Somesh Kumar joined the Indian Administrative Service (lAS) in 1989. He is currently District Collector and Magistrate of Anantapur District in Andhra Pradesh. He has also served as Director of the PRA Division of ActionAid India (1996-2000) establishing Praxis-Institute for Participatory Practices, Patna and has contributed significantly to the repertoire of PRA methods and has written a number of publications.
"'Somesh Kumar has compiled this useful collection with the intention... of promoting ""creativity, experimentation and growth"". This is, then, a source of ideas and advice, not a set of marching orders.' Robert Chambers"