Sharmila Bellur has worked at the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the Africa Energy Practice at the World Bank for five years, where she has coauthored multiple reports; supported lending projects; modeled both electricity access from grid and off-grid sources and clean cooking access across the world, including access disaggregated by gender and household income; and investigated electricity affordability for the poorest 40 percent of consumers in access-deficit countries. She currently focuses on propelling Africa toward universal electricity access by 2030, productive uses of electricity, clean cooking in displacement settings, gender data related to energy access, and debt financing for off-grid solar companies. She brings a holistic approach to energy policymaking that assimilates her experience working at ESMAP, at several research think tanks, and as an energy attorney for public utilities. 

She is skilled at quantitative and qualitative research, analyzing developments and trends, and shaping policy. Sharmila holds a master of public policy from University of California, Berkeley; completed a professional program at the Institute of Company Secretaries of India; and has a bachelor of laws from University Law College, Bangalore.