Sharad K Soni
Sharad K Soni is Professor at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies (CIAS), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is also Deputy Director at the UGC-Human Resource Development Centre (formerly Academic Staff College), Jawaharlal Nehru University. Earlier, he served as Director, Area Studies Programme, CIAS (2015-2017). His specialization includes Inner Asian and Eurasian history, culture and politics with particular focus on Mongolia, Central Asia and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. He has to his credit six books, three monographs and over 90 articles/research papers/chapters published in scholarly journals and edited volumes. His major publications include Mongolia Today: Internal Changes, External Linkages (2016); Mongolia in the 21st Century: Society, Culture and International Relations (2010); Modern Mongolia: A Concise History (2007) [Co-authored]; Mongolia-China Relations: Modern and Contemporary Times (2006); and Mongolia-Russia Relations: Kiakhta to Vladivostok (2002). In recognition of his contribution to Mongolian Studies, Prof Soni has been the recipient of “Rashtriya Gaurav Award” (2017); Order of Nairamdal (Friendship) by the decree of the President of Mongolia (2015); Award of Honour by Centre for Indian Studies in Mongolia; Honoured Medal by Order of the President of Mongolia (2006) and ASIA Fellows Award (2005). His academic assignments abroad include Visiting Professor at Shandong University and Sichuan University, China (2016); Visiting Professor at Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan (2013 & 2014); Visiting Scholar at Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2011); Visiting Faculty at School of International Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China (2005-06); and Visiting Researcher at the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA (2004). He has also been a participant in “Rethinking Asian Studies in a Global Context”, a research network of International Institute of Asian Studies, Leiden, Netherlands, sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New York. Soni is presently serving as Book Review Editor (South Asia) for Asian Ethnicity Journal (Routledge, UK) and Editorial Board Member, Khabarshy (Herald), a Journal of L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan. He has not only delivered invited lectures at different universities and institutions in China, Central Asia and Mongolia but also presented papers at several seminars/conferences both in India and abroad including Australia, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA.
Sanjay Pulipaka
Sanjay Pulipaka is currently a Nehru Memorial Fellow. Formerly, he was coordinating the East Asia Research Programme at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi. Previously, he was a Pavate Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge, UK, and a former Fulbright Fellow in the Conflict Transformation Programme, in the United States. Sanjay’s areas of interest include India’s foreign policy, Indian politics, East Asian security issues, India-US Relations, regionalism and other related domains. Further, he has been closely following the political transition in Myanmar and conducted field research in that country and in Northeast India. He has substantive publication record with two co-edited volumes, policy reports, numerous research papers and Op-Ed essays. Sanjay also has extensive work experience with think-tanks and civil society organisations in India. He has considerable work experience in strengthening participatory political processes, governance frameworks and platforms for wider consultation. He can be reached at spulipaka@icrier.res.in and at sanjay.pulipaka@yahoo.com.
P.L.Dash
P.L.Dash has been Professor of Eurasian Studies and Former Director, Centre for Central Eurasian Studies at the University of Mumbai, India. He has been Visiting Professor, MEA Central Asian Program, Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Visiting Professor, CRRID, Chandigarh, India (from July, 2014 to September 2015) He was Professor of International Relations and ICCR India Chair, university of World Economy and Diplomacy, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. (December, 2011 to January 2014). He was Visiting Research Fellow, (December 1, 2010 to February 2011 at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has been Professor and Director (October 1997-October 2010) at the Centre for Central Eurasian Studies, University of Mumbai. He was Associate Professor (February 1994-October 1997) at the Centre for Central Eurasian Studies, University of Mumbai. He has been Lecturer (September 1988-February 1994) at the Centre for Soviet Studies, University of Bombay. He was Research Associate at the Centre for Soviet Studies, (January 19986-September 1988) at the Centre for Soviet Studies, University of Bombay. He was Research Fellow (March 1990-May 1991) at the Centre for Russian and East European Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. He has been CSIR Pool Officer(December1984-December 1985) at the Centre for Russian and East European Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His area of specialization is Soviet/Russian political history, Central Asia, Ethno-nationalism and Geopolitics in Eurasia, Indo-Russian Relations and International Relations. He has published over eighteen books (edited and authored) and over 165 research articles/papers in journals. He is proficient in Hindi, Russian and English.
