Avani is a Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Director of the Accountability Initiative (AI). The focus of her work has been in building evidence for policy advocacy to strengthen transparency and accountability in public financial management for service delivery. Her most recent research understands the implications of the 14th Finance Commission on social sector spending. As part of her work, she is leading research studies on health, sanitation, nutrition and education financing. She has also been anchoring the publication of the annual budget brief series and implementation of fund tracking surveys on key social sector schemes. Before Accountability Initiative, she worked at the Centre for Development and Human Rights (CDHR), with Dr. Arjun Sengupta, on issues of extreme poverty and the right to development. Avani has an M.Sc.in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, U.K and a B.A cum laude from Smith College, Massachusetts, USA.