Professor Rajagopal was nominated as Working Group Member for Command Area Development of the Tenth Five Year Plan during 1999-2001. He has been the project leader for three projects on handicraft development and exports assigned by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), GOI. These projects were nation-wide and conducted in 12 states. Prof Rajagopal has also led the evaluation project on Computerization of Land Records and Consolidation of Land Holding spread across 19 states assigned by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, GOI during his stay with Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad between 1999-2001. The above activities during his career in India have not only enriched his knowledge and skills through ethnographic research in rural areas but has also motivated him to transfer knowledge among rural people to co-create entrepreneurship, coevolve micro enterprises (both farm and non-farm based), and manage collective growth (handicraft haat-rural markets, horticultural cooperatives etc.).
Prof Rajagopal has been serving the rural and farming community in India by contributing to the rural development and agribusiness activity management during 1984-2001. He served at National Institute of Rural Development (Hyderabad) and National Institute of Agricultural Management (Jaipur) for 14 years and engaged in applied research (Government projects) and training (Government officials comprising Projects Directors of District Rural Development Agencies, District Administrators, Key state administrators, cooperatives, NGOs, APCs, and Agricultural Marketing Board Executives). Both institutions are the organizations of Government of India. Professor Rajagopal conducted several social laboratories to explore the PNS Factors (problems, needs, and solutions) through the Participatory Research Appraisal. Notable social laboratories were built at Vikarabad (Telangana), Hunsur (Karnataka), Surat (Gujarat), and Tirunelveli (Tamilnadu). He has served as marketing skill-building consultant to Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO) during 1995-2000. During his affiliation with the National Institute of Rural Development and Administrative Staff College of India, Professor Rajagopal has led the development project teams of Planning Commission of India on District Planning (Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu) and Agricultural Marketing in the Northeastern states. Prof Rajagopal had also led multistate handloom develop project of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and state department of handlooms of Telangana during 1995-1997.
Professor Rajagopal was engaged in ethnographic research and community development activities in India during 1984-2001. He was associated with the NGOs like Samakhya (Hyderabad), Myrada (Karnataka), and Seva Mandir (Rajasthan) during his affiliations with the NIRD and Institute of Rural Management Anand. Professor Rajagopal is associated with the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (An organization of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, GOI) towards offering consultation on improving the management of Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs) and non-fam cooperatives. He is involved in offering online workshops and sessions. In addition, he is remotely guiding the students at this institute on case analysis with focus on PNS factors, analysis of organizational ecosystem, and reverse accountability.
Some Important Projects Led by Dr. Rajagopal during 1999-2001 for the Government of India are listed as below:
Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Government of India
The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Government of India awarded the study of Evaluation of Handicrafts Exhibitions to Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). The main objective of the study is to assess the utilization of the grants provided by the office of the DC (H) to the various organizations for organizing the handicraft exhibitions. The study was conducted in 12 states covering 17 organizations holding 20 events at different places. The study was largely based on the primary data collected from 987 artisans, of whom 480 participated in the exhibitions covered under the study and 507 artisans who had participated earlier in the financial year 1999-2000 in the events held by other organizations.
Planning Commission, Government of India-Compterization of Land Records and Cosolidation of Holdings
The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, has awarded this study to ASCI. In accordance to the Terms of Reference of the Sub Committee under the National Committee on Consolidation of Land Holdings and Computerization of Land Records, ASCI was requested to carry out a "spot studies" of the detailed progress of land consolidation in 10 states namely Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Assam. The "spot studies" were aimed to assess the functioning of the Computerization of Land Records (CLR) scheme. The proposed study was conducted with a view to document the efforts made on consolidation and computerization of land records in the selected states. The enactment of law for consolidation, their effect and the necessity of further efforts and needs of farmers were also examined during the study. The outcome of study would provide a framework of action for implementing the CLR scheme, evaluating the on-going process, identifying gaps, building system strengths, re-engineering the administrative support and direction for achieving the objectives of the Vision Document on CLR.
Planning Commission, Government of India-Planning for Agriculral Marketing in the North-easterns States
The rural marketing is largely unorganized in the region and dominated by the private traders. The northeastern states have high production of fruits, spices and cashew in the recent past but could not fetch market price equivalent to the other states. The topography of the NE states is not favorable for the movement of the products. Besides, the infrastructure, procurement practices, marketing approaches and processing facilities are also observed as the major constraints in the rural marketing in the NE region. Therefore it has been felt necessary to diagnose the problems in the NE region, in order to provide improved marketing environment and economic benefits to the farmers through better post-harvest management of the horticultural crops. The Planning Commission, Government of India, has awarded this study to Administrative Staff College of India.
