Aikantika Das is a qualitative researcher by training and specializes in leading and managing mixed methods research studies. Her key focus area has been exploring policies and interventions with women's groups across various domains such as health; financial inclusion and livelihoods with gender as an underlying, cross-cutting theme using mixed methods research and MEL frameworks. She has conceptualized and implemented various research studies for donors, governments, and partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, India's Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, India's Ministry of Women and Child Development, SEWA, and UNICEF. Aikantika has published academic papers in international peer-reviewed journals such as BMJ Global Health and Global Health: Science and Practice as a co-author and has also developed a range of knowledge products.

Aikantika holds a Master's degree in Rural Development and Governance from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Hyderabad.