Aa waaz
Aloha !
from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences!
We are thrilled to launch the first edition of our newsletter, dedicated to celebrating the vibrant intellectual life within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The School started in 2011, the same year as the University’s founding, stands for very strong interdisciplinary research and innovative pedagogical approaches, with a view to address the complex challenges facing our global society.
It is committed to providing a well-balanced education that fosters not only intellectual growth but also the harmonious development of each student’s personality. We believe in cultivating a deep understanding and appreciation for values, and nurturing a “vivid sense of the beautiful and the morally good.”
As Albert Einstein, arguably the greatest scientist of the twentieth century noted, “It is not enough to teach a man a specialty.” He championed an education rooted in the humanities, enabling students to “learn to understand the motives of human beings, their illusions, and their sufferings.” This understanding, he argued, is essential for developing “a proper relationship to individual fellow men and to their community.”
The School’s diverse programs explore into the complexities of human culture, society, and experience. Encompassing disciplines such as history, literature, art, media, performance, economics, international relations and governance, and sociology, our curriculum aims to develop a deep understanding of human values, beliefs, and expressions.
This newsletter marks the first chapter in a story we’re weaving together – a window to the vibrant tapestry of perspectives, critical thinking, and creative endeavors that define our School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Within these pages, we’ll explore faculty research, celebrate student and alumni achievements, and highlight the thought-provoking events and discussions that showcase the achievements of the humanities and social sciences during this spring quarter.
Editorial Team
From the Dean’s desk
Dear Readers,
Welcome to our first Newsletter.
We are delighted to bring you the introductory edition of the newsletter of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences or SHSS for short—a space to celebrate achievements, share updates, and strengthen our extensive academic community. Whether you are a student, faculty member, alum or friend of SHSS, this newsletter is for you. In short, SHSS@Shiv Nadar IoE provides a dynamic and supportive environment for research across a wide range of disciplines, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and critical engagement with global and local issues.
Purpose of the Newsletter: Our goal is to keep you informed and connected. We will highlight the milestones, stories, and aspirations that define who we are as a School. It is a window into the people, projects, and passions that shape our shared journey.
PROFESSOR RAJAT KATHURIA Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Our Mission and Journey: For the past 14 years, our School has remained deeply committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service. From humble beginnings to becoming a recognized hub of academic research, scholarship and discourse, we have continuously evolved— advancing critical inquiry, collaboration, and a global outlook.
What Sets Us Apart: Our strength lies in our diversity combined with a non-negotiable interdisciplinary approach. A strong disciplinary foundation is augmented by a breadth of engagement across different disciplines, always student-centric, and dedicated to real-world impact. We are proud of our students who excel in the classroom and beyond, engaging meaningfully with contemporary global and local issues-addressing social challenges, contributing to policy, and helping to drive change.
Celebrating Success: This year, we applaud our faculty for securing major research grants, publishing in leading journals, and presenting at international forums. Our students and alumni continue to shine—with awards, fellowships, entrepreneurial ventures, and community projects that reflect the values we uphold.
Looking Ahead: As we look to the future, we are planning several new initiatives, including interdisciplinary research clusters, expanded outreach programs, and global academic partnerships. We remain committed to deepening our impact and broadening access to knowledge.
Join Us: We invite you to be an active part of our community—attend our events, participate in ongoing research, contribute your ideas to this newsletter, or support our mission in whatever way you can. Your engagement helps us grow stronger together.
In Closing: Thank you for being part of our story. We look forward to continuing this journey with you, as we learn, create, and lead with purpose.
Head of Departments
Dr. Punarjit Roychowdhury
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Economics School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Professor Vikram Kapur
Professor and Head of Department of English School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr. Subhashim Goswami
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Associate Professor and Head of the Dept. of History & Archaeology School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr. Anubhuti Maurya
Dr. Atul Mishra
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Relations & Governance Studies School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr. Prakash Kumar
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Design School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr. Aadya Kaktikar
Associate Professor and Head of Department of Art, Media & Performance School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Professor Mihir Shah
Distinguished Professor and Chair, Rural Management School of Humanities and Social Sciences
The Spring Quarter Highlights
The Spring Quarter has been a witness to the dynamism and intellectual rigor within the School. The quarter also showcased literary talent and fostered engaging discussions through book launches and talks, conferences, exhibitions, publications, journal articles, and more.
Beyond events, our faculty continues to excel. One faculty member is co-leading an exciting excavation project, pushing the boundaries of archaeological research. Several faculty members received prestigious grants to further their research in diverse fields, solidifying the School’s commitment to cutting-edge scholarship.
The Spring Quarter at the Department of Arts, Media & Performance has been exceptionally vibrant, enriched by a diverse range of activities and events. We were honored to host Fulbright Specialist Dr. Jeff Friedman from Rutgers University from April 2nd to May 12th, whose presence and expertise significantly promoted our multidisciplinary focus.
A key highlight was the intensive 4-day residential workshop held on campus from April 17th to 20th, fostering collaborative learning and creative exploration.
Fulbright Specialist Prof. Friedman led an evening of conversation featuring dancerchoreographer Aditi Mangaldas as they explored choreography as a critical site of knowledge, joined by Dr. Aadya Kaktikar (SNIoE) and Ms. Aditi Jaitly (KNMA) in a dialogue on institutional influences in dance, with concluding reflections by Dr. Roma Chatterjee.
The department also unveiled the exhibits of the final year Master’s students in the University Activity Centre on May 3rd.
4 th Budget Seminar, Feb. 2025: Shiv Nadar University, Department of Economics Seminars and Conferences
On February 7, 2025, the Department of Economics at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence hosted its annual Budget Seminar at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event brought together distinguished economists, scholars, and students to engage in an in-depth discussion on the key themes and implications of the Union Budget 2025. The seminar focused on various aspects of the budget, including macroeconomic conditions, fiscal policies, social sector allocations, labor market trends, and financial sector conditions. The panel featured eminent speakers such as TCA Anant (Former chief Statistician of India), Professor Rajat Kathuria, Professor Partha Chatterjee, Professor Mausami Das, Professor Punarjit Roychowdhury, and Professor Indranil Sen Gupta, who provided insightful perspectives on the economic landscape shaped by the budget.
Fourth Macroeconomics Conference
The Fourth Macroeconomics Conference, hosted by the Department of Economics at Shiv Nadar IoE, Delhi NCR, was held on January 17-18, 2025. Scholars and researchers gathered to discuss recent developments in macroeconomics, with participants from institutions like IGIDR, JNU, IIM Bangalore, IIT Jodhpur, and CAFRAL, as well as the College of William and Mary.
Each participant had 30 minutes to present their work, followed by discussions led by academics from different institutions. The plenary session featured Raghuram Rajan from the University of Chicago, discussing “Liquidity Dependence and the Waxing and Waning of Central Bank Balance Sheets.”
Research topics included macroeconomic beliefs, fiscal-monetary interaction, optimal fiscal debt management, and more.
The Trade and Environment Conference, held on March 21-22, 2025, at SNIoE, gathered scholars, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss global trade policies and environmental regulations. Organized with the Centre for WTO Studies and the Delhi School of Economics, the conference examined how trade norms impact India’s competitiveness.
BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, delivered the inaugural address, while Pierre Sauvé from the World Bank provided the keynote on sustainability standards. Sessions addressed sustainability-driven trade policies, responses for exporters, and measures for cleaner production, fostering knowledge exchange for future research and policy in India’s trade and environment
Workshop | Department of Design Trade and Environment Conference
Spring 2025 saw the Department of Design engage in diverse activities. A workshop led by Mr. Aakash Anand (ServiceNow) equipped students with portfolio-building skills crucial for today’s competitive job market. An enriching visit to the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya exposed students to innovative media technologies and storytelling, offering a unique perspective on Indian political history. Students also gained firsthand industry experience with a visit to Desmania Design Studio. Prof. Pradeep Yammiyavar shared insights on Project Based Learning Pedagogy, advocating for interdisciplinary approaches to enhance student motivation and learning outcomes. These experiences fostered creativity, innovation, and practical skills.
IQTISADIYYAT
Iqtisadiyyat 2025, held on April 5th and 6th, was a two-day celebration of economic thought hosted by the Economics Society of Shiv Nadar University, attracting around 200 participants from various backgrounds.
Day 1 featured a keynote by Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia on India’s economic journey, followed by sessions on Trumponomics by Mr. Sanjay Bhattacharya and women’s roles in the social sector by Ms. Veenu Jaichand. The day concluded with a panel on AI’s future in policymaking.
Day 2 opened with Prof. T.C.A. Anant discussed India’s economic challenges, followed by Dr. Charan Singh on banking and Dr. Abishek Gupta on current trends. A notable panel addressed India’s economic prospects as it approaches its centenary. The event also included engaging games like Financial Frontlines and Equinomics. Overall, Iqtisadiyyat 2025 was a great success.
In Conversation
Nothing Comes From Nothing: Prof. Sambudha Sen in conversation with Holberg Laureate Stephen Greenblatt.
On February 3, 2025, 2016 Holberg Prize Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, Professor Stephen Greenblatt (John Cogan University Professor, Harvard University), engaged in a discussion with Professor Sambudha Sen from the Department of English at Shiv Nadar University. They explored Greenblatt’s distinguished career, tracing his journey from a graduate student at Yale and Cambridge to his tenure at the University of California, Berkeley, and now at Harvard University.
Professor Greenblatt shared insights about his education and the formative experiences that shaped his thinking— from studying under the esteemed literary critic Raymond Williams at Cambridge to attending seminars led by Michel Foucault on Émile Zola at Berkeley. Together with his colleagues, he moved away from New Criticism to develop a new, materialist literary theory known as New Historicism.
The interview was conducted by Sambudha Sen, Senior Professor at Shiv Nadar University, and is a collaboration between the Holberg Prize and Shiv Nadar University.
Scan to watch the full conversation
Publications
Our faculty continues to contribute significantly to their respective fields through high impact publications. This year has seen a diverse range of scholarly works, including journal articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, showcasing the breadth and depth of expertise within our institution. These publications not only advance knowledge and understanding but also serve as a testament to our faculty’s commitment to research and intellectual leadership. From groundbreaking theoretical analyses to empirical studies with real-world implications, our faculty publications enrich the academic landscape and contribute to the School’s reputation as a center for innovative scholarship.
PROFESSOR SIDDHARTH MALLAVARAPU
Professor Siddharth Mallavarapu guest edited a Special Issue (SI) on theoretical dimensions of Indian foreign policy for the journal studies in Indian Politics published by Sage. The SI includes both national and international contributors. Tejasvi Saxena (a doctoral scholar), Dr. Sruthi Muraleedharan and Dr. Medha, faculty from IRGS are among key contributors.
DR. ANUPAM ROY
Perspectives on Ambedkarian Aesthetics and Social Movements: A Conversation between Prof. Y. S. Alone and Artist Anupam Roy” published on a double blind review journal South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal. https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/9007, https://doi.org/10.4000/11vx1, E-ISSN 1960-6060; Issue No- 31; July 2024.
‘Roommates,’ a short story published in the Beloit Fiction Journal, Volume 37, Spring 2024 issue, Beloit College, Wisconsin, USA, ISSN 0883-9131, pp31-39.
Dr. Chinmay Sharma’s latest essay on Mahabharata retellings and Devdutt Pattanaik was published by South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. You can find a link to the essay here— https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1 0.1080/00856401.2024.2410131
DR. CHINMAY SHARMA
Has been awareded the International Research Grant: 3 year research grant funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK, for project titled “Crafting Sustainability and Equitability: Reconstructing Pasts and Futures in the Indian creative economy.” The Grant is held in collaboration with LSE, Birmingham City University and NID Ahmedabad.
• Book Chapter “Boz in London: The 1830s and the Urban Turn in the English Novel” in John Gardner and David Stewart ed. Nineteenth Century Literature in Transition: 1830s (Cambridge :Cambridge University Press, 2024) 263-283
• Journal Article English Studies in India: It’s Past and its Future in Regenia Gagnier ed. The Futures of English Studies. Special Issue of The Literature Compass (Basil Wiley) 2023 45-55
• Conference: Perspectives: Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Studies in India. March 21-22, 2025 Presented paper : Character, Place Making and the Emergence of Realism
• Invited by Professor Ambuj Sagar, Director Strategy and Planning, IIT Delhi to be part of panel an international experts that will engage in “a major, visioning, reviewing and strategic planning exercise” to be undertaken by IIT Delhi in May 12 and 13.
Journal Article: Dominant Language, Urbanization and Lexical Depletion of Native Language: A Corpus Linguistics Study. 2024 Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.30g
DR. DIVIANI CHAUDHURI
PROFESSOR SAMBUDHA SEN
DR. GATHA SHARMA
Journal articles: “No Country for Sex Workers, Then or Now: Srijit Mukherji’s Begum Jaan (2017) and Its Many Imagi-Nations.” National Identities, Latest Articles: n.p.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14608944.2024.2364872.
“Writing Rokeya: Muslim Women’s Life-Writing, Intergenerational Camaraderie and Activism in Twentieth Century Bengal.” South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies 47, no. 4 (2024): n.p.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00856401.2024.2365522.
Publications: Das Gupta, Vinayak. “Jewish Calcutta, Recalled: Lessons from Building a Digital Public Memory Resource.” Practices of Digital Humanities in India: Learning by Doing, edited by Maya Dodd and Nirmala Menon, Routledge, 2025, pp. 237-246.
Book: Model Women of the Press: Gender, Politics and Women’s Professional Journalism, 1850-1880
DR. SREEJATA PAUL
DR. VINAYAK DAS GUPTA
DR. TEJA VARMA PUSAPATI
DR. AAKRITI MANDHWANI
Book: Everyday Reading: Middlebrow Magazines and Book Publishing in Post-Independence India
DR. CHINMAYA LAL THAKUR
Publications:
(Writing about) Writing about Limits: Aleksandar Hemon’s
The Lazarus Project in Transmodern Literatures Off the Limit, edited by Claus Peter Neumann and Pilar RoyoGrasa, Routledge, 2025, forthcoming.
The Vocabulary of Our Ecological Discontent in 360info, 21st August 2024, 10.54377/634f-2292
“In Pursuit of “Man-Made Evolution” Peaceful Atoms, Circulatory Knowledge, and Atomic Agriculture in India.” Agricultural History 98, no. 4 (2024): 674-701.
Patil Kapil. “Too Strict or Too Lax: IAEA and Evolution of Nuclear Safety Standards”, in Negotiating Radiation Protection in the Nuclear Age: Histories of Exposure & Expertise. University of Pittsburgh Press 2025.
DR. KAPIL PATIL
DR. JABIN T. JACOB
DR. DEVENDRA KUMAR
Published an Occasional Paper, jointly authored by Ms. Japneet Kaur, Research Associate, SNIoE, Dr. Devendra Kumar, Associate Fellow, CHS, and Dr. Jabin T. Jacob, Director, CHS, on China’s policy of building Xiaokang villages in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
DR. SHAMPA BHATTACHARJEE
DR. ARKA ROY CHAUDHURI
Bhattacharjee, Shampa and Arka Roy Chaudhuri (2024). Electoral Quotas and Developmental Outcomes: Evidence from India. European Journal of Political Economy https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S0176268024000831
Bhattacharjee, Shampa and Arka Roy Chaudhuri (2024). Life in Pairs: Estimating the Impact of Twin’s Sex on Child Survival in India. Economics Letters https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S0165176524003288
MS.SUBARNA BANERJEE
DR. GITANJALI SEN
Banerjee, Subarna, and Gitanjali Sen (2024). Persistent effects of a conditional cash transfer: a case of empowering women through Kanyashree in India. Journal of Population Economics
https://rdcu.be/d1bmo
DR. BHARTI NANDWANI
DR. PUNARJIT ROYCHOWDHURY
Nandwani, Bharti, and Punarjit Roychowdhury (2025). “Rural Roads infrastructure and women empowerment in India,” World Bank Economic Review https://doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhae048
Dhamija, Gaurav, Punarjit Roychowdhury, and Binay Shankar (2025). “Does Urbanization Empower Women? Evidence from India,” Journal of Population Economics https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/ s00148-025-01085-4
Shremoyee, Shreemoyee, Punarjit Roychowdhury, and Gaurav Dhamija (2025). Women’s Attitudes Towards Physical Intimate Partner Violence in India: Trends, Patterns, and Determinants. PLOS ONE https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/ journal.pone.0318350
Ranjan, Ram (2024). Balancing greenwashing risks and forest carbon sequestration benefits: A simulation model linking formal and voluntary carbon markets. Forest Policy and Economics
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S1389934124001710
Mathur, Anshika, & Sen, Gitanjali (2025). Money matters: Evidence from a conditional cash transfer scheme on child health. Journal of Human Capital https://doi.org/10.1086/734859
DR. PUNARJIT ROYCHOWDHURY
DR. RAM RANJAN
Opinion editorials and articles in Newspapers and Portals
DR. PUNARJIT ROYCHOWDHURY
Roychowdhury, Punarjit and Aanshi Sharma. “Timely justice in India: Can AI be the answer?,” Hindustan Times, April 1, 2025.
Roychowdhury, Punarjit and Aanshi Sharma. “Rich getting richer, poor poorer, as growth turns capital-intensive,” 360info, March 19, 2025; Down to Earth, March 20, 2025; Northeast News, March 22, 2025; Scroll, March 23, 2025.
Roychowdhury, Punarjit and Aanshi Sharma. “India Inc.’s profits are growing. So why are your wages still low?,” The Indian Express (Digital), February 20, 2025.
Roychowdhury, Punarjit. “Can the budget unlock labour market potential?,” Hindustan Times, February 4, 2025.
Nandwani, Bharti and Punarjit Roychowdhury. “Rural road infrastructure empowered women in India,” VoxDev, January 9, 2025.
Pant, Manoj. “Reciprocal Tariffs: Should India Respond”, Mint, April 4, 2025.
Pant, Manoj. “Trump’s impact: India should take a new approach to trade ”, Mint, February 18, 2025.
Pant, Manoj. “Trump’s shake-up of world trade: Much ado about nothing”, Mint, January 19, 2025.
Chatterjee, Partha. “Budget 2025: A Balancing Act,” Financial Express, January 18, 2025
DR. MANOJ PANT
Our Alumni: Ambassadors of Excellence
Our alumni network is a vibrant and invaluable asset to our institution. Graduates continue to make significant contributions across diverse fields, embodying the values of innovation, leadership, and service instilled during their time here. From the fast-paced world of investment banking to the dynamic landscapes of recruitment, media, and journalism, our alumni are making their mark. We boast talented writers shaping narratives in both newspapers and literature, alongside policymakers to groundbreaking researchers, scholars, analysts, changemakers and creative artists, our alumni are shaping the world in meaningful ways. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and remain committed to fostering a strong and supportive alumni community that provides ongoing opportunities for connection, mentorship, and professional growth.
B.A. (Research) in Sociology | Class of 2024 || M.Sc. Global Affairs | New York University At the UN Global Field Intensive MAAHI GUPTA
B.A. (Research) in Sociology | Class of 2023 || University of Cambridge Master of Philosophy - MPhil, Social Anthropological Research
AADERA RAMMOHAN
AMITA NOWAL
Amita Nowal, incoming student MA in Human Development and Education at Harvard University
Recognized for her remarkable work in education and literacy with various organizations like Teach for India.
BEOHAR ADWAIT SINHA
B.Sc. (Research) in Economics | Class of 2023
M.A. Economics program in Fall 2024 with the 2024 Duke Economics Master’s Scholar Award - a prestigious academic honor awarded to the top 10% of applicants.
Ivy League & Russell Group bound! Our students are pursuing their dreams at prestigious Ivy League and Russell Group institutions.
Madhav Mehrotra accepted into MFA in the creative writing programme at the University of Edinburgh, often called the Oxbridge of Scotland.
Sanyukta Shiv Kumar accepted the MFA in creative writing programme at Columbia University.
MADHAV MEHROTRA
Alumni Speak
RAFIA KHATOON
B.A. (Research) in Sociology | Class of 2023 || University of Chicago
Master’s in Social Sciences
Quadrangle Research Scholarship
Social Sciences Promise Scholarship
Graduate Success Scholarship
Founder - STEPS
Co-Founder - The Active Dreams
A note from Rafia
I studied for twelve years in an all-girls school in Patna—a space that shaped my early sense of discipline, order, and care, but one where the world outside felt distant and abstract. When I joined Shiv Nadar University, everything changed. I was suddenly in a place where the rules were different—where learning meant questioning, creating, and sometimes even undoing everything I thought I knew.
At SNU, I majored in Sociology and minored in Filmmaking. But more than academic labels, what I really discovered there was a new way of seeing. I became interested in bodies, cities, silence, resistance. I started The Active Dreams—a nonprofit addressing period poverty and employment for rural women—not as a side project, but as a serious response to a structural crisis. I also founded Manzar, a visual anthropology society, where I explored the intersection of imagemaking, everyday life, and power.
SNU gave me space—to ask better questions, to think out loud, to sit with discomfort, and to act on what I believed in. The questions that started there
eventually led me to the University of Chicago for a master’s, where I researched homelessness, urban inequality, and the politics of space.
After graduating from SNU, I co-founded STEPS, a mentorship initiative supporting underrepresented students navigating higher education abroad. It was built from everything I learned—about access, exclusion, and how even one conversation can change someone’s path.
SNU wasn’t just a University for me. It was a turning point. And even now, in every project I take on, that place remains my ground zero for thinking, dreaming, and building with intention.
Faculty Achievements
In celebration of the accomplishments of a distinguished and impactful group of scholars and educators shaping the next generation at the School.
This year alone, our faculty members have garnered prestigious awards, secured significant research grants, and been recognized as leaders in their respective fields. Their expertise is sought after by national and international organizations, and their contributions are shaping the future of their respective fields.
ATUL BHALLA
Awarded Rockefeller Bellagio
Residency February 2025
AMRITHA SRUTHI RADHAKRISNAN
Bahar Dutt has been awarded the AAAS Kaavli science journalism award in the silver category for a science-based story she did with a team of video jourmalists on a critically endangered turtle found in Kerala. She shares the award with a team of 4 that worked with me on the story (their details are in this link (https://www. aaas.org/news/2023-aaas-kavli-sciencejournalism-award-winners-named)
Graded (B) Emerging as a Solo DancerBharatanatyam by the Doordarshan KendraDelhi.
BAHAR DUTT
ANUPAM ROY
Solo Shows - “All trees and flowering plants stand on their own” curated by Anushka Rajendran, at Asia Now, both no #G03, Monnaie de Paris, 11 Quaide Conti
CHINMAY SHARMA
Faculty in-charge | Crooked Lines Literature Festival and Short Story Competition 2024. 1500+ registrations for the competition, participation from renowned schools spanning across various locations throughout India including Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dehradun and more.
Writing residency
Under the Volcano, Tepoztlan, Mexico, January 10-25, 2025.
THE FREEWHEELER
The English Department magazine left the confines of the University campus this year. The 2024-2025 annual issue was released in April 2024, and was stocked in the following bookshops in Goa, Bangalore and Mumbai
And if you wish to ‘thoda sa Lit’ [A Little Bit Lit], tune in to ttps://open.spotify.com/ show/ 0XBTr7QRyDnE7h9 Yp965WA?si =985bb 197e2cb4471
VIKRAM KAPUR
CROOKED LINES LITERATURE FESTIVAL AND SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2024 - CHINMAY SHARMA, FACULTY INCHARGE |
The Department of English hosted talks with Prof. Sam North and Jerry Pinto. Prof North is Professor of Creative Writing at the University Prof. Sam North is a novelist, scriptwriter, and Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Exeter.
Jerry Pinto is an award-winning novelist. He is also a poet and a translator. He has won the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Windham-Campbell Award administered by the Beinecke Library at Yale University and the Rajat Kamal for the Best Book on Cinema. e has translated from Marathi, Hindi and Konkani.
Organized Adaptations movie screening series with help from Trivium, the English department society. Eight movies have been screened this year, along with reading group and discussion sessions.
DR. DIVYA KANNAN
DR. ATUL MISHRA
DR. TUHINA GANGULY
Dr Divya Kannan has been awarded the Charles Wallace India Visiting Fellowship at Institute of Advanced Studies for Humanities (IASH), Edinburgh for MayJuly 2026.
Dr. Tuhina Ganguly wins the Helen Crovetto Award.
The international journal, Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions awarded Dr. Tuhina Ganguly the Helen Crovetto Award for Excellence in the Study of New Religious Movements with Ties to South Asia in November 2024. She was given the award for her article “Christian Yoga, New Thought, and ‘The First Hindu American’: The Life and Thought of Akhoy Kumar Mozumdar” that appeared in the journal in February 2024.
Prof. Atul Mishra spoke to diplomats from GCC countries on contemporary geoeconomics -- sanctions, tariffs, dollar dominance and connectivity projects -and how they are shaping contemporary international affairs. At Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, Ministry of External Affairs, India. 17th February 2025.
DR. HEMANTH KADAMBI
Dr Hemanth Kadambi appointed as the Co-Director of the Maski Archaeological Research Project, Karnataka, starting 2025. He is spearheading a team of students and researchers from SNU, McGill University Canada and Stanford University USA.
DR. HIMANSHU KULKARNI
Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni, Professor of Practice at the MA Rural Management Program, has been awarded the prestigious University of Oklahoma’s International Water Prize, recognizing his pioneering contributions to groundwater management in India.
PROFESSOR KAVERI GILL
The Centre for Himalayan Studies NonResident Senior Fellow, Prof. Kaveri Gill, served as a Visiting Research Professor at Goa University (Jan 20-25), delivering talks on ‘The Middle Way View and Universal Ethics.’ She also lectured on ‘Mastering the Mind for Human Flourishing’ in collaboration with Goa University and the International Centre Goa.
PROFESSOR YASMEEN ARIF
Prof. Yasmeen Arif from the Sociology department recently presented a paper in the Urban Enclaving Project Group, University of Bergen, Norway. Final Workshop in Dakar, Senegal.
PROFESSOR MIHIR SHAH
A platform for commons, community, and global policy dialogue
In a significant recognition of India’s leadership in water governance, Dr. Mihir Shah, Chair of the MA in Rural Management program, was recently invited to speak at the Ostrom Workshop Round Table-an international gathering of leading thinkers on collective action and commons governance named after Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom. Drawing on his decades of work in policy and grassroots water reform, Dr. Shah offered a powerful critique of centralized, technocratic water regimes and made a case for decentralized, democratic, and ecosystem-based models. The Round Table focused on three themes:
· Interdisciplinary Synergies: Bridging disciplines for integrated solutions
· Cross-Geographical Perspectives: Learning across global and local contexts
· Multi-Scale Interconnections: Linking village insights into global water policy
Dr. Shah’s participation highlighted the intellectual and practical edge of the Rural Management programme at Shiv Nadar University-an initiative he has led with conviction, clarity, and care. His presence on this global stage affirms our belief that grounded research and ethical field engagement from India can shape conversations across the world
PROFESSOR RAJESWARI SARALA RAINA
Received Grant of Rs. 11 crores awarded by Rainmatter Foundation.
To address the critical need for:
• Knowledge production (research), sharing and propagation (education) for transitions to sustainability,
• Knowledge and policy decisions in the intertwined social and biophysical dimensions of the wicked problem of unsustainability,
• Knowledge that co-evolves with multiple ways of knowing and reinforces socio-environmental ethics,
• Knowledge invested in and building public engagement in the choices and decisions we make.
DR. SANDALI THAKUR
Associate Professor, Rural Management School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Bringing Gender Justice into Urban Planning: Dr. Sandali Thakur’s Contribution to CREA’s Gender and WASH Curriculum, Dr. Sandali Thakur recently collaborated with CREA, a leading feminist human rights organization based in Delhi, to design and develop the curriculum and teaching-learning material for a comprehensive 40-hour course on Gender and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene). This landmark course is being launched in partnership with the Odisha Urban Academy as part of an online certificate program for government officials, staff, and knowledge partners of the Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha. The course aims to mainstream gender perspectives into urban planning and service delivery in the WASH sector, equipping public sector professionals with conceptual tools and practical frameworks to promote inclusive, equitable, and responsive governance. Dr. Thakur’s contribution to this pioneering initiative reflects both academic rigour and a deep commitment to social justice in the development sector. To learn more about CREA’s transformative work, visit creaworld.org.
DR. PUNARJIT ROYCHOWDHURY
Visiting Scholar at UNU-WIDER - United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research, May - June 2025.
MA Rural Managment Highlights
Rural Management program celebrated a milestone this year: the placement season for its first batch students. At the end of our placements process for the 2023-25 batch, 36 out of the 37 students who entered the placements process have been placed among the very best civil society organizations in India. The response from leading employers in the development community has been overwhelmingly positive. The placement process was intentionally rigorous, designed not just to test aptitude but to match purpose with practice. Students went through multiple stages- from written tests to thematic group discussions and in-depth interviews. Several organisations reported being impressed by the clarity, conviction, and field-readiness of students, with some going so far as to revise their compensation structures to bring deserving candidates on board.
“We were genuinely impressed by the students’ clarity of purpose and their grounded understanding of rural realities. A few candidates stood out so clearly that we reshaped our original offers to bring them on board,” -Recruiter from a leading grassroots organization.
Organisations including JanVikas, KMVS, BAIF, Gram Vikas, SPS, AKRSP, PSI, ATREE, FES, BRLF, Shroff Foundation, ACWADAM, and others actively recruited from the batch, many revising compensation offers to reflect the quality of candidates. Students have been placed across rural heartlands in Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, in domains ranging from sustainable agriculture and watershed development to women’s collectives, education, public health, and decentralized governance.
But these placements are not the end- they are the beginning! Each role is a leadership opportunity. These young professionals will be embedded in some of the most challenging and inspiring geographies of India, working shoulder-to-shoulder with communities, building people’s institutions, designing context-specific interventions, and influencing public systems.
“Getting placed at BRLF is a dream come true. As a tribal woman, it’s an honor to work with an organization dedicated to the upliftment of tribal communities and who supported my master program through scholarship. Now, getting the opportunity to work in natural farming at BRLF will not only
give a significant push to my career but also allow me to contribute meaningfully to the sector”.
-Neha Rose Toppo (Student, MA-RM 2023-25)
For a program that began less than two years ago, the depth of trust shown by recruiters and the strength of student performance are signs of something greater: the emergence of a new kind of rural leader-one that listens, reflects, and leads from within. The Department is proud of what this first batch has achieved, and excited for what lies ahead, not just for them, but for the transformative potential they carry forward into the field.
Field Internships: Forty Students, Eighteen States, and a Thousand Questions
• Tribal land and forest rights
• Participatory groundwater management
• Regenerative agriculture
• Women’s leadership in SHGs and FPOs
• Seed biodiversity and agroecology
• Health rights among sex worker communities
Students Spotight
PhD Megha Mazumdar selected as one of the postgraduate editorial board members for Romance, Revolution, and Reform, the journal for the Southampton Centre for NineteenthCentury Research.
MEGHA MAZUMDAR
NAISHA KHAN
KIAAN MOHAN
KHUSHI PURANIK
Naisha Khan has been awarded a fully-funded scholarship to pursue the MSc International Relations programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is currently working on her undergraduate dissertation on higher education institutions as sites of violence, resistance and solidarity, with a focus on Gaza since October 2023.
Kiaan Mohan has been awarded a fully-funded scholarship to pursue the MSc International Relations programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is currently working on her undergraduate dissertation on higher education institutions as sites of violence, resistance and solidarity, with a focus on Gaza since October 2023.
Khushi Puranik As a competitive squash player, I am currently ranked 17th in India and 333rd in the world in the women’s category. Over the years, I’ve achieved a career-high ranking of 8th nationally in the Girls’ Under-19 category and 243rd in the world. I’ve had the honor of representing Delhi twice at the National Games and at the Khelo India Youth Games.
DR RIMI TADU
Dr Rimi Tadu, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Centre for Himalayan Studies visited Kaho village (the last village near the China border) and Walong village in Arunachal Pradesh for her field work, interacting with members of the Meyor community. Here’s a photograph of a community member in their modified traditional attire, along with an image of their traditional house.
Our collaborators and recruiters
We are grateful for our strong partnerships with leading organizations in diverse industries, providing invaluable recruitment opportunities and enriching internship experiences for our students.
Back Cover Artwork by: Sayak Mohanta (AMP Class of 2024)