Swarna Sadasivam Vepa obtained Ph.D degree from the department of economics, Delhi School of Economics in 1996. Ph.D, was funded by UGC fellow ship. Term papers were submitted to Delhi school of economics, in lieu of M.Phil. Holds an M. A degree in Applied Economics from Andhra University and she received 2nd rank in the University. She is currently a Visiting Professor at Madras School of Economics (MSE), teaching graduate courses in Development Economics and Indian economy. Teaching M.A. students at Madras School of Economics from 2008 till now. Has guided more than 30 dissertation students at MSE. She was a research consultant at the Center for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad and the Institute of Development studies, Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam from 2016 -2022 and drafted several studies related to social groups and school education. She was Research Director and consultant at M.S. Swaminathan Research foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, on LANSA project funded by DFID from 2012-2015 and extensively worked on Agriculture nutrition linkages even after leaving the project. From 2000 to 2008 she worked as Director, food security and held Ford Foundation Chair at MSSRF. Worked on several projects on food security, sustainability and livelihoods funded by FAO, WFP, UNESCAP and UNDP. Taught at Shriram college of commerce and other Delhi university colleges, and Institute of Economic growth prior to the appointment at MSSRF, Chennai.
Presented papers in national and international seminars. Had many journal publications and two books. Her book titled “Agriculture, Undernutrition and Public provisioning – Impact on women and children in India” was published by Tylor and Francis London, New York in 2020, and has wide circulation. The research interests are in contemporary issues in agriculture, wellbeing across social groups, gender issues and agriculture nutrition Linkages.