Production of knowledge that facilitates social transformation is the primary concern of MPISSR. Disillusionment with development paradigms and failure of empowerment and inclusion policies led the MPISSR towards diversifying its activities over the years, from decentralised governance, to social justice, tribals in modern world, poverty alleviation and rural development, food security and agrarian policies. Understanding the process of marginalization is a prerequisite for empowering the spaces of the excluded and mainstreaming the deprived sections of the society. The MPISSR envisioned its research with this realization and also embarked upon strategic extension, field action and advocacy through sensitizing, training and capacity building of the grassroots functionaries of decentralized governance. With the aim of converging excellence with relevance the research undertaken by the MPISSR could be categorised in the following thrust areas