Since 2007, Professor Kamath has been working extensively among urban poor households in two areas of Ramanagaram town, Karnataka, with the intention of understanding their financial lives. From 2007 to 2009, her team had undertaken a project called ‘Ramanagaram Financial Diaries’ where they were able to collect detailed, daily cash-inflows and outflows of around 90 poor households (most of whom were microfinance borrowers). This in-depth, action-oriented long study with detailed interaction with participants has honed the team’s understanding of several issues surrounding microfinance and urban poor livelihoods.

From 2010 onwards, Professor Kamath and team initiated an action-research livelihoods project among some of their research participants with the intention of training, branding and marketing hand-embroidered fashion accessories called Minchu Mahila Kaigarika Sangha (Minchu Women’s Hand-Embroidery Self Help Group).

Professor Kamath has had teaching stints both in the US and at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai. Prior to joining academics, she was with the Indian Revenue Services. Her current research is in the areas of financial inclusion and public policy documentation of the participants of the PGPPM.