Presented a paper titled “FDI, Labour Market and Welfare: How Inequality Navigate Welfare Loss?” (with S. Subash) in 16th International Convention of the East Asian Economic Association, at National Taiwan University, Taipei, during 27th to 28th October, 2018.
• Presented a paper titled “Economic Growth – Urbanization – Inequality Interface: Are Countries Spatially Interactive?” (with S. Subash) in XIX April International Academic Conference On Economic and Social Development, at Higher School of Economics, Natioanl Research Univeraity, Moscow, during 10th to 13th April 2018.
• Presented a paper titled “Do Indian States Mimic, Compete or Interact in Local Public Spending: A Spatial Econometric Analysis” (with S. Subash) in X1 World Conference of Spatial Econometrics Association at Singapore Management Universaity, Singapore, during 13th to 15th June 2017.
• Presented a paper titled “Do Indian States Mimic, Compete or Interact in Local Public Spending: A Spatial Econometric Analysis” (with S. Subash) in Annual Conference on Papers in Public Economics and Policy at NIPFP, New Delhi during 23rd to 24th March 2017 (India).
• Presented a paper titled “Economic Growth and Convergence in India: Evidence from Nonparametric Panel Data” in Two Day National Seminar on ‘Goal of Balanced Regional Development – Recent Issues, Policies and Challenges’ on September 20-21, 2016 at CMDR, Dharward.
• Presented a paper titled “Club Convergence Across Indian States: Is there any Spatial Interaction?” in 9th Doctoral Thesis Conference on April 21-22, 2016 at IBS Hyderabad.
• Presented a paper titled “Distributional Dynamics of Per capita Income: Evidence from India” (with S. Raja Sethu Durai) in 51st TIES Annual Conference on December 12-14, 2014 at Punjabi University, Patiala.
• Presented a paper titled “Economic Growth and income Disparities: Evidence from India” (with S. Raja Sethu Durai) in International Conference on Shifting Paradigms in Applied Economics and Management: Course Correction on August 1 -2, 2014 at Sri Mata Vishnu Devi University, Jammu.
• Presented a paper titled “Club Convergence Across Indian states: A Revisit” (with S. Raja Sethu Durai) in Sixth International Conference on Excellence in Research and Education on 8-11 May 2014 at IIM, Indore.
• Presented a paper titled “Club Convergence Across Indian states: A Revisit” (with S. Raja Sethu Durai) in CESP Young Scholar’s Seminar on March 10-12, 2014 at JNU, New Delhi.
• Presented a paper titled “Income Convergence Across Indian states: Evidence from Pair Wise and Spatial Analysis” in 50th TIES Annual Conference on December 21-23, 2013 at IGIDR, Mumbai.
• Presented a paper titled “Analysis of Public Spending in India: A Spatial Econometric Perspective” (With S. Raja Sethu Durai) in National Conference on Economic Reforms, Growth and Public Expenditure on October 8 – 9, 2013 at Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta.
• Presented a paper titled “Sectoral Analysis of Income Disparities Across Indian States” (with S. Raja Sethu Durai) in 48th TIES Annual Conference on March 1-3, 2012 at Department of Economics, Pondicherry University.

Invited Talks and Lectures

• Invited to be resource person for Two weeks Training Program on Time Series and Applied Econometrics for ISS Probationary Officers held at ISEC Bengaluru from 19 February 2024 to 2 March 2024.
• Invited to deliver special talk and chair a session in Winter Business School conference organized by Great Lakes Gurugram during December 20 -21 2023.
• Delivered an invited lecture on Simultaneous Equation Analysis at DMS Expert Talk Series, Department of Management Studies, Pondicherry University Pondicherry on 5th January 2021.
• Delivered an invited lecture on Economic Growth – Urbanization – Inequality Interface: Are Countries Spatially Interactive? at Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics, NMIMS Mumbai on 6th March 2020.
• Resource Person for 3 days orientation workshop on Social Policy organized by Department of Development Studies, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu during 2nd to 4th May 2018.
• Resource person for 5 days workshop on Research Methodology organized by the Department of Economics, University of Madras during 11th December 2017 to 15th December 2017.
• Resource person for Two-Day National Level Workshop on “Art of Writing Research Article”, at Pondicherry University, Pondicherry during 27th and 28th March 2017.
• Resource person for 2016’s Refresher Course (Economics, Batch XVI) “Economics and Econometrics: Use of Economic Theory and Econometrics in Analysing Indian Economic Problems” conducted by the Department of Economics and the UGC - Human Resource Development Centre of the University of Madras during 3rd November 2016 to 23rd November 2016.

Awards/Fellowships

• Awarded Travel Grant to present a paper in XIth World Spatial Econometrics Association Conference at Singapore Management University by Spatial Econometrics Association.
• Awarded Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Doctoral Fellowship
• Awarded University Grants Commission (UGC) Fellowship for pursuing M. Phil. and Ph.D.

Other Professional Appointments

• Invited Referee for World Development (Elsevier), Regional Science and Urban Economics (Elsevier), Journal of Environmental Management (Elsevier), Growth and Change (Wiley), Tourism Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Tourism & Hospitality Journal (Cognizant Communication Corporation), Asian Economic Journal (Wiley), Economic Change and Restructuring (Springer), GeoJournal (Springer), Journal of Economic Studies (Emerald), International Journal of Social Economics (Emerald), Indian Economic Journal (Sage), Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer), Regional Environmental Change (Springer), Economics Bulletin, International Journal of Agriculture Sciences, Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, And Policy (Taylor and Francis), Scientific Reports (Nature) and Applied Economics (Taylor and Francis).

Sponsored Research Projects

• On the anatomy of Teaching-Learning Process: A Tale of Two Nation approved by SPARC, MHRD. The estimated budget of the project is ₹4.7 Million.
• Realising Sustainability: The Socio-economic and Environmental Impact of Solar Rooftops in the Border Regions of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh approved by ICSSR New Delhi India. The estimated budget of the project is ₹1.2 Million.

Books/ Edited Books/ Edited Monographs/Abstract Books

• Edited Book of Abstracts titled “Empowering Adolescent Girls: Understanding Realities and Expanding Capabilities” (March 2016)