The paper tries to explore whether SES gradient exists in childhood under-nutrition in India since, in spite of sound economic growth and poverty reduction, the under-nutrition prevalence is not declining so much. The paper uses different secondary data sources to analyze the issue. It uses data for fifteen major Indian states and looks at the pattern of under-nutrition, poverty and pattern of influence of SES and other poverty syndrome factors over one and half decade. It also explores whether the value of the gradient varies due to contribution of different levels – household and community and finally it decomposes the inequity in nutritional achievement to find the pattern of SES contribution over one and half decade. Based on these analyses, it concentrates on one major state where contribution of SES and spatial inequity seems to be higher. It is
visible that SES gradient is very much present in under-nutrition and works through the pathway of higher intra-household inequity in several child and mother specific factors. Over time contribution of SES has increased and intra-household inequity has increased. So it suggests bottom up strategies in policy development is to be strengthened through e-governance techniques and institutional integration to ensure universal access to public goods and services.