Dr. Otojit Kshetrimayum, is an Indian labour sociologist, researcher, academic, and development professional with over 20 years of experience in labour studies, labour codes, social protection, livelihood security, employment policy, skill development, leadership, and evidence-based policymaking. He currently serves as Fellow (Faculty) and Coordinator of the Centre for North East India at the V. V. Giri National Labour Institute under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. He is a graduate of University of Delhi, completed his postgraduate studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, and earned his M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Dr. Kshetrimayum previously served in the Department of Sociology at Sikkim University, Gangtok and was the founding Head of the Department. He has worked extensively with ministries, universities, state governments, international organisations, and development institutions on research, policy formulation, training, and institutional capacity building. He serves as Visiting Faculty at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security, and National Institute for Career Service.

He is also a trained professional from the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Capacity Building Commission, and Indian School of Business. Dr. Kshetrimayum has conducted more than 200 capacity-building and training programmes for labour administrators, employment officers, researchers, government officials, trade unions, and development practitioners. He has coordinated and delivered international training programmes sponsored under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs and currently serves as Course Director for the International Training Programme on “Leadership for 21st Century Women Professionals.”

He has served on several committees constituted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, including the Employment Working Group of the G20 Indian Presidency 2023, committees on unorganised workers and gig workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020, and the Wage Ceiling Committee of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

He has authored books and research publications, served as examiner for Ph.D. theses of various universities, reviewed international journals, and represented India at several national and international forums on labour, employment, and social protection.

Publications:

Books:

• Kshetrimayum, Otojit, H.R. Sekar & D. Nongkynrih. 2017. Dynamics of Employment of Children and Socio-Economic Reality: A Study of Children in Hazardous Occupations in East and West Jaintia Hills Districts of Meghalaya. Noida: VVGNLI. ISBN: 9789382902553.
• Kshetrimayum, Otojit. 2017. Industrial Relations in India: A Study of Central Industrial Relations Machinery. Noida: VVGNLI. ISBN: 978-93-82902-47-8.
• Kshetrimayum, Otojit. 2016. Skilling India: Evaluation of Multi Skills Development Centres. Noida: VVGNLI. ISBN: 978-93-82902-38-6
• Kshetrimayum, Otojit. 2016. Women and Entrepreneurship in North East India: Handloom as an Enterprise in Manipur. Noida: VVGNLI. ISBN 9789382902379
• Kshetrimayum, Otojit. 2014. Ritual, Politics and Power in North East India: Contextualising the Lai Haraoba of Manipur. New Delhi: Ruby Press & Co. ISBN: 9789382395508.
• Edited a Special Issue on Labour, Employment and Social Protection in North East India of Labour & Development, Volume 20, No. 2, December 2013. ISSN 0973-0419

Research Papers:

• “Skill Development in India and Contributions of Korean Companies”, in International Labor Brief. Vol. 14. No. 5., p. 78-91, May 2016. ISSN 1599-8355.
• "Skilling India: Contribution of Korean Companies" in Narsimhan, Sushila & Kim Do Young (Eds.). 2016. Evolving Indo-Korea Relations: Perspectives on South Asia. New Delhi: Manak Publications.
• “Mapping Social Contributions of Foreign Companies: A Case Study of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives of Korean Companies in India” in Sushila Narsimhan and Kim Do Young (ed.). 2015. Deepening India-Korea Relations: Towards a Sustainable Future. New Delhi: Manak Publications. pp. 47-68. ISBN 978-93-7831-386-8.
• “Political Interpretation of Ritual: Case of Lai Haraoba of Manipur” in Lisham Henthoiba and Laishram Churchil (ed.). 2015. Cultural Practices and Identity Politics in Manipur. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. pp. 18-31. ISBN 978-93-5125-143-9.
• “CSR Provisions in Indian Companies Act, 2013: An Overview”, in International Labor Brief, Vol. 11, No. 11, p.90-95, November 2013. ISSN 1599-8355.
• “Cloth, Women and Social Change: Situating Handloom Weaving in Manipur” in Sakarama Somayaji and Vimal Khawas (ed.). 2012. Environment, Development and Social Change in Himalayan Region. New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. p. 237-272. ISBN 978-81-8370-319-2.
• “Rethinking Cooperatives in Rural Development: A Case Study of Handloom Weavers’ Cooperatives in Manipur” in the journal Labour & Development, Volume 18, June 2011.p. 65-79. ISSN 0973-0419.
• “Women and Shamanism in Manipur and Korea: A Comparative Study” in Indian Anthropologist. Vol. 39. No. 1&2. Jan-Dec. 2009. p.17-34. ISSN 0970-0927.
• “Mapping Cultural Diffusion: A Case Study of ‘Korean Wave’ (Hallyu) in North East India” in Sushila Narsimhan and Kim Do Young (ed.). 2008. India and Korea: Bridging the Gaps. New Delhi: Manak Publications. p. 181-195. ISBN 81-7827198-2.
• “ICT Integration in School Education: A Sociological Proposition” in Journal of Indian Education. Vol. XXXIII. No.1. May 2007. p. 62-70. ISSN 0972-5628.

At VVGNLI, he coordinates training programmes on the themes related to Skill Development and Employment Generation; Social Protection and Livelihood Security; Fundamentals of Labour Law; and Labour Administration for government officials, trade union leaders and representatives from civil society organisations. He is coordinating two courses, namely Sociology of Labour & Globalisation, and Labour Market, Employment and Social Protection in North East India especially for young researchers/research scholars working on labour related issues. He has coordinated an International Training programme on Skill Development and Employment Generation for the Government Officials from Afghanistan. He also coordinates a collaborative workshop on Social Security for Unorganised Workers with Maharashtra Institute of Labour Studies, Mumbai. He is the Course Director of the International Training programme on Social Protection in a Globalised Economy under ITEC/SCAAP Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

The projects that he has undertaken at VVGNLI are:

• Labour Market and Social Protection in North East India (ongoing)
• Dynamics of Employment of Children and Socio-Economic Reality: A Study of Children in Hazardous Occupations in East and West Jaintia Hills Districts of Meghalaya
• Evaluation of Multi Skills Development Centres (MSDCs) at Bangalore and Gulbarga, Karnataka
• Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in the Area of Employment and Industrial Relations
• Assessment of Trainers’ Requirement for Skilling 500 Million Persons by 2022 with reference to National Skill Development Policy (Tourism Sector)
• Study to Evaluate Plan Schemes of the Office of Chief Labour Commissioner (Central)