Research layer
Academic,
Dataverse & GitHub
Harvard Dataverse deposits, journal replications, and community GitHub repos. Where licenses were not reported, we flag metadata incomplete instead of inventing terms.
Core reference data
Reusable baselines: long-run census, population estimates, electoral criminality.
Academic / Dataverse
TradeCEPII BACI — Reconciled Bilateral Trade (HS-6)
CEPII BACI is used for cleaned bilateral trade-value research datasets at product level.
CEPII (France)~200 countries including India, HS-6 productFrom ~1995 (release-dependent)
exporter i→j exportsHS-6 productvalue and quantity+1
Registration requiredCore referenceVery large
Academic / Dataverse
Crime & JusticeACLED — Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (India)
ACLED India is used to study political violence, protests, and conflict events at subnational level.
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data ProjectIndia, subnationalAsia coverage from ~2010s (check current India start date on portal)
event type / sub-eventactorsfatalities+3
Registration requiredCore referenceVery large
Academic / Dataverse
InternationalGDELT — Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (India filter)
GDELT is used for large-scale event and media-tone research with India-filtered extracts.
GDELT Projectglobal including India, geocoded when availableFrom 1979 (1.0) / modern GDELT 2.0 continuous
CAMEO event codesactorsGoldstein scale+3
Open downloadCore referenceVery large
Academic / Dataverse
Crime & JusticeUCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset (GED) — India coverage
UCDP GED is used to study organized violence events with geographic coordinates.
Uppsala UniversityIndia, point / admin when knownFrom 1989 (GED global series)
event IDdatelatitude/longitude+3
Open downloadCore referenceLarge
Academic / Dataverse
Crime & JusticeGlobal Terrorism Database (GTD) — India incidents
GTD is used to study terrorism incidents, targets, and tactics with India as a major country case.
National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to TerrorismIndia, city / coordinates when availableFrom 1970 (with known gaps e.g. 1993 in classic releases)
datelocationperpetrator group+4
Registration requiredCore referenceLarge
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentEM-DAT International Disaster Database (India filter)
EM-DAT is used to study disaster events—floods, cyclones, droughts, quakes—with India filters.
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of DisastersIndia, subnational when codedFrom 1900 (modern criteria stricter)
disaster typedatesdeaths+3
Registration requiredMedium
Academic / Dataverse
HealthIndian Census Data Collection, 1901–2026: Digitised Subnational Population and Administrative Datasets
This collection is used for long-run subnational census and administrative population research (1901–2026).
Harvard DataverseIndia, state1901–2026
state populationdistrict populationsubdistrict population+1
Open downloadCore referenceMetadata incompleteVery large
Academic / Dataverse
HealthPopulation Estimates for Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies in India, 2020
These estimates are used for 2020 district and parliamentary-constituency population denominators.
Harvard DataverseIndia, district2020
district populationparliamentary constituency population
Open downloadCore referenceMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsElectoral Performance and Criminal Status of Candidates Contesting the 2004 and 2009 Parliamentary Elections to the Lok Sabha
This dataset is used to study candidate criminality and electoral outcomes in 2000s India elections.
Miriam GoldenIndia, constituencyLok Sabha 2004 and 2009
candidate election resultscriminal chargesLok Sabha candidates
Open downloadCore referenceMetadata incompleteLarge
Academic / Dataverse
Crime & JusticeVarshney–Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu–Muslim Violence in India, 1950–1995 (v2)
Varshney–Wilkinson data are used to study communal riots and Hindu–Muslim violence in India.
Ashutosh Varshney (Michigan) & Steven Wilkinson (Duke)India, stateJanuary 1950 – December 1995
riot date and durationlocation (town/village, district, state)killed / injured / arrested+2
Registration requiredCore referenceSurvey microdataMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PopulationIndia State and District Evolution Database, 1872–2025
ISDED is used to track how Indian states and districts changed boundaries from the colonial era through 2025 for long panel joins.
India State Stories / FLAME UniversityIndia, state1872–2025
state identifiers over timedistrict identifiers over timeadministrative boundary changes+1
Open downloadCore referenceLarge
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsMaking of British Provinces and Districts
This dataset is used to reconstruct British provinces and districts and link them to modern administrative units.
India State Stories / FLAME UniversityIndia, state17th–20th century British India (to modern equivalents)
province / presidencydistrict formation dateacquisition method+1
Open downloadCore referenceMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsDatabase of Princely States in British India 1939
The 1939 princely-states inventory is used to study indirect rule, salute states, and pre-integration political geography.
India State Stories / FLAME UniversityIndia, princely state / estate1939 (metrics from 1931 census where sourced)
state / estate nameagencyarea and population+2
Open downloadCore referenceMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsLSE EOPP Indian States Data (Besley–Burgess panels)
LSE EOPP Indian States Data are used for classic 16-state panels on land reform, media, labour regulation, and public finance.
Economic Organisation and Public Policy Programme (EOPP), LSEIndia, state (16 major states)Primarily 1958–1992 state-year panels
land reform legislation indicatorspoverty and inequality seriespublic finance+3
Open downloadCore referenceMedium
Academic / Dataverse
AgricultureIndia Agriculture and Climate Data Set (district panel)
The Sanghi district agriculture–climate panel is used to study climate sensitivity of Indian crop production and prices.
Sanghi, Kavi Kumar, McKinsey et al. (World Bank climate study)India, district (271)1957/58–1986/87
crop area and productionfarm harvest pricesclimate normals / weather+1
Open downloadCore referenceLarge
Survey microdata
ACCESS, IRES, gender-energy, TAFSSA, and other respondent/household surveys.
ACCESS · 2015
EnvironmentAccess to Clean Cooking Energy and Electricity: Survey of States in India (ACCESS 2015)
ACCESS 2015 is used to study household energy access and related living-standard measures.
CEEW / academic collaboratorsIndia, state2015 — six energy-poor states
electricity accesscooking fuelsservice quality+2
Open downloadSurvey microdataVery large
ACCESS · 2018
EnvironmentAccess to Clean Cooking Energy and Electricity: Survey of States in India 2018 (ACCESS 2018)
ACCESS 2018 is used to study later-wave household energy access and energy-use patterns.
CEEW / academic collaboratorsIndia, state2018 — six Indian states panel update
energy accesscooking outcomeselectricity outcomes+1
Open downloadSurvey microdataVery large
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentIndia Residential Energy Survey (IRES) 2020
IRES 2020 is used to study residential energy use, appliances, and related household energy behavior.
CEEW / academic collaboratorsIndia, district2020 — 152 districts in 21 large states (~97% population)
energy accessconsumptionelectricity reliability+3
Open downloadSurvey microdataMetadata incompleteVery large
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentGender Perception Survey for Energy Access and Use
This survey is used to study gender differences in energy perceptions and household energy roles.
Academic collaboratorsIndia, state2,312 rural and urban-slum households; six states
gendered energy perceptionsempowerment dimensionshousehold energy use
Open downloadSurvey microdataMetadata incompleteLarge
Academic / Dataverse
AgricultureTAFSSA District Agrifood Systems Assessment in India 2023
TAFSSA Nalanda is used to study agri-food systems, diets, and livelihoods in a local research setting.
CGIAR / collaboratorsdistrict, householdNalanda district, Bihar, 2023
household modulesadolescent modulesfood systems+4
Open downloadSurvey microdataMetadata incompleteLarge
Academic / Dataverse
HealthHealth Survey of Andhra Pradesh, India, 2013
This survey is used to study health and related outcomes in Andhra Pradesh around 2013.
Harvard DataverseAndhra Pradesh, household2013
family/household health survey fields
Open downloadSurvey microdataMetadata incompleteLarge
Academic / Dataverse
HealthTelehealth in Rural India — Baseline (Saran district, Bihar)
This Bihar (Saran) baseline is used to study rural telehealth access, providers, and households in an experimental sample.
J-PAL / study team (Deserranno, Guariso, Dahlstrand)Bihar, Saran districtBaseline for rural telehealth trial (~400 villages)
household identifiershealthcare provider fieldsvillage sample flags+1
Open downloadSurvey microdataLarge
Academic / Dataverse
AgricultureKarnataka Household Surveys for Agricultural Biodiversity Assessment
The Karnataka ABD survey is used to measure on-farm and wild species diversity, diets, and seed systems in Bijapur villages.
Bioversity InternationalKarnataka, Bijapur districtHousehold sample (~200 HH in three villages)
species grown / collecteddiet and market useseed system sources+1
Open downloadSurvey microdataMedium
Academic / Dataverse
HealthIndia (2016): FP Watch Family Planning Outlet Survey
FP Watch India 2016 is used to study family-planning product availability and outlet readiness in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
PSI / FPwatchBihar, Uttar Pradesh2016 baseline outlet round
outlet typeFP product availabilityservice readiness+1
Open downloadSurvey microdataLarge
Academic / Dataverse
HealthINDIA (2008): Endline Evaluation on Birth Spacing in Five Districts of Jharkhand
This Jharkhand endline is used to evaluate rural birth-spacing programme outcomes in selected districts.
PSI/IndiaJharkhand, district2006–2008 program phases (2008 endline)
contraceptive usebirth spacing behaviorsBCC exposure+1
Open downloadSurvey microdataLarge
Replication packages
Article-linked archives—always open both paper DOI and data DOI when available.
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsLocal Embeddedness and Bureaucratic Performance: Evidence from India (replication)
This replication package is used to reproduce Bhavnani & Lee (2018) political-economy results on India.
Journal of Politics replicationIndia, districtDistrict panel; ~two decades of IAS career histories
district public-goods outcomesIAS officer embeddednesspostings+1
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteLarge
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsIndependent Candidates and Political Representation in India (replication)
This package is used to reproduce Kapoor & Magesan (2018) findings on Indian elections/politics.
American Political Science ReviewIndia, parliamentary constituencyElection periods around candidate-deposit changes
independent candidatesturnoutvote shares+2
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentInequality in Policy Implementation: Caste and Electrification in Rural India (replication)
This package is used to reproduce research on energy policy and political economy in India.
JPP DataverseIndia, ruralRural India (ACCESS-linked)
electrification outcomescaste identifiersrural household/service variables+1
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentGeographic and Socio-Economic Barriers to Rural Electrification (dataset / replication)
This package is used to reproduce Dugoua, Liu & Urpelainen (2017) energy/environment findings.
Energy Policy–linkedIndia, villageIndian villages (article period)
village electrification statusgeographic barrierssocio-economic indicators+1
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
AgricultureLand Reform, Poverty Reduction, and Growth: Evidence from India
This package is used to reproduce Besley & Burgess (2000) on media, politics, and government responsiveness in India.
QJE classic archiveIndia, statePost-independence state panel
land-reform measurespovertygrowth+1
Open downloadReplication packageCore referenceMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
LabourDebt Traps? Market Vendors and Moneylender Debt in India and the Philippines
This package is used to reproduce experimental results on debt and financial behavior in India.
AEAIndia, PhilippinesMarket vendor study period (article)
vendor debtborrowingloan sources+1
Open downloadReplication packageMedium
Academic / Dataverse
HealthTRIPS, Pharmaceutical Patents, and Generic Competition in India (replication)
This package is used to reproduce research on health, IP, or related policy using Indian data.
Health Affairs ScholarIndiaPharmaceutical markets (article period)
pharmaceutical patentsgeneric competitionmarket outcomes
Open downloadReplication packageMixed / restricted inputsMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentHot Weather, Undernutrition, and Adaptation in Rural India (replication)
This package is used to reproduce climate–health research findings involving Indian settings.
JAEREIndia, ruralRural India (article)
nutritionweather shocksadaptation behavior+1
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EducationNoise and Learning: Evidence from India (replication)
This package is used to reproduce education or human-capital research findings for India.
University of Chicago Press journalIndiaIndia (article)
noise pollutionstudent / academic outcomes
Open downloadReplication packageMetadata incompleteMedium
Project-specific & thematic
Searchable deposits that are valuable but not the national reference spine.
Academic / Dataverse
ReplicationSHRUG / SHRID Socioeconomic High-resolution Rural-Urban Geographic Platform
SHRUG/SHRID is used to link village and town data across surveys and censuses on a common research geography key.
Development Data LabIndia, stateMulti-source linked panels (Census and other layers)
SHRID identifiersvillage/town keyslinked census demographics+2
Registration requiredVery large
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentIndia Renewable Energy Dataset: Solar PV and Wind Capacity, Cost, and Policy Data 2010–2025
This dataset is used to study solar and wind capacity, costs, and policy change in India over time.
Harvard DataverseIndia, state2010–2025
solar PV capacitywind capacitycosts+1
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
HealthNational and Subnational Estimates of the Covid-19 Reproduction Number for India Based on Test Results
These estimates are used to study COVID-19 transmission (R) dynamics across Indian geographies.
Harvard DataverseIndia, subnationalCovid era
reproduction number Rtest-based estimates
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
AgricultureASTI India database
ASTI India is used to study agricultural R&D investment and research system indicators.
Agricultural Science and Technology IndicatorsIndiaResearch-system statistics (ASTI)
agricultural research system indicators
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EducationPratham Information Project — Read India
Pratham Read India materials are used to study foundational literacy interventions and learning programmes.
Pratham-related archiveIndiaRead India program period
literacy program indicators
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsNested Treaties Database: India Treaty Registry v2.0, 1948–2026
The treaty registry is used to study India’s international agreements and treaty commitments.
Harvard DataverseIndia1948–2026
treaty IDsdatessubject matter+1
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
PoliticsNested Treaties Database: India Nesting Dataset, Version 1.0
Treaty-nesting data are used to study how India’s agreements relate and overlap in institutional design.
Harvard DataverseIndiaCompanion to treaty registry
nesting relationships among treaties
Open downloadMetadata incompleteMedium
Academic / Dataverse
EnvironmentCHAIR India District Modeled PM2.5 Annual Averages 2008–2020
CHAIR district PM2.5 is used for annual modeled particulate exposure at district scale for health and environment research.
CHAIR India / Boston UniversityIndia, districtAnnual averages ~2008–2020 (deposit notes extend toward 2022)
district geometryannual mean PM2.5year+1
Open downloadCore referenceMedium
GitHub & community data
Boundaries, elections ETL, night lights, schools, and packaging repos from content/github_dataset.md.
GitHub / Community
GitHubDataMeet Maps — India administrative & electoral boundaries
DataMeet maps are used for open India administrative and electoral boundary GIS layers.
DataMeetIndia, stateLong-running civic map projects
admin boundarieselectoral mapsfield documentation
Open downloadGitHub repoCore referenceLarge
GitHub / Community
UrbanDataMeet Municipal Spatial Data (wards & municipalities)
DataMeet municipal data are used for city/local-body geospatial and civic mapping projects.
DataMeetcity, wardMulti-city municipal collection
ward boundariesmunicipal polygons
Open downloadGitHub repoMetadata incompleteLarge
GitHub / Community
Geospatialindia-geodata — multi-format India geospatial releases
india-geodata is used as a modern packaged collection of India geospatial and related open datasets.
yashveeeeeeerIndia, state55+ datasets across domains
boundariescensus layerselectoral+1
Open downloadGitHub repoCore referenceVery large
GitHub / Community
Geospatialindian_admin_boundaries — admin, postal, forest & more
This repo is used for machine-readable Indian administrative boundary files for mapping and joins.
ramSeraphIndia, districtHistorical and current admin products
admin boundariespostalforest+2
Open downloadGitHub repoVery large
GitHub / Community
GeospatialINDIAN-SHAPEFILES — admin, highways, railways, metros
INDIAN-SHAPEFILES is used as a convenient shapefile pack of Indian admin and related boundaries.
datta07IndiaBroad coverage snapshot
admin polygonshighwaysrailways+1
Open downloadGitHub repoLarge
GitHub / Community
Politicsindia-votes-data — ECI results ETL (SQLite/CSV/JSON)
india-votes-data is used for cleaned ECI election results in CSV/SQLite-friendly formats.
thecont1India, constituencyParliamentary and assembly results (ECI-sourced)
candidatesvotesparties+1
Open downloadGitHub repoLarge
GitHub / Community
Catalogsdata-for-india — states/districts reference JSON
data-for-india is used as a curated index of useful India datasets for analysts and builders.
iasethIndia, stateReference lookup tables
districtsstateslookup keys
Open downloadGitHub repoMedium
GitHub / Community
Educationcolleges-api — AISHE-derived college directory
colleges-api is used to access structured data on Indian colleges for education tooling.
PriyanKishoreMSIndia~43,000 colleges (AISHE-derived)
college directory fieldsAPI endpoints
Open downloadGitHub repoHistorical archiveLarge
GitHub / Community
Infrastructurerural-facilities-pmgsy — rural POIs from PMGSY sources
This PMGSY facilities pack is used to map geo-tagged rural agro, education, medical, and admin facilities.
Pratap VardhanIndia, statePMGSY rural facilities snapshot
agricultureeducationmedical+2
Open downloadGitHub repoVery large
GitHub / Community
Geospatialindia-district-nightlights-viirs — district night-lights panel
District night-lights panels are used as economic-activity proxies from VIIRS radiance.
yashveeeeeeerIndia, districtDistrict panel (~8,333 rows described)
night-light radiancedistrict-year panel
Open downloadGitHub repoLarge
GitHub / Community
Healthdatameet/covid19 — India COVID archive (sunsetted)
DataMeet COVID-19 archives are used for historical state/district case and related COVID research.
DataMeetIndia, stateCOVID pandemic archive
casespublic-health seriesbackups
Open downloadGitHub repoHistorical archiveLarge
GitHub / Community
Politicsdatameet/india-election-data — election dataset catalog
DataMeet election-data docs are used to discover and navigate public Indian election data sources.
DataMeetIndiaMaps public election data landscape
links to public election datasets
Open downloadGitHub repoHistorical archiveMixed / restricted inputsMedium
GitHub / Community
Educationdatameet/udise_schools — geocoded school points
udise_schools is used for geocoded school locations and attributes derived from UDISE-related sources.
DataMeetIndia, school~14 lakh schools (community notes)
school locationsUDISE-related fields
Open downloadGitHub repoMetadata incompleteVery large
GitHub / Community
Geospatialindia-maps-data — GeoJSON/TopoJSON with CDN links
india-maps-data is used for ready GeoJSON/TopoJSON state and district boundaries in web maps.
udit-001India, stateWeb delivery snapshot
state polygonsdistrict polygons
Open downloadGitHub repoMetadata incompleteLarge
GitHub / Community
Geospatialdatameet/indian_village_boundaries
indian_village_boundaries is used for village-level polygon boundaries in rural GIS analysis.
DataMeetIndia, villageVillage boundary project
village polygonsrural boundaries
Open downloadGitHub repoVery large
GitHub / Community
PoliticsTCPD Political Parties of India (PPI)
TCPD-PPI is used to assign stable party IDs across renames for Indian national and assembly election research.
Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka UniversityIndia, national and state elections1962–present (party registry)
party unique IDparty name / abbreviation historystatus+1
Open downloadGitHub repoCore referenceMedium
GitHub / Community
PoliticsTCPD Indian Elections Dataset 1951–1962
TCPD early election files are used for constituency results in the first decade of independent India.
Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka UniversityIndia, constituency1951–1962 general elections era
election yearconstituencycandidates and parties+1
Open downloadGitHub repoMedium
GitHub / Community
PoliticsTCPD Rajya Sabha Dataset (TCPD-RSD)
TCPD Rajya Sabha data are used to study upper-house membership, parties, and state representation over time.
Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka UniversityIndia, state (representation)1952–2022 (release window)
member identifierspartystate of election+1
Open downloadGitHub repoMedium
GitHub / Community
Crime & JusticeTCPD Indian Judiciary Dataset (TCPD-IJD)
TCPD judiciary releases are used for structured court and case-related research complementary to NJDG dashboards.
Trivedi Centre for Political Data, Ashoka UniversityIndia, court1950–2021
case or judge identifiers (as published)court leveldates+1
Open downloadGitHub repoLarge
GitHub / Community
GeospatialramSeraph/indian_cadastrals — multi-state cadastral maps
indian_cadastrals is used for multi-state parcel and cadastral geometries in land and local GIS work.
ramSeraph (community)India, stateCommunity-compiled state cadastral extracts
parcel / plot geometriesstate release identifierssource attribution fields
Open downloadGitHub repoMetadata incompleteVery large