M. V. Nadkarni is an economist with an interest in agricultural and rural economics, ecology, political economy, rural sociology, development, ethics, philosophy, and Gandhian thought. He was Professor and is currently Honorary Visiting Professor, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. He is also Member, Board of Governors, Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development Research (CMDR), Dharwad; former Vice Chancellor, Gulbarga University; and Chairman, Editorial Board, Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics .

N. Sivanna is Professor, Centre for Political Institutions, Governance and Development, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. With an interest in development studies, democracy and decentralisation, he works as a researcher, development practitioner, consultant and trainer.

Lavanya Suresh is a political scientist and is currently Assistant Professor, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India. Her research interests are political ecology, public administration, decentralisation and natural resource governance.