Avipsu Halder, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Avipsu Halder is an Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Calcutta. His areas of interest include International Politics, International Relations Theory, International Political Economy, Globalisation, Political Economy of Sports. He is also a guest reviewer of Soccer and Society, Sports in Society (both published by Taylor and Francis, Routledge)
Somdatta Chakraborty, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Dr. Chakraborty has completed her M.Phil and Doctorate from the Centre for Historical Studies (Modern) J.N.U under the supervision of Prof.Neeladri Bhattacharyya in 2014. Her doctoral and M.Phil work focus on understanding identities within the ambit of culture, creativity and faith.Thus while her doctoral thesis explored the multilayered worlds of a boatman, fisherman, palanquin bearer, hackney carriage driver and rickshaw puller of the colonial city predominantly through the socio-cultural lens; her M.Phil focused on the Devadasis of the Jagannatha Temple of Orissa. Challenging the popular equation of a devadasi with a prostitute, her dissertation argued that the identities of the maharis or devadasis of Orissa need to be situated in the discourse of faith, thus proposing an alternate reading of the histories of such ‘public’ women. Her abiding research interests are understanding identities within the ambit of culture, transnational and include mobility and connectivity, identity studies, ideas and institutions, social and cultural history, cities, faith and heritage, travel and communities, emotions, memory etc. Currently she is looking into the socio-cultural ramifications of ‘virtual’ identity formation. Dr. Chakraborty has just recently concluded an ICSSR research project with TISS and CRG on Aspirations and Struggles of the New Middle Class in Kolkata and Mumbai and was invited to deliver a lecture in the Department of Political Science, SNDT University, Mumbai on the evolution of the Middle class in the city of Kolkata Dr. Chakraborty has beena SAP Fellow in the Centre for English, Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies, JNU and also a Field Investigator in Sikkim for the Leverhulme(UK) International Research project ‘Continuity and Change in Indian Federalism’. In the post PhD years, she has taught courses on colonial economy, colonialism and anti-colonialism, Renaissance and Reformation, Eighteenth century and Peasant Movements in the History Departments of Scottish Church College, Presidency University and the Central University of Sikkim. She has published and presented in national and international journals and conferences. Outside academics, mountains, hilly pathways, music, cooking, sessions in painting and singing and good literature constitute her leisure preferences.
Himangana Gupta, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Deepika Saraswat, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Deepika has recently submitted her doctoral thesis Exploring Geopolitical Imaginations: A Critical Analysis of Iran, 1979-2013 at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi(July, 2017). Her thesis has explored how a revolutionary, Islamic identity of Iran is constructed in Iranian geopolitical discourse and to what purpose and effect has the imagination of the United States as the ‘enemy other’ been discursively sustained by Iranian state elites. Deepika has carried out month long field work in three Iranian cities – Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan, in early 2015 and has acquired basic knowledge of Persian language at Iran Culture House, New Delhi. During her stay in Iran, she was associated with TarbiatModares University, Tehran as a guest PhD researcher. At JNU, she has been a holder of Junior Research Fellowship awarded by University Grant Commission, Government of India. Deepika’s area of interest lies in exploring national identity discourses, interpenetration of religion and politics in postcolonial contexts and geopolitical trends unfolding in West Asia and India’s neighborhood. She has presented her works in some important conferences in India and abroad, including Return of Geopolitics Conference at University of Arizona in April, 2016 and International Geographical Union Regional Conference, 2015 at Lomonosov Moscow State University, where her paper won the IGU-Commission on Political Geography Student Travel Grant Award. Her work has been published in national level journals, including South Asian Survey.
Manisha Sinha, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Dr. Manisha Sinha is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio USA. She teaches courses related to international relations, economic globalization and global political economy. She has completed her doctoral studies from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2012. Her research interests lie in the realm of international political economy, economic globalization, global governance and regional trade agreements. She has explored the working of the World Trade Organization, specifically the relevance of its Most-Favored-Nation and Non-Discrimination clauses in the functioning of the global trading system. The operation of global and regional international economic organizations is also of special interest to her. The following is the link to her University of Cincinnati Faculty page: https://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/polisci/fac_staff.html?eid=sinhams&thecomp=uceprof
Saika Hossain, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Saika Hossain is an Assistant Professor of History, presently posted in Chandernagore College, Chandernagore and is a cadre of West Bengal Educational Service (W.B.E.S.). Earlier she was posted in Taki Government College, North 24 Parganas, where she taught for 7 years. She had started her teaching career as a Substitute Lecturer in Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vivekananda Vidyabhavan, Kolkata where she taught for a year. She had graduated from Loreto College, Kolkata and completed her Master’s in History from the University of Calcutta in 2004 securing a first class. She has qualified the Eleventh West Bengal State Level Eligibility Test for Lectureship (SLET) held on 19/02/2006 in History. Presently she is doing her PhD research work at the University of Calcutta on ‘Muslim Women in White Collar Jobs (Bengal 1920-1974)’. Her research interest includes gender studies, social history of Bengal and the National Movement of India. She has worked as Junior Research Assistant at the Centre for Gandhian Studies, Department of History, University of Calcutta on the project ‘Gandhi in Bengal’ for a period of six months between July 2007 and December 2007.
Shyamasree Dasgupta, Senior Adjunct Researcher
Shyamasree Dasgupta works an Assistant Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi. She is a graduate in Economics and her research and teaching are also in the same area. Shyamasree completed her Ph.D. and M.Phil in Economics at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India with SYLFF Fellowship. She carried out parts of her research in the Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at the University of Maryland, USA and Utrecht University School of Economics, Netherlands as a visiting fellow. She received her Master’s degree from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi and her Bachelor’s degree from Asutosh College, University of Calcutta. Prior to joining IIT Mandi she was working as a postdoctoral research fellow at Global Change Programme, Jadavpur University. Her research broadly encompasses the area of sustainable development – including energy economics, the economics of climate change mitigation and adaptation. She is also interested in social embedding in technologies. She is a member of several active academic/research networks including The International Society for Ecological Economics, The Indian Econometric Society and The Indo European Multilevel Climate Governance Research Network etc. Her publications and research activities can be followed at https://www.researchgate.net/
Tanusree Pandit, Adjunct Researcher
Tanusree Pandit is a Doctoral Research Scholar (UGC NET-JRF) at the Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Her research is on the area of Palaeolithic Archaeology of Central Narmada Basin, Madhya Pradesh under the esteemed guidances of Dr. Ramesh Sahani, Assistant Professor, Panjab University and Prof. Sushama G. Deo, Professor, Head of the Department, Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute, Pune. She is a first class graduate in Anthropology from Calcutta University. She earned first class master degree in Anthropology with specialisation in Prehistoric Archaeology and Anthropology from the University of Calcutta in the year 2007. She also did an extended study (PG Diploma) in Palaeoanthropology from the University of Liverpool, UK in the year 2009 and has completed her dissertation on “Revised focus on the neuroscience of the brain in Archaeological context: special reference to Oldowan and Acheulian techno-gradient” under the direct supervision of Prof. Lawrence Barham, Professor of the School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology. She has written research papers in reputed International and National journals and also participated in various National as well as International conferences. She was also assigned as an Evaluator at the Child Scientists at the 24th State Level Congress, Kolkata under the focal theme – Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development. She received a tax free bursary under the Students Associates Scheme during the year 2008 where the role was to involve in a fifteen day pre-placement training in the school according to QTS standards (GCSE curriculum). She is an Ex-Senior Research Fellow of Anthropological Survey of India (H.Q.) where she has participated in explorations under the national project of Siwaliks Expedition. She has voluntary work experience from the National Museum of Liverpool, UK at the Weston Discovery Centre. At present she also teaches in her University voluntarily especially the branch of Prehistory and Palaeoanthropology. Her major interests include Neuroscience, Palaeolithic Studies, Lithics, Statistics and everything related to the human evolutionary routes. At present she holds a life membership of Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS). She is also very proficient in stone knapping as she aims to understand the morphology of the prehistoric artefacts. She loves undertaking various activities that includes travelling to different spheres of the world only to know about the human. Besides all these she loves teaching as well as singing and is also fond of cooking various Bengali cuisines.
Reema Duggal, Adjunct Researcher
Reema is presentlyemployed as an Assistant Professor of International Relations in the University School of Law, Rayat and Bahra University, Mohali. She is at the verge of submission of her Ph.D. thesis entitled as New Eurasian Great Game and Energy Politics: Perspectives on and from Kazakhstan under the supervision of Prof. Sanjay Chaturvedi, at Centre of Geopolitics, Dept of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh. As on geopolitical map of energy security, Central Eurasia forms the heart of crescent Eurasian space, so her thesis examines Kazakhstan’s perspectives on the New Great Game in the context of energy security. The conventional narrative of the New Great Game appears to be characterized by fear, reductionism, conflicts, competition and barriers. The alternative narrative advanced by Kazakhstan is that of Eurasianism, which is based on hope, cooperation, alliances and bridges. The study also examines the interplay between the two narratives which must therefore be approached and understood in imaginative ways where competing representations of space and place (Great Game and Eurasianism) are tested in the light of complex and dynamic realities. At PU, she was a holder of Junior Research Fellowship awarded by University Grants Commission, Govt of India. In addition to that, a research project of MEA, exploring on the ‘New Great Game in Central Asia with Implications on India’ was completed by her in CRRID (Research Institute), Chandigarh. Previous to this she was an MPhil research scholar at GNDU, Amritsar and during this tenure she has conducted research on ‘Water and Sustainable Development: A case study of Central Asia’ and was awarded gold medal for her endeavors by the above university, Reema is also a top ranker in the postgraduate course in Dept of Political Science, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Her area of specialization is energy geopolitics in Central Asian Region, with special focus on Kazakhstan .She has published and presented works on Energy Geopolitics, South Asian Energy Cooperation, Pipeline Politics, etc.. Her works have been published in National and International Journals including World Focus. Reema’s area of interest lies in exploring Pipeline Politics in Eurasia, Quest for Energy Security, geopolitical impacts of global Energy Shifts, Redrawing the Energy-Climate Nexus through renewable energy and Kazakhstan as a Geopolitical pivot in New Great Game.
Aheri Das, Adjunct Researcher
Aheri Das is presently working as Manger, Social Development & Infrastructure, under the flagship programme of Government of India, DAY-NULM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission) with additional charge of Urban Planner (In-Charge) in Howrah Municipal Corporation, Howrah, West Bengal. She earned a first class in her Masters in Anthropology with specialization in Social-Cultural Anthropology from the University of Calcutta in the year 2007. She is also specialized in Social Infrastructural Development and Urban Planning. She has qualified UGC-NET (Lectureship) twice. She is now working in some leading schemes of GOI, such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana/ Housing For All (PMAY/HFA) and Swachh Bharat Misssion (SBM) and Green City Mission of Government of West Bengal. Formerly she was attached as Project Research Assistant and Junior Research Fellow of Anthropological Survey of India. She has had exposure in varied fields in different parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal including Jalpaiguri, Koch-Bihar, Howrah, Kolkata, Burdwan, Bankura, Purulia and South 24 Parganas and a few other urban areas of West Bengal. She has also worked with tribal groups like Santals, Oraon, Birhor, Bhumij and some other caste groups of West Bengal. She has contributed on tribal developmental issues, folk tradition, ethno-medicine and power healing process, urban planning and urban anthropological issues and so on. She has published her research findings in reputed journals and books. She is pursuing her Ph.D. from West Bengal State University, Barasat, West Bengal. Her Ph. D. work is entitled as “Mask –Making Tradition of Chhou: The Folk Dance of Bengal- an Ethnographic Approach” under the guidance of Dr. Abhijit Das, Assistant Professor, West Bengal State University, Barasat, West Bengal. She is a life member of Indian Anthropological Society and Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists (INCCA). She is a regular writer in various esteemed Bengali magazines.
Paras Ratna, Adjunct Researcher
Paras Ratna is a post-graduate in Development Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. His MA thesis was "geopolitics of Chabahar: the beginning of the new great game"? He has written for outlets like The Diplomat, The Dialogue, South Asian Voices, The Hindu, SADF, East Asia Research Program (EARP). He is currently working as Project Executive, Strategic Affairs, Vision India Foundation. He could be contacted at paras.gyan@visionindiafoundation.com
Anirban Sen, Adjunct Researcher
Anirban Sen is a PhD Scholar at the Centre for West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the topic of his PhD thesis being Indo-Iranian Cooperation in Afghanistan. Anirban has completed his graduation from Calcutta University in Economics. His M.Phil. thesis dealt with the “Role of Hezbollah in Lebanese Politics: 1982-2011”. He was awarded a First class at both the Masters and M.Phil.degrees. Anirban has worked as a trainee research analyst with ARG Syndication in Kolkata where he prepared several economic reports on various Indian states outlining their future investment prospects. Anirban has worked as Research Assistant and prepared research papers on various geopolitical issues under the guidance of Dr. Arun .S. Dalvi, Professor and Head of the Department ofDefense and Strategic studies, University of Pune. He has also worked as Research Intern at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi (IPCS). Anirban possess basic knowledge of French.
Subhadeep Bhattacharya, Adjunct Researcher
Subhadeepis currently associated with Netaji Institute for Asian Studies (NIAS), Kolkata as Research Assistant working on projects in relation to India-Southeast Asia relations. Previously he was associated with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata as Fellow. He worked onthe geopolitics of South China Sea as his project area. Currently he is also pursuing his Doctoral Degree from University of Calcutta. His post-graduation degree is on South and Southeast Asian Studies from University of Calcutta and he also holds a M.Phil. degree in Foreign Policy Studies (IFPS) under the same esteemed University. His M.Phil thesis was on Southeast Asia in India’s foreign policy. His area of interest is geopolitics and international relations of Southeast Asia including India-Southeast Asia relations. Subhadeep has presented papers in various national and international seminars and participated in roundtable discussions on Asian geopolitics and India’s foreign policy. He has delivered lecture on East Asian geopolitics at Research Methodology Workshop held in MAKAIAS. He was also associated with IFPS as guest lecturer from 2015 to 2017. He has authored Looking East since 1947: India’s Southeast Asia Policy and Understanding South China Sea Geopolitics and co-authored Indo-Vietnam Relations in Emerging Global Order and contributed in many edited volumes, occasional paper and policy brief. He co-edited book titled India and Southeast Asia: States, Borders and Culture. He also contributed web articles in the IFPS website. He can be reached via subhadeepb2013@gmail.com.
Priscilla Namrata Rozario, Adjunct Researcher
Priscilla is currently working as a PhD Fellow in the Department of History, University of Calcutta. Her topic of research is the Catholic Community of Bengal in the 20th century. Her thesis intends to look into the question about the markers of what constituted the Roman Catholic identity in the region? The thesis also means to explore how the Roman Catholic community developed its community identity and evolved as a cohesive entity from a fragmented one towards the last years of colonial rule in independent India. She has also completed her M.Phil. from the aforesaid University, the title of her thesis being Trial By Faith: James Long and the Neel Darpan Affair. Her research interest included missionary studies, cultural, community and identity studies. Priscilla have completed her Masters in Modern Indian History from University of Calcutta with specialisation in Social History of Modern India. She has secured Third rank in M.A examinations in History, University of Calcutta, 2009. Priscilla has worked as a lecturer for the Undergraduate classes of Colleges affiliated to University of Calcutta, where she taught Ancient Indian History, History of Europe and History of Indian National Movement. She was also associated with the IAS Centre of St. Xavier’s College as faculty of History and has also worked as Research Assistant in the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, Kolkata. Priscilla has presented research papers in various conferences in India and has also published her work in journals like Calcutta Historical Journal. She has completed a Post Graduate certificate course in Editing and Publishing skills, School of Cultural Texts and Records, Jadavpur University, 2012.She is also the recipient of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Fellowship for Minority Students, India 2013-14. She resides in Kolkata, India
Debasish Das, Adjunct Researcher
Debashis is a M.Phil. scholar at the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta, supported by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. He has recently submitted his M.Phil. dissertation titled “Critical Social Theory and Complementarity Constraints in International Relations: Redefining Brexit negotiation through complementary limitations”. His dissertation has dealt with identifying the dynamics of conflict resolutions in supranational setup viz. European Union and how to develop a new theoretical framework with regard to Brexit from a Critical Theory perspective. The ideas of Max Horkheimer and Jurgen Habermas of the Frankfurt School have been highly influential for this purpose. The theoretical framework has been developed as a major conditional measure corresponding to the dysfunctionality of the “Institutional Complementarity” theory. The dissertation has been carried out under the supervision of Dr. Shibashis Chatterjee, Professor and Director of the Department of International Relations & Strategic Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Debashisis also a Junior Research Fellow under the auspices of National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes by University Grants Commission. He has attended Polish Summer Language and Culture Programme at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland in July 2017 under the collaboration of Polish Institute in New Delhi and Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta. His major interests include exploring European economic and political affairs, multilateral institutions, energy diplomacy and theories of International Relations. He acquired basic knowledge of polish language at A-1 level and earned 5 European credits. Debashis has presented research papers in national and international conferences. His aspiration is to achieve excellence in the field of academics.
Binita Kumari, Adjunct Researcher
Binita is a M.Phil. scholar at the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta, supported by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. She has recentlysubmitted her M.Phil. dissertation Migrating Market Economy-Contemporary Indo-Nepal Relations, (January,2018).Her work dealt with migration and trade across the open border and its impact on foreign policy of the country. The dissertation was accomplished under the supervision of Prof. Shantanu Chakrabarti, University of Calcutta and Prof. Anjali Ghosh, Jadavpur University She completed her graduation and post-graduation in the discipline of commerce with specialization in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from North Bengal University.Binita is currently employed as a guest lecturer in Deshbandhu College for Girls. She has proficiency in Hindi, English, Nepali, Santali. She has presented papers in national and international conferences. Her aspiration is to achieve excellence in the field of academics.
Ashish Singh, Adjunct Researcher
Ashish holds his MPhil degree in Foreign Policy Studies degree from the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta. The topic of his dissertation was Reinventing India-Israel Relations: From Uneasy Courtship to Milestone in Defence under the supervision of Priya Singh, Associate Director and Programme Coordinator at the Asia in Global Affairs. His dissertation dealt with gradual transformation of India’s Defence Policy over Israel earlier facing contestations and later importance during liberalization period of Indian economy. Ashish has obtained his M.A. in Political Science from Presidency University (2013-2015) and B.A. Political Science Hons. degree from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi (2010-2013) securing First and Second class respectively. He was awarded with Gold Medal for both consecutive years as ‘Best Student in Academics’ in his 10+2 from St. Edmund’s School, Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has also worked as a guest faculty at Santhal Pargana College, SKM University, Dumka, Jharkhand for a brief period. He is also pursuing Certificate course in Business Skills and Management and also Startup India Learning Programme by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. His interest area of study deals with Indian Politics, Indian Political Economy, Indian Defence and Indian Foreign Policy precisely focusing on West Asia and Northern Africa. Apart from that he also writes extensively and presented several papers focusing on tribes of Jharkhand and Indian foreign policy and attended workshops and conferences at various National and International stage. He is an aspirant to build his career in research and academics. His hobbies are travelling and exploring new places and trying new cuisines.
Aishik Bag, Adjunct Researcher
Aishik is an M.Phil. Scholar and is pursuing his degree from the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, under Calcutta University. His dissertation topic is “India-Israel relations: A perspective on the changing nature of India’s West Asia policy”. He is working under the joint supervision of Prof. Kingshuk Chatterjee and Priya Singh. His dissertation is dealing with various convergences as well the divergence between India and Israel, recent developments and the future prospect of this bilateral relationship. His area of interests also includes Diaspora studies, especially the Indian and the Jews Diasporas, cultural history of West Asia. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from the University of Kalyani in Political Science with a special paper on“Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies”. He has participated in various national and International conferences. He aspires to build a career in research and in academics. Besides that he loves to travel, play the piano and he is a dedicated listener of Western Classical music.
Dipannita Maria Bagh, Adjunct Researcher
Dipannita is MPhil Researcher at the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies (IFPS), and pursuing research on the ‘evolution of Sino-Myanmar Relations following the 8888 protests’, under the joint supervision of Prof. Shantanu Chakrabarti, and Prof. Michael W. Charney. She received her MA in South & Southeast Asian Studies, specializing in Peace Studies and Refugee Studies from the Department of South & Southeast Asian Studies, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Buddhist Studies from the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Calcutta. Dipannita has also studied and carried out research in Thailand and Myanmar. Her most recent research is a team project at the IFPS, on the ‘upcoming 11th Parliamentary Elections in Bangladesh focusing on Chittagong Division’ with emphasis on ‘ethnicity and identity’, ‘cross-border human and drug trafficking’, and ‘internal and forced migration’. Her areas of interest are Comparative Politics, Buddhist Political Thought, Ethnicity-Identity and Nationalism in mainland Southeast Asia, and Indian Foreign Policy. Dipannita has participated in many national and international seminars, conferences and MUNs. In 2015, she represented India, in ‘3 weeks International Course on Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation’ from the International Institute of Peace and Development Studies, Bangkok, in cooperation with Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) and Asian Resource Foundation (ARF), Thailand. Besides these, she is a keen learner of languages, and has learnt French from Alliance Française du Bengale, Chinese Intensive-I from The School of Chinese Language, Kolkata (2013-2014), Course (Level-I and II) on Understanding Thailand and Thai Language from the Indian Association for Asian and Pacific Studies, and Beginner’s Burmese from Institut Français de Birmanie, Yangon, Myanmar (2016). She can reached at baghdm@hotmail.com.
Subham Amin, Adjunct Researcher
Subham Amin is presently working as an Assistant Professor in English at Sri Ramkrishna Sarada Vidyamahapitha. He studied at Serampore College and completed MA and M.Phil. in English as well as Postgraduate Diploma in Buddhist Studies from University of Calcutta. He is presently pursuing PhD on Anglo-American Vampire Narratives from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He has authored a book on Compulsory English Course of University of Calcutta and contributed to edited volumes on Postcolonial studies and gender studies. He has published several articles on oriental vampire narratives, Rudyard Kipling, Naxalite Movement in journals of repute. He has also completed one-year certificate course on literary translation from CENTIL, Jadavpur University and contributed in volumes of translation. His research interest includes Queer Studies, Victorian Fiction, Marxist Literary Theory, Buddhist Iconography and Vajrayana Buddhism.
Shrimanti Ghosal,Adjunct Researcher
Shrimanti Ghosal has concluded her Masters in Political Science from Calcutta University in the year 2015 with specialization in Research Methodology. From 2016 to 2018 she had been teaching Political Science in St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous). She has participated in two Research methodology workshops in MAKAIAS and Visvabharati University (Department of Political science and Economics) in the year 2014 and 2017 respectively. Her 1st paper ‘Evolution of Education in Singapore’ was published in the Journal ‘Asia in Transition’ (MAKAIAS). She has presented papers and partaken in a number of International and National Seminars and conferences. Her expanse of interest is Gender Politics and Upliftment of Education with special reference to South and South East Asia. Her dissertation focused mainly on the implementation of Right to Education in India orienting mostly on the Role of Civil Society Organization (CSOs). She also did an internship in2012 from Vikramshila Education Resource Society (NGO) whose fundamental work is also on Right to Education and its execution. She has also worked on the Role of CSOs in eliminating Domestic Violence from India and presented a paper on that in an International Conference organized by Progressive Connexions( A UK based Research Organization) in the year 2017 in Vienna. Other than these she has presented papers in many other conferences and seminars.
Mohammad Reyaz, Adjunct Researcher
Mohammad Reyaz is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aliah University, Kolkata. His research interests include intersection of Media and (Identity) Politics, particularly in Central Asia, Afghanistan and India.Reyaz has done MPhil and PhD in International Studies from MMA Jauhar Academy of International Studies, Jamia. His PhD Thesis was on 'Civil Society and the Role of Media in Central Asia'. He is currently working on an ICSSR sponsored project titled ‘Stake of India’s Soft Power: Case Study of Afghanistan’ under IMPRESS Scheme.Reyaz has done MA in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia in 2010 and worked as a journalist for over five years before joining as full times academic. He continues to write regularly on socio-political issues of Indian Muslims, besides Eurasia, for different media, including The Wire, DailyO, India Times, etc. His articles have also been published in DNA, The Hoot, Al Jazeera, etc. He has also published a number of academic papers/chapters in journals and edited volumes (Google Scholar). He is also the Curator of Twitter handle @Eurasia_Update. Reyaz has widely travelled to Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, England and Germany, on study tours, or as a participant in workshops and seminars.
Gitanjali Sinha Roy
Gitanjali Sinha Roy is a Ph.D. scholar at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi with specialisation in Japanese Studies. At present, she is a visiting Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholar at the University of Tokyo. Her M.Phil dissertation was “Role of Female Labour Force in Japanese Economic Development: A Case Study of Womenomics in Abe's Reform Strategy”. Gitanjali is a graduate in Political Science (Hons) from Miranda House and completed her post-graduation from Lady Shri Ram College of Commerce in Political Science as well. Her interest areas comprise of India and Japan’s Foreign Policy, Security Strategy and Diplomacy, India-Japan Relations: Maritime Security and Strategy in the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asian and South Asian Politics, Security Strategy and Diplomacy. She is also a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and Security Studies, New Delhi is the Japan specialist with focus on Japanese Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and Security policy with emphasis on its relations with India, the United States, Australia and ASEAN. She has also interned at the Foreign Policy Research Centre in New Delhi where her focus of work was to write detailed articles on India’s Foreign Policy with special reference to Japan, China and the Southeast Asian Nations security issues. Gitanjali has also interned for the Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies, India and there is known to be a Japan specialist with focus on India-Japan Maritime Relations in the Indo-Pacific.
NAZIA JAFRI, ADJUNCT RESEARCHER
Nazia Jafri has done her Ph.D, in International Relations, from Jamia Millia Islamia (2020), New Delhi. She has also done her M.A. in convergent journalism from M.C.R.C, Jamia. Coming from a journalism background she has a keen interest in media and political affairs. Her research interest includes both Africa and Central Asia. She has worked previously at I.A.N.S, All India Radio, Africa Quarterly and a few news channels as well. During M.Phil she has worked on media censorship and human rights in North Africa. Her research topic during Ph.D. was-“Social Media and Uprisings in the Third World: Case Studies of 2010 Uprisings in Kyrgyzstan and Tunisia”. Her thesis explored the concept of social media and its significance to uprisings in two different corners of the world. Other than this she has presented papers and participated in different international and national seminars and conferences.
ARPITA GIRI, ADJUNCT RESEARCHER
Arpita Giri has done M.Phil. and Ph.D. in International Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. The topic of her Ph.D. thesis was – “Issues of Gender in Migration: A Comparative Study of Migration from Nepal to India and from Tajikistan to Russia, 1991-2001”. Her work for M.Phil dissertation and Ph.D. thesis dealt with issues and challenges faced by women from the Global South in the migration process and as part of diaspora. She has been actively participating in and contributing to International and National Conferences, Workshops, and Training Courses.
RAUNAK BHATTACHARJEE
Raunak Bhattacharjee is an Honours Graduate in Political Science from Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. His interests lay in International Relations, Area Studies and Maritime Naval Security Studies with particular emphasis upon the Indian Ocean Region, and he is a realist. His favourite realist scholars include John J Mearsheimer and Graham Allison. He is also interested in the Frankfurt School of Thought, Gramscian Studies and Postmodern School of Thought. He is an avid bibliophile and loves quizzes. He has been associated with Asia in Global Affairs from 2019 as an intern, and under the able guidance of the mentors, he has published 10 original papers and participated in more than 10 webinars as a paper presenter, winning due laurels and very often, being the youngest participant. His research interests lie in the fields of Security Studies, especially Maritime Naval Security. He has also worked on Populism, Post-colonialism, Marxism and Caste in India. He has completed a paper on challenging Chinese preponderance in the Indian Ocean Region that has been selected for publication at several international journals and for presentation at International Conferences. The paper deals with the important role that shall be played by India in countering Chinese preponderance in this region. After the escalations of the border clashes with India, along the Galwan Valley, the situation has become more precarious and the requirement of an Indian response to the Chinese threat has become quintessential. It is in such a moment, the understanding of Chinese ethics, in particular reference, the understanding of Sun Tzu’s Art of War and China’s Middle Kingdom stance becomes important. The implications of India, countering the same, are also something that he is focusing upon. He has also focused precisely upon the application of psycho-analytic theories in International Relations, trying to decode Role Conception, and to comprehend behavior of the actors in the arena of global politics. He has written extensively on American political behavior in the contemporary times, and is currently contemplating a possible solution to the Thucydides’ Trap using the balancing variables of India and the European Union. He is focusing his research upon Multipolarities arising across the globe, and concocting a longue durée approach of the same, to understand the comprehend the phenomenological aspect of the same in its brevity. He holds an unconditional offer for pursuing Masters in International Relations from the University of Essex, UK for the session of 2022-23. He also happens to hold simultaneous offers from the University of Leeds, University of York (UK) and SOAS University of London, UK.
Debayan Ghatak, Adjunct Researcher
I am a student of Political Science currently pursuing my masters from Presidency University, Kolkata. I have qualified UGC NET exam for the post of Assistant Professor. I have completed two internships one at Asia in Global Affairs and the other at ArmChair Journal. I take a deep seated interest towards International Relations in general and Indian foreign policy in particular and have penned several academic pieces in this regard. Apart from this I have done a couple of courses on Coursera on world politics and other issues.
Ratnadeep Maitra
Ratnadeep Maitra is a postgraduate student of political science. He has completed his graduation from Presidency University, Kolkata, and is currently pursuing his Master’s at the University of Hyderabad. He has qualified the UGC NET Exam for the post of Assistant Professor. His research interests include postcolonialism and race in International Relations, representation of political power, party system and electoral analysis, and dissection of the axes of gender, caste and religion in the social milieu. He has authored multiple incisive articles on the contemporary geopolitical churnings, during his previous stint as an intern at Asia in Global Affairs, apart from presenting a joint paper on “China’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy – An Appraisal”. His body of work also comprises extensive book reviews of the seminal scholarships of David Malone, Harsh Pant, Shivshankar Menon and C. Raja Mohan.
