The Inner Circle acknowledges, Uma Lele as a The Pinnacle of Excellence member

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Uma Lele is acknowledged as The Pinnacle of Excellence for her contributions to Global Leadership in Agricultural and Rural Development.  

Dr. Uma Lele has established herself as a pioneering voice in agricultural economics, with a distinguished career spanning over five decades. Her contributions to research, policy analysis, and global development have had a lasting impact on agricultural and rural advancement worldwide.

Dr. Lele spent more than 30 years at The World Bank, where she served in numerous roles, including economist, chief of development strategy division, Senior Advisor, leading policy evaluations on global partnerships and of the world bank's forestry strategy. Her work has helped shape development programs across multiple continents, with a strong focus on food security, water resource management, and rural economies. In addition to her time at the Bank, Dr. Lele served as a Graduate Research Professor at the University of Florida between 1991 and 1995, where she also directed international studies.

Her academic path began at Ferguson College/Savitribai Phule Pune University, followed by a master's and Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Cornell University which she completed in 1965, She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in the field of agricultural economics, at the age of 24. Her research continued at home for a few years while she raised a son, before joining the World Bank in 1971 as economist.

Dr. Lele  also served as President of the International Association of Agricultural Economists from 2018 to 2021, She was the first woman to hold the post since the organization's founding in 1929. In this role, she  championed global collaboration and advanced the professional development, particularly of young women agricultural economists.

Her accolades include an honorary doctorate from Stellenbosch University in 2023, the Clifton R. Wharton Jr. Emerging Markets Award from Cornell University, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, and the Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Award from the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences.

Looking ahead, Dr. Lele has continued  expanding  mentorship of young professionals, publishing further research on agriculture and sustainability, and fostering stronger international partnerships in agricultural and rural policy.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle