Sarkar is D. Phil in the Economics of Cluster Development. He has 25 years of experience in industrial development, with special reference to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). He specializes in competitiveness, poverty alleviation, sustainable development and innovation for MSMEs in clusters. He has done/supported in creating over 200 MSME cluster diagnostic studies, analysis of MSME finances, over 100 value chain mapping, cluster mapping in four countries and led over 25 cluster development projects in India and rest of the world. He is a trainer in the area of MSME clusters and have conducted/was faculty for around 40 training programmes. He has extensive hands on experience in implementing cluster development projects in the areas of pharmaceuticals, foundry, processed food, leather, handloom and handicrafts and has done studies for over 40 different industries in nearly 150 MSME clusters including sports goods, rubber, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, metal recycling, etc. He is a visiting faculty at various universities on cluster, value chain and policies thereof. He has published extensively on cluster policy and cluster development methodology.