Development Data Lab

Development Data Lab (DDL) is a US-based research group that publishes the SHRUG (Socioeconomic High-resolution Rural-Urban Geographic) platform — an open geographic dataset linking Indian census data, economic census data, night-lights satellite data, and other spatial data at the village, town, and ward level. For researchers, SHRUG is a transformative resource: it provides a consistent spatial framework spanning 1990-2020, enabling panel data analysis of economic development, urbanisation, and public service delivery at much finer resolution than state or district aggregates. All data is freely downloadable and well-documented. DDL also publishes working papers demonstrating how to use the data for policy-relevant research.