SSAI Annual Review 2018/19

www.soas.ac.uk/south-asia-institute iii SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM THE DIRECTORS:

A NOTE FROM SSAI DIRECTOR, PROFESSOR EDWARD SIMPSON ...... 2

A MESSAGE FROM SSAI DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AVINASH PALIWAL ...... 3

A NOTE FROM THE OUTGOING DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DR NAVTEJ PUREWAL . . . . .4

A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, DR SANJUKTA GHOSH ...... 5

DEVELOPING RESEARCH AGENDAS ...... 6

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS ...... 8

THE NOOR INAYAT KHAN DISSERTATION PRIZE ...... 9

SSAI IN NORTH AMERICA ...... 10

SSAI IN INDIA ...... 11

ARTISTIC AND OTHER EVENTS ...... 12

SOUTH ASIA PROGRAMMES AT SOAS ...... 18

TRAVELLING SSAI MEMBERS ...... 20

VISITING SCHOLARS AT SSAI ...... 22

RECENT PUBLICATIONS BY SSAI SCHOLARS ...... 24

SSAI STAFF PROFILES ...... 28 A NOTE FROM THE SSAI DIRECTOR

Welcome to this Review of the events of 2018-19.

It gives me great pleasure to South Asia initiatives and given money to self-promotion introduce the second annual and hyperbole. Along with uncertainties in UK and review since I have been international higher education this may, at the time, have the Director of the SOAS taken away some of our confidence. I want to use this South Asia Institute. It has review to give a strong message: SOAS is one of the leading “ At SOAS, we have been in busy year, notably institutions in the world for the study of South Asia, for the with momentous elections cultivation of new scholars and ideas, and for building of also been involved in India, and the tragedies partnerships based on trust and mutual respect. of terrorism in Sri Lanka. At As many of you will know, my job is made easier because I SOAS, we have also been in rethinking am carried by the strength and excellence of my colleagues. involved in rethinking the We represent the most extensive and diverse community role of our institution in the the role of our of scholars working on South Asia of any university outside modern world, as we decolonise our practices and ask the region itself. Our members include many of the ourselves questions: who are ‘we’? What do ‘we’ want to foremost scholars in their disciplines. We hold an unrivalled institution in the achieve? number of prestigious research awards. We advise and SSAI has held consultations with many of our members over consult governments, NGOs and cultural industries. We are modern world, as the last year on what the future might hold. Consequently, also cherished by our alumni. we have continued a rich programme of events and Our growing number of partnerships with universities academic seminars. But we have also taken on more we decolonise our and research institutes in South Asia reflect the way we external consultancy work than ever before, launched a are beginning to do things differently. We have worked competitive seminar series, taken part in business and hard to develop mutually beneficial collaborations in both practices and ask education summits, and lobbied hard for the interests teaching and research. Behind the scenes, we have also of SOAS in a number of international and governmental worked towards securing philanthropic funding with an ourselves questions: settings. eye on the future and the sustainability some of our more Strategically, we have promoted South Asia-oriented specialised scholarship. Who are ‘we’? scholarship at SOAS in the US and embarked on a profile- Please enjoy this review and see the pages that follow as raising campaign in West Bengal. We also appointed evidence that SOAS is not only alive and well, but leading Sanjukta Ghosh as Honorary Artistic Director to enhance What do ‘we’ want the field. our performance and musical offerings, which are so important for our outreach as well as our enjoyment. The to achieve?” SSAI and the other SOAS institutes also lead on research Edward Simpson, Director relating to climate change and infrastructure across the School. In recent years, other universities have opened India or

2 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 A NOTE FROM THE INCOMING DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Committed to The ongoing transition at SOAS impacted SSAI in the ease. advancing academic year 2018/19. On behalf of SSAI I would like to thank all our members, partners, South Asian Studies, It offered us an opportunity to think about the friends, and well-wishers, whose excellence, enthusiasm, and the SSAI promotes institute’s past, present, and future while considering support has truly made SSAI into a world-class institute on South cross-departmental our strengths and the prospective challenge Asian Studies. synergies and engages that we face. The key challenge is to reconcile a with the world to Avinash Paliwal simultaneous increase in our public profile and an enhance SOAS’s enlarged portfolio of activities along with reduced Deputy Director global outreach . administrative capacity that occurred due to the Though I understood restructuring of professional services. these aspects earlier, it was only after I took up This challenge notwithstanding, AY18/19 was a year the position of Deputy Director in March that I began of positive additions for the institute. Dr. Sanjukta to fully appreciate the depth and breath of SSAI’s Ghosh joined us as Honorary Artistic Director. She “ Committed to activities and impact. has contributed towards SSAI’s cultural and artistic outreach in the past, and has exciting plans to These ranged from attracting bright and critical minds advancing South Asian continue developing this strand of our activities. to join us as research fellows and students, hosting seminars and panel discussions with experts from Equally, we started initiatives with policymaking Studies, within and outside SOAS, organising cultural events institutions such as the UK Foreign and that reflect the diversity of the region, and work Commonwealth Office (FCO). We will be hosting the SSAI promotes towards generating funds and explore postgraduate the first ever SSAI-FCO workshop on Connectivity scholarship opportunities for students from South and Security in South Asia in October 2019. Such Asia, to consolidating existing relationships globally engagements will broaden our policy engagement cross-departmental while forging new ones with institutions and people and develop SSAI as a dynamic platform for critical hitherto not engaged with. conversations with practitioners thereby deepening synergies and engages our policy impact. Furthermore, to enable cross-departmental collaboration and to contribute towards SOAS’s None of this would have been possible without active with the world to vision of decolonising education, we invited support from our Director, Prof. Ed Simpson, working colleagues to share ideas for annual research seminar with whom is a delight and from whom I learn much. series and were delighted to support some of these Our professional team (especially Sunil Pun and enhance SOAS’s ideas financially and logistically. These activities mark Jane Savory) worked hard to support the institute’s continuity in the SSAI’s ethos to enhance diversity of activities all year round. My predecessor Dr. Navtej global outreach.” thought and practice as well as deliver on research Purewal, whose excellent hard work over the years excellence. set a high standard of performance, helped pave the way for me to enter the role of deputy director with

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 3 A NOTE FROM THE OUTGOING DEPUTY DIRECTOR

I stepped down from my my role as deputy director of the SSAI in early 2019, after nearly five very fulfilling years. Having once been a student of South Asia at SOAS in 1991/92, I joined SOAS in 2014 as the SSAI was being established and learned so much about the region and the significance of SOAS for South Asia as a focus of academic discussion and debate. I recently returned from Australia after taking up a Visiting Chair in Contemporary India at the University of Sydney where I was able to gain insights into how other parts of the world differently engage with South Asia. Since returning to SOAS from Sydney, I have joined the Department of Development Studies where I will continue to partake in South Asia-oriented teaching and research, but in a more student-facing capacity, which I am looking forward to.

At SOAS, I have learned as much as I have taught and absorbed as much as I have shared. The interactions, events, collegial relations and engagement with students make the SSAI a very special place for those interested in “The interactions, events, collegial critical thinking and the region. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with two directors of the SSAI, first Michael Hutt and then his successor Ed relations and engagement with Simpson. My successor, Avinash Paliwal is already bringing in new angles from which to approach the region which greatly augments the SSAI’s profile, and I wish him all the best in this role. students make the SSAI a very

The sustained and steady work of the SSAI has been possible because special place for those interested in of the hard work of the Centres and Programmes Office (some of whom are no longer working at SOAS) and, in particular, Jane Savory, the office critical thinking and the region”. manager, Sunil Pun, the SSAI Executive Officer, and Charles Taillandier- Ubsdell and Dorinne Tin Ming Kaw, to all of whom I am grateful. Finally, I wish to thank all of the well-wishers of the SSAI who have supported the events.

Dr Navtej Purewal Outgoing Deputy Director

4 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

I am very honoured to steer SSAI’s rich portfolio of artistic activities with the collegial support of leading experts in languages, literature, music and the arts. It is my privilege to build on the “The role of art in South Asia is entwined with institution’s capacity to host some of the finest exhibitions, performances, everyday activities, ranging from practising workshops and talks that are popular both within and outside the campus. Prior to this role, I worked on SSAI religion, rituals, routines, learning, consumption, projects, most notably bringing rural craftsmen from India to demonstrate entertainment and communications”. live religious art through workshops and a display that was held in the Senate buildings in October 2017. Bringing the potters from Kolkata’s cultural complex Kumartuli onto the university campus for the first time, helped showcase the importance of artisans in creative industries and the role of festivals that connect international students with celebrations at home. Similar festive ideas will be explored for other regions in South Asia that bond the campus with the diaspora and enhance knowledge of local cultures. The role of art in South Asia is entwined with everyday activities, ranging from practising religion, rituals, routines, learning, consumption, entertainment and communications. The sheer diversity of local cultures, oral traditions and languages, many of which are endangered or belong to minorities, need to be highlighted in the context of changing epistemic frameworks and pedagogic queries of the Global South. As India, given its population growth and economic potential, occupies a large portion of cultural partnerships with Britain, my aim will be to engage with multifarious regional arts that span national boundaries of knowledge and influence. SOAS campus is the ideal place to engage with the public, visitors and international scholars. SSAI will start a new weekend dialogic forum called ‘Saanglap’ for the diaspora, including members, friends, supporters and others interested in the region’s vibrant cultural agenda, partnerships and policy. Dr Sanjukta Ghosh Honorary Artistic Director

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 5 DEVELOPING RESEARCH AGENDAS

Time, money and process: anthropological Epicentre to Aftermath Political, social and for those attending to share comparative explorations of the infrastructural cultural impacts of earthquakes in South Asia insights outside the formal panel sessions. The conference was also treated to a screening On the 7th and 8th of June 2019, the SSAI has of a meditative film sequence of heritage co-hosted a PhD student led workshop titled: woodcarving, kindly shared by Britt Hatzius. Time, money and process: anthropological exploration of the infrastructural, co-organised The conference was jointly organised and hosted by Prof. Edward Simpson and Ms. Elisa Tamburo. by the SOAS South Asia Institute and the AHRC/ The event was co-funded by the SOAS China GCRF-funded project ‘After the Earth’s Violent Institute, the Doctoral School, and the Centre Sway’ and it is intended that a selection of the of Taiwan Studies. The workshop gathered early papers presented will appear in published form career researchers from the UK and Germany in due course. together with three keynote speakers from the UK and USA, to discuss the latest theoretical Afghanistan in Academia: Knowledge and and methodological thought on the theme Researchers from Nepal, Pakistan, India, Canada, Representation: of infrastructure from an interdisciplinary Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, perspective. The format of the workshop over and the USA travelled to London to join the The Afghanistan in Academia: Knowledge two and a half days allowed for presentations SOAS convenors and other UK-based researchers and Representation conference held on 20th and thorough discussions on the papers and for this two-day conference on 11-12 January. October 2018 brought together early career two roundtables methodological debates on Twenty-five papers were presented in panels on researchers working across disciplines within the researching infrastructure. A publication is likely ‘citizens, loss and reconstruction’, ‘recovery and the field of Afghanistan Studies. The aim of the to result from this workshop, which will include development’, ‘governance, bureaucracy and conference was to create a network of emerging papers of regional expertise ranging from South politics’, ‘producing heritage’, ‘reading sources’ scholars within the field, and learn about new Asia, to Africa and East Asia. and ‘interventions’. Seventeen of the papers and innovative research on the country, its drew on research conducted in the aftermath people and the diaspora, in light of growing of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, while others scholarship on the country since the fall of the focused on the Great Bihar earthquake of 1934, Taliban regime. the Gujarat earthquake of 2001, and the 2005 Information about the conference spread far earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. and wide, and the conference call for papers On the Friday evening Dr Sara Shneiderman of generated great interest, as abstracts from the University of British Columbia delivered a places as far apart as California to Calcutta public keynote lecture entitled ‘Restructuring were received. The themes of the papers Life: political, social, and material transformation presented throughout the day varied vastly, in post -conflict, post-disaster Nepal’ to a packed with pioneering scholarship on archaeology in audience in SOAS’s Scholars and Alumni Lecture Afghanistan to return migration and identity, Theatre. and visual propaganda mechanisms of the The conference schedule was creatively designed country’s former Communist government, to to ensure that there was plenty of opportunity name a few. While the presentations, question

6 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 DEVELOPING RESEARCH AGENDAS

and answer sessions and discussions, over a resettlement and poetry of those exiled typically Afghan lunch, also highlighted the by partition. An important aspect of the Decolonisation, not just a buzz word great enthusiasm the field garners among conference was bringing together scholars students and researchers alike, despite, based in India and Pakistan in the same room, SOAS South Asia Institute, in collaboration with theatre company often times, its relegation to the peripheries who otherwise due to geopolitical concerns Bhuchar Boulevard, hosted theatre performance exploring the of Central and South Asia within academia. would not have known about each other’s concept of decolonisation at SOAS on 7/8th February 2019. The work. The conference papers attempted look team spent several weeks interviewing people from the SOAS A follow-up workshop will be held in October beyond the tropes that have now become community (academics, students, alumni) and Decolonisation: of this year to mark 100 years since the end established in studies of the partition of not just a buzzword... was crafted from the edited interviews and of the third Anglo-Afghan War and the South Asia, by looking beyond Bengal and performed as a headphone verbatim theatre piece with a pan- recognition of an independent Afghanistan, Punjab, at state making process that have el discussion on both nights. We are heartened by the response with Dr Robert Crews of Stanford University been referred to as the ‘long partition’ that and affirmation that verbatim was a great way to bring all the as our keynote speaker took decades to become established. The captured campus conversations into one public space so that conference took view was that the critical people can ‘speak to each other’ through their recorded words. year for the looking at the effects of partition There was much debate afterwards and many of the interview- on Sindh and Gujarat was 1971, and not 1947. ees expressed how powerful it was to see themselves reflected through the conduit of the actors’ performances. As the piece On the Friday evening Professor Farhana is currently ‘SOAS specific’ and uses this as a microcosm for the Ibrahim of the Indian Institute of Technology, wider conversations that are taking place, it was great to see the New Delhi delivered a public keynote lecture SOAS audiences ‘seeing themselves’ and the laughter of recog- entitled ‘Remembering 1971 in Gujarat: nition and appreciation that SOAS is a place that enables con- Citizenship and (In)security across civil- flicting and contested viewpoints to be shared. At the same time, military terrains’ to a packed audience in people from outside the SOAS community expressed how the SOAS’s Brunei Gallery. The conference was ‘specificity’ enabled them to think about decolonisation within also treated to a screening of a ‘Everybody their own areas and practice e.g. in conservatoire drama training, needs a tribe’ a documentary film made by therapy and radio drama. This process has made us think about Doctor Sanderien Verstappen, of Leiden how to be more reflexive in our practice and our own personal University about a unique gathering of Vohra experiences of how to decolonise. We look forward to the next Muslin families, a community of Gujarati The Familiar Stranger Exploring Sindh- stage of this collaboration. Muslim, who travel from all over North Gujarat (Dis)connections America to meet distant relatives and make Researchers from Pakistan, India, France, the new acquaintances, and to celebrate their USA travelled to London to join the SOAS shared origins in the Gujarati Charotar region. convenors and other UK-based researchers The conference was jointly organised and for two-day conference on 18-19 January, hosted by the SOAS South Asia Institute and 2019. Sixteen papers were presented in 6 The Centre for the Study of Pakistan, SOAS. panels on issues as diverse as what defines Sindhiness and Gujaritiness, to refugee

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 7 MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Arundhati Roy delivers the Noor Inayat Khan Annual Lecture at SOAS Defending Democracy from Exile: The Maldives Opposition 2012-2018 – talk by President Mohamed Nasheed of the Republic of Maldives In a highly impactful talk to a fully packed KLT, former President of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed shared a first-hand account of the Maldivian opposition’s success in employing peaceful resistance against authoritarianism. When he won the country’s first free and fair election in 2008, it came on the back of three decades of dictatorship. This budding of democracy was quashed in 2012 by a coup d’état involving anti-democratic elements, loyal to the previous dictatorship, within the military and police. Nasheed was subsequently sentenced to a 13-year prison sentence, which was decried around the world as a transparent manoeuvre to The SOAS South Asia Institute was pleased to have hosted renowned Booker Prize- prevent him from challenging the Beijing- winning novelist, writer, and public commentator Arundhati Roy on 6th October 2018 in backed regime of Yameen Gayoom in the the newly refurbished Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre. Her lecture ‘Utmost Happiness and upcoming election polls. Living in exile Utmost Sadness: The Diary of India Today’ was held in collaboration with the Noor Inayat between Colombo, Sri Lanka, and London, Khan Trust who sponsor an annual lecture at SOAS called the Liberte series in honour of Nasheed led opposition efforts that Noor Inayat Khan. Arundhati Roy’s talk stemmed from the title of her recent novel The included building a multi-party coalition, Ministry of Utmost Happiness and gave a critical account of recent developments taking coordinating nationwide grassroots place in India. Joined by Professor Shohini Ghosh from Jamia Millia University, the lecture activism, global media engagement and was followed by a conversation between Roy and Ghosh in which Roy shared personal international diplomatic measures such as reflections on her journey as a writer alongside her more political non-fiction writing as the development of E.U. and U.S. Magnitsky an activist in witnessing and commenting on injustice in its myriad forms as she sees it sanctions reports. His talk on these subjects today in India. Due to popular demand a live streaming event was held alongside the was followed by an open and on-the- lecture. record conversation with the audience and members from the media. It covered a wide Watch the video recorded lecture Utmost Happiness & Utmost Sadness: array of issues ranging from geopolitics The diary of India nowadays. here: of South Asia and IOR, to China’s growing influence in Maldives, and climate action as https://youtu.be/0sGYyTxPP-s well as capital punishment in Maldives.

8 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 THE NOOR INAYAT KHAN DISSERTATION PRIZE

The Noor Inayat Khan Dissertation Prize: About Noor Inayat Khan:

Ila Ananya, who studied for an MA Gender Studies Noor’s life is nothing less than an the biography of Noor, Shrabani records at SOAS University of London during 2017-18, inspiration for anyone familiar with her that she would often sit and read a book has been awarded Noor Inayat Khan Prize for her story. She was born in Moscow in 1914 to in one of the benches in the square and ‘outstanding’ dissertation. The prize is awarded by an Indian father and an American mother. thus, to install a bust in the same square the Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust and the SOAS She began a career as a children’s writer. was, for Shrabani, liking ‘bringing Noor South Asia Institute (SSAI) to a SOAS MA student However, as soon as World War 2 broke back to the square.’ working in the fields of History and Gender Studies out, Noor stepped up to the rise of fascism The spirit that Noor embodied in her with reference to South Asia. in Europe. Setting her own career aside, life and death lives on at SOAS in many she decided to join the British Special Ananya was awarded the £1000 prize for her ways, thanks to the Noor Inayat Khan Operations Executive and head to France dissertation, “Notes on ‘Seeing and Stepping Memorial Trust. in a bid to support the Resistance. Noor Out: (In)Visibilizing Women’s Bodies in Delhi’s became the first woman radio operator Universities.” to be smuggled into occupied Paris and ended up saving the lives of many people without any fear for consequences. However, in 1944, Noor was captured and shortly after, executed at the Dachau concentration camp. Her actions have been recognised posthumously and she was awarded Britain’s highest civilian award for Bravery, the George Cross, and the Croix De Guerre by France, a military honour in recognition of her heroic efforts. Today, Noor’s bust stands at Gordon Square, not very far from SOAS. The Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust is a UK trust established in the memory of Noor Inayat Khan, Noor lived very close to the square, at 4 a descendant of the legendary Tipu Sultan and a Taviton Street. Spearheading efforts to secret agent in the Second World War. ensure that Noor’s legacy lives on is her biographer and the memorial’s founder, For further details on the Trust, and information Shrabani Basu, along with the Noor about scholarships available to SOAS students Inayat Khan Trust which includes, among whose research focuses on South Asia, visit the others, Smita Tharoor and Aditi Khana. In SSAI scholarship pages.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 9 SSAI IN NORTH AMERICA

SSAI in North America 2019 SOAS Alumni Overall by Edward Simpson In Toronto, I held individual meetings with I met hundreds of new people and learned a some inspirational SOAS graduates; in New great deal about the strengths and weakness In 2018, we took the strategic decision York I had a memorable evening with SOAS of various South Asia programmes. to promote the South Asia scholarship alumni, many of whom work for the UN; Most of those I visited expressed interest of SOAS in North America in order to in Los Angeles ‘pints with the prof’ turned in some form of future collaboration, rekindle old connections and to make into dinner with another fantastic group suggesting that there is more we can to new friends. In October 2019, I took to of our former students; in San Francisco, I do work directly with North American the road with a fantastically rewarding had the pleasure of meeting Laurence O. universities. I returned home in possession of and demanding schedule which took me Michalak, Emeritus Professor at Berkeley what could be the world's largest collection clockwise from Toronto to Stanford. and one-time SOAS Masters student and of South Asia Institute/Centre branded raw Dr Bharti Kansara, who is a long-time cotton bags, but I also return confident in South Asia supporter of SOAS in California. the knowledge that the SOAS South Asia Institute serves the interests of a much larger In Canada, I met with Directors and members group of scholars than can be found on any of South Asia Institutes and Centres and campus in North America. other colleagues who research and teach on South Asia at the University of Toronto, York University (Toronto) and University of education and fund-raising. Colleagues were Guelph – and in the US Syracuse University, particularly interested to learn more about Columbia University, CUNY, The New School, ‘decolonisation’ debates on our campus and University of Colorado, Stanford University, to think through the implications of these and at the universities of California in for the future of South Asia teaching and Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Berkeley. research. Some of these conversations have At these meetings we discussed research, now been taken up by other colleagues. teaching and how regional studies fit (or not) within the agendas of university Research

I also gave lectures on my own research at Toronto, Columbia, Stanford and at the universities of California in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Berkeley. Along the way, I squeezed in two conferences, two panels at the Madison South Asia Conference and an interdisciplinary conference on infrastructure called China Made at the University of Boulder in Colorado.

10 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 SSAI IN INDIA

SSAI in India 2019 University, University of Calcutta, Presidency University, Jadavpur University and a public by Edward Simpson lecture at The Asiatic Society. I was also fortunate to meet many university leaders, In February, I took a multi-tasking trip to academics and hundreds of students and India as part of our South Asia strategy. Along talk with them about intellectual life in their the way, I met many incredible people and institutions, SOAS, studying in the United experienced a great deal of generous and Kingdom, and, err, Brexit. At Presidency warm hospitality. I found however that SOAS’s University, we agreed to renew our reputation and the research and friendship highly successful MoU through which we of many of my colleagues are widely known regularly exchange post-graduate students. across the country and opened many doors. Along with Dr Sanjukta Ghosh, then an SSAI Edward Simpson and Sanjukta Ghosh with Satyam Roychowdhury (centre) and colleagues on a visit to Sister Nivedita University My journey started in Mumbai where I was Research Associate and now our Honorary honoured to present the keynote lecture at Artistic Director, I attended the Bengal the second Khoja Studies Conference hosted Global Business Summit as honoured guest education first-hand. at SOAS. I met K. Pandiarajan the by the University of Mumbai. I also met with of the University of Calcutta to agree the Minister for Tamil Official Language and colleagues from our partner institution the terms of new MoU for joint research in the It was not all work, Bruce Bucknell, British Culture and along with colleagues from Tata Institute of Social Science, including study of Humanities, Languages and Social Deputy High Commissioner Kolkata hosted TamilChairUK held a Press Conference at Madhushree Sekher, Chair of the International Sciences. The document was exchanged at a the lively annual reception to mark the which I put forward the reasons why SOAS Relations Office, and K.P Jayasankar and ceremony presided over by the Honourable 67th running of Queen Elizabeth II Cup in is the place to fund Tamil Studies and Anjali Monteiro, filmmakers and curators of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Dr collaboration with Royal Calcutta Turf Club. language in the United Kingdom. DiverCity, a wonderful archive on Mumbai. Amit Mitra, the Finance Minister. The Vice Mr G.M. Kapur and Nayantara Palchoudhuri, Chancellor of CU Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee representative of the SOAS alumni network I also had opportunity to visit the famous For a few days I stayed with CAMP, friends and Dr Lipi Ghosh were gracious hosts. in the city, treated me to a piano concert in Madras Institute of Development Studies and research collaborators, to discuss plans the Calcutta Museum followed by a friendly and to interact with A.R. Venkatachalapathy, for a film about road building in South Asia. Significantly, both at the Business Summit dinner in the Saturday Club. We also had tea the Officiating Director. I would like to thank As usual, they were in the middle of a million and elsewhere discussions also took place and cake with generations of the alumni in Benjhamin Niran Vikctor and Mr Shiva things. One of those things was a remarkable with government officers and a number the famous Flurys tearooms. for looking after me and making my stay extremely comfortable. and creative campaign called Posters Unite of university Vice Chancellors about the I had not been to West Bengal since 1991. which, in the run up to the national elections, renewal and expansion of the Bishwa Bangla Changes to the city made it largely The most cherished moment of the trip has brought artists together to produce Scholarships which allow two students unrecognisable to me as the low-rise Calcutta was in Midnapore at Vidyasagar University daily images designed to combat hate from West Bengal to come to SOAS to I remembered is now towering Kolkata much where I was hosted by my former SOAS politics and to bring about a different future. pursue masters degrees. This scheme has of which is painted Banerjee’s blue and PhD student Amit Kisku, who is now head In West Bengal, in less than a week, I been made possible by the generosity of white! of the Anthropology Department. Amit has delivered lectures at Vidyasagar University, the government of West Bengal and truly flourished, in no small part I would like to The final leg of the trip was to Chennai Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Visva- is a fantastic opportunity for students to think because of the time he spent at SOAS. Bharati University (two), Sister Nivedita study overseas and to experience SOAS to promote the campaign for Tamil Studies

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 11 ARTISTIC AND OTHER EVENTS

Dance and Music, Film, Mohanty, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Yudhisthir The interactive performance through a Theatre and Literary Events Nayak and the legendary late Gangadhar sonic journey of thunder, lightning, and Pradhan. She is also a panel artiste of the rain kept the audience rapt. The two acts SSAI hosted numerous visiting artists from Indian Council of Cultural Relations and the were carefully chosen to demonstrate the India giving talks, demonstrations and national broadcast Doordarshan. fluidity of movement, gestures and thematic content based on innovative raagas. The performances pitched to the wider public Janhabi presented Odissi, a classical traditional essences of the Eastern Indian and marking important socio-cultural dance form from Orissa, elucidating state steeped in temples, deity, rituals and celebrations worldwide. A selection of these the compositions Varshavisara and sculptures continue to influence Janhabi’s is reviewed here: Madhurastaka. Both these dances training and teaching in Orissa. She spoke to demonstrate the pure rhythmic body works Odissi Dance by Janhabi Behera students about newer emotive renderings representing the ancient temple sculptures of the legendary Krishna that appeal to the of Eastern India. She talked through different coastal environmental challenges. standing postures and fluid movements incorporating Indian raagas (non-western melodic frame). The hand gestures and Cosmic Idol to Ideal: A Passage of Durga to elaborate footwork initiated through Nava Durga rhythmic stages leading to ‘Moksha’ or The dance presentation of Nava Durga liberation were juxtaposed with abhinaya/ showcasing nine forms of cosmic energy acting or storytelling through dance. represented in the Markandeya Purana was Beyond the mainstream warrior These included the romantic disposition of launched in the UK for the first time. The representation and its recent resurgence, Lord Krishna known in Indian folklore, the final segment was performed in SOAS on 27 Nava Durgas are nine manifestations of eternal spirit of Gita Govinda representing October as ‘Cosmic Idol to Ideal: A Passage Durga’s attributes, depicting her as an ideal the emotive union of Radha and Krishna in of Durga to Navadurga’ by Ragasudha than an idol. Durga is shown as the epitome mythology. The first dance Madhurastaka Vinjamuri and a team of eight dancers from of feminine energy as Shakti that combats based on traditional Sanskrit composition Sanskruti, with choreography by Dr Uma negative vices such as arrogance, greed, related to Krishna’s playfulness as an infant, Rama Rao. hatred, and selfishness, for establishing the defeat of the evil serpent Kaliya and the a moral order in society. Different Indian On 08 September 2018, in association cosmic order of beauty. It is choreographed Dr Sanjukta Ghosh briefed the background classical dance forms such as Kuchipudi, with SPICMACAY -- one of India’s well- by Padmashree Pankaj Charan Das, directed Cultural Connects Week: Durga Utsav held Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and known non-political cultural movement, a by Guru Smt. Aruna Mohanty and the music in the previous year displaying precise Lavani showed the forms of divine power. distinctive Odissi dance recital by Janhabi composition by Guru Harihar Panda. The craftsmanship by Kolkata’s Kumartuli potters The dance used different weapons and Behera, was held immediately following second abhinaya Varshavisara depicts the in making a modular Durga that could be objects which stand for different traits and her receipt of the prestigious Bismillah arrival of monsoon as a relief to drought and changed on its head for a new form. The transitions. Khan national award. Known to be a stylish for those waiting in despair. She performed Navadurga dance as a sequel, replicated this soloist and as repertoire dancer of the the anxious wait and thrilling separation by principle of interchange, coinciding with the Apart from cultural connotations, the highly acclaimed Orissa Dance Academy, a skilful exercise of romantic yearnings using month of Navaratri – a celebration of Durga dancers demonstrated the multi-faceted she adheres to the teachings of Gurus Aruna music composition by Guru Ramahari Das. beyond Bengal to other regions in India. role of women in society. The performance

12 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 ARTISTIC AND OTHER EVENTS

highlighted a modern context to women’s 7th March Foundation Creating ‘Yogi and Ghat’: A Baithak in 240 years. Ustaad Surjeet Singh Aulakh and empowerment by bringing in additional Classical Music Sunil Jadhav accompanied the memorable nine participants as Queens championing evening with sarangi and harmonium On the International Day of Happiness, social causes representing the well-known respectively. 17th March 2019, SSAI music baithak in pageantry ‘Mrs India UK’ led by Aditi Gupta. association with Sangeet Foundation UK saw Barnali’s repertoire stems from the renowned They spoke about the ruling nine evils Barnali Chattopadhyay, the acclaimed panel musicologist Kumar Prasad Mukhopadhyay affecting society and the multi-faceted artist of the All India Radio and Doordarshan, (Agra Gharana); training from Thumri vocalists gender roles to deal with child labour, present her distinctive classical renditions such as Vidushi Purnima Chaudhuri, Shobha illiteracy, domestic violence, drug addiction, incorporating fusion trends in Bollywood. Gurtu and Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi. At FGM, human trafficking among other issues. The evening highlighted the therapeutic SOAS, Barnali demonstrated the repeated role of classical music that is breaking sound patterns in thumri (the erotic lyric of The SOAS South Asia Institute in partnership new grounds in research on communities Indian classical music), the mystic energy with 7th March Foundation hosted the affected by trauma and violence in society. of structured notes yielding to emotions. second Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Lecture on Drawing from her albums Yogi and Ghat she Her gayaki through Sufi, Thumri and Bhajan the 7th of March 2019. demonstrated songs blending romanticism makes a powerful appeal for social change. The second lecture of the series was with spirituality. Sanju Sahai, one of the The 2000-year-old city of Benaras and its delivered by Sohela Nazneed, Fellow at the finest and sought after tabla maestros river ghats – the traditional hub of musical Institute of Development Studies, titled performing for 47 years, who teaches music knowledge influences her eclectic style and ‘Contentious Empowerment? Women as in SOAS, brought the representative tabla performance of regional songs that explore agents of change in Bangladesh’. Applying Gharana to life, which had been around for the feminine transcendental spirit. a historical lens Sohela explored the roles played by women’s movement’s negotiation with the Bangladeshi state, national and international actors to secure gender equality outcomes. She also reflected on the national and international factors that created opportunities to promote women’s empowerment, and how national and regional economic and political shifts may positively or adversely influence the choices and pathways for Bangladeshi women to advance their interest and change the future. The lecture gave us an important opportunity to welcome guests from the Bangladeshi community in London to SOAS and from the Bangladesh High Commission.

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Film, Theatre and Literature visiting scholar at Univerzita Karlova (Prague) and a Reader in Bengali at Presidency University (West Bengal) provided comparative analyses of Narratives of Power and Liberation: Rabindranath the English Romantic poets and Rabindranath Tagore’s Dance Theatre Tagore, pointing to some direct borrowings influencing Bengali literature. Dr Saibal Basu of IMAN Center for Cultural Research and Performance (West Bengal) gave a solo performance in ten Acts, an ensemble of The seed of lyricism and romanticism was Tagore dance drama characters in Chitrangada, contained in medieval Vaishnava poetry or Shyama and Chandalika (Oct 2018). Basu’s Radha-Krishna Padavali. But in Tagore, Bengali repertoire of impressions ranged from Ananda romantic and lyric poetry blossomed fully in Chandalika, the Ardhanareeswara image incorporating expressions of the self and the suggesting the binaries of gender orientation omnipotence of imagination. Following the trail in Chitrangada, the conjugal violence from of Romantic poets like Wordsworth, Shelley, Shyama and the pitcher girl as Prakriti/Nature in Keats and Coleridge, Tagore’s poetry retains Chandalika. Following the tutelage by Acharya originality depicting the divine quality of love, Mohan Singh, his experimental performance beauty connected with good and truth, and focused on voices from the margins in the restorative power of nature. Like the English society, the inescapable caste, patriarchy and Romantics, poetic metres were followed, and traumas of constructed gender identity. With Rabindranath Tagore and the English Romantics rhyming was melodious; sadness, restlessness rich props, costume, jewellery and brilliant Celebrating the month of Paus/December in the and discontent, desire for the new, awareness of execution of body movements, the evening Bengali calendar which is marked by a popular a supreme and celestial presence and great love was marked by memorable soundtracks, rural fair ‘Paus Mela’ in Rabindranath Tagore’s for mankind were other Romantic attributes live singing in Bengali, interspersed with erstwhile home and global educational centre in Tagore, who also blended ideas from the semantics, pure rhythm and music. Shantiniketan, excerpts from a documentary Upanishads.

film was screened followed by a talk on Tagore’s Mitra who has published widely on Tagore, The performance is the first of its kind, with poetry. The film Images Unbound, Life and Times poetry and other aspects of Bengali literature, interchanging gender roles in a single artist, of Tagore directed by Mujibar Rahaman, the well- recited verses in Bengali with his own English who combined Tagore’s dance-dramas (Nritya known film-maker of Kolkata on ‘inspirational translations that kept the audience glued to a Natya) with original verses, translation and lives for future generations’, captures different thoughtful and philosophical literary evening. explanations. Saibal Basu’s performance was a strands of Tagore’s literary thoughts influenced centenary tribute to Rajeshwari Dutta who was a by internationalism and travel. music lecturer at SOAS in the 1970s, and an early exponent of South Asian ethnomusic, known for The film screening was followed by a talk on Tagore’s direct appreciation of her singing talent. Rabindranath Tagore and the English Romantics expanding the theme of international influences on Tagore. Manjubhash Mitra who has been a

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Ismat Chughtai’s ‘Lihaaf’ - A Theatrical Narration the emotive ambience. The evening brought and answering the topical political issues of out Playtonik’s vision of working with the ideas the time. As we moved through the political of Chughtai who remains an iconic feminist timeline of anti-colonial struggles, global forces writer on conservative feudal relations relevant of emancipation from class and race, the post- both in the past and the present. The discussion colonial trauma of India’s Partition, decades of touched on the tormented decade of India food insecurity, excesses of India’s Emergency and Pakistan’s Independence and Partition, and the rising tide of majoritarianism, cultural times when women’s voices were diminutive radicalism assumed newer proportions and to scale up the moral dilemmas of a same-sex appeal. This long-drawn process of the radical relationship, domestic abuse and its imprint on as accumulated knowledge inherits from the the victim’s memory. intensive past -- pre-Partition community songs, post-independent cultural icons such as Salil Several literary and performative sessions Chowdhury, Hemanga Biswas, Bhupen Hazarika led by eminent writers, actors and scholars Music and the Radical Impulse: The IPTA and continues to innovate with current crowd brought out the role of Progressive writers’ Tradition and Beyond pullers like Madan Gopal Singh and Shubha movement dominant in the second half of the Another concluding session on Progressive Mudgal. Damodaran ties the Indian experience twentieth century. First in line, honouring the artists was held towards the end of the summer with global influences such as Paul Robeson on International Women’s Day in March 2019, was term by Sumangala Damodaran, who visited SSAI Assamese song and teases out contemporary a solo dramatic narration of Ismat Chughtai’s from Ambedkar University, Delhi. She delivered India’s youthful desire to embrace Dalit voices Lihaaf (1942) by Roli Arun, a theatre artist and a lecture-demonstration on the IPTA (Indian for pops like Danger Chamar. Referring to her co-founder of the Bangalore based Playtonik. People’s Theatre Association) that developed monograph Radical Impulse: Music in the The Director of Playtonik’s production Deeban through the nation’s transitional period in Tradition of the IPTA’, she brought out the Chakravarthy was present to join the interactive politics and culture. Sumangala sang songs historical pointers to the emancipatory popular panel discussion led by the writer, playwright, and reflected on eight decades of radical music, and contemporary radical trends in music. translator Rukhsana Ahmad, co-founder of since the 1940s, exploring the myriad meanings Kali Theatre and SAADA. Roli Arun’s forty-five of popular and indigenous genres of the IPTA minutes monologue, using her own devices and musical tradition across India. She questioned dramatic techniques on empowerment brought the underlying assumption of the historic out the realities of child sexual abuse in a bespoke progressive movement as losing direction stage, set in the environs of the noble’s inner by shifting the gaze from texts to the power household. Drawing on regional Awadhi Hindi of music, artistic expression and its creative and Urdu, her expressions morphed to capture assimilation. Her work began with archiving the representative ethnographic material in and documenting the relatively marginal music Chughtai’s story, which Roli later described is and singing entering the fold of the IPTA as part of her own induction to local culture and alternative voices of nationalism. Drawing a life experiences among similar Indian characters. rich cultural canvas of plurality, the progressives Ghalib’s ghazal and lullaby lyrics of Irshad Kamil acquired the ‘radical impulses’ defined by the sung in plain voice by Arun Rangaraju added to very nature of their work, mode of questioning

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The 1947 Partition Archive – by Kamaldeep Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and its scrutiny affords insights into how and in the north Indian village of Bemni, Jeffrey Singh Sandhu, Citizen Historian by Prof. Christine Fair - co-hosted with CISD who the group recruits; LeT’s justification for offered three core arguments. One, he jihad; its vision of itself in global and regional stressed upon the importance of youth as In this introduction to the 1947 Partition This event was a launch of Prof. Christine politics; the enemies LeT identifies and the an interstitial generation, a type of informal Archive, citizen historian Kamaldeep Fair’s latest book on the Pakistani jihadist allies it cultivates; and how and where it peer-peer mentoring. Two, benefits of Singh Sandhu unpacked the purpose and group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT). Curated conducts its operations. Particular attention prefigurative politics is that it provides technique to create an oral history archive as a panel discussion, the event saw top is paid to the role that LeT assigns to women a basis for experimentation. And three, that documents stories from survivors of Pakistan experts such as Dr. Matthew Nelson by examining those writings which heap prefigurative politics is often associated with the Partition. The archive’s aim is not only to (SOAS), Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa (SOAS), Dr. Walter extravagant praise upon the mothers of a type of prolepsis – audacious reaching preserve the stories for future generations Ladwig (KCL), and Dr. Sarah Ashraf (LSE) aspirant jihadis, who bless their operations ahead – among political subjects. Attended but also to empower the partition witnesses discuss and debate the finer nuances of this and martyrdom. It is only by understanding by researchers from within and outside and their families to re-write the existing path-breaking volume that reveals little- LeT’s domestic functions as set out in these SOAS, the session generated constructive narratives as well as to bring the knowledge known aspects of how the LeT functions in texts that one can begin to appreciate why debate and discussion. It offered scholars of Partition into wider public consciousness Pakistan and beyond. The book does so by Pakistan so fiercely supports it, despite from disciplines other than geography and by documenting, preserving and sharing eye translating and commenting upon a range mounting international pressure to disband anthropology an opportunity to engage witness accounts from all ethnic, religious of publications produced and disseminated the group. with the concept of prefigurative politics and economic communities affected by by Dar-ul-Andlus, the publishing wing of LeT. and consider its salience beyond Bemni. the Partition of British India in 1947. The Only a fraction of LeT’s cadres ever see battle: Youth and Prefigurative Politics in India Jeffrey’s much acclaimed previous work on event generated much interest among the most of them are dispatched on nation-wide by Prof. Craig Jeffrey youth, politics, development, education South Asian community in London, and also ‘proselytising’ (dawa) missions to convert In this fascinating session Prof. Craig Jeffrey, and inequality in India has focused on attracted similar oral historians working on Pakistanis to their particular interpretation of Director of the Australia India Institute and similar themes. He is author of seven other parts of the world. Islam, in support of which LeT has developed Professor of Geography at the University books including Timepass: Youth, Class and a sophisticated propagandist literature. of Melbourne, spoke about the politics of the Politics of Waiting in India (Stanford This canon of Islamist texts is the most reaching ahead, which is known as a form University Press 2010) and India: A Very Short popular and potent weapon in LeT’s arsenal, of prefigurative politics. Based on research Introduction (OUP 2017).

Pongal Celebrations 2019 On 16 January 2019, the SOAS South Asia Institute welcomed members of Tamil Chair UK, the SOAS Tamil Society and A.S Rajan, Minister of Coordination from the High Commission of India to SOAS to mark the Harvest Festival of Pongal and Thiruvalluvar Day. They were joined by Professor Edward Simpson, Dr Navtej Purewal, Pro-Director Professor Steve Hopgood and Dr Meera Sabaratnam. The statue at the Russell Square entrance to the campus was presented to SOAS in 1996 and has since become a focus for both Tamil communities across the United Kingdom and passing tourists. His secular poetry is brought together in the Tirukkural, a collection of 1330 couplets detailing the everyday virtues and vices of an individual. This year’s event was particularly special as the fund-raising campaign for Tamil Studies at SOAS has gathered significant momentum.

16 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 ARTISTIC AND OTHER EVENTS EXHIBITIONS

SOAS South Asia Institute’s appreciation for Dick Alford ‘From Kabul to Kolkata: (former Secretary of the Charles Wallace India Trust) Of Belonging, On 7th of Memories, and Identity’ December the SOAS South Asia Institute hosted a reception in SOAS South Asia Institute, in the Paul Webley collaboration with SOAS Brunei Wing of SOAS in Gallery, Sussex Asia Centre, appreciation of American Institute of Afghanistan Dick Alford, who Studies, Peace Training and stepped down as Secretary of the Charles Wallace India Research Organisation, Chr. Trust after fifteen years. It was an emotional evening Michelsen Institute, and European for the many who had been touched by Dick’s care and Research Council hosted a diligence. He has put his own friendly and supportive photography exhibition by Moska mark on the Trust and is held in the highest regard by Najib and Nazes Afroz from mid- the many fellows who have come to study in the UK October to mid-December 2018 as a result. He is replaced as Secretary of the Trust by at SOAS Brunei Gallery; ‘From Shreela Ghosh. Kabul to Kolkata: Of Belonging, Memories, and Identity’. Shreela Ghosh’s career in the creative industries has been exceptionally rich and varied. Over the past 30 Moska Najob and Nazes Afroz, two years she has worked in Dance, Theatre, Film and TV, journalists cum photographer, Visual Arts, Heritage and Literature. She has delivered embarked on a 3-year long project large-scale cultural development programmes in the to tell the story of a century old UK and South Asia. In 2011, Shreela joined the British social transformations among the Council and became the first Regional Director Arts for Afghan community in Kolkata. South Asia. The exhibition demonstrated a In 2018 she decided to move on from the British Council specific intra-Asian connection and is delighted that in her new role she will be able between Afghans and Indians that to continue to foster the interests of talented young highlights larger historical pattern Indians and to work with the trust’s longstanding of trans-Asian migration, cultural partners in both India and the UK. resilience and transformation, and shifting senses of self, community The SOAS South Asia Institute wishes Dick the best for and home. his latest retirement and Shreela the best in her new role.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 17 SSAI Director, Edward Simpson exchanges a Memorandum of Understanding with Sonali Chakravarty Bondhopadhyay, the Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University in the presence of Mamta Banerjee and Amit Mitra at the West Bengal Global Business Summit.

18 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 SOUTH ASIA PROGRAMMES AT SOAS

The SSAI provides an enriching environment for students coming to SOAS to study the region of South Asia with our active schedule of seminars and events throughout the academic calendar. In addition to modules being offered as options throughout the school as a part of more discipline-based degrees, there are various ways that students can more specifically explore South Asia at SOAS through formal study*: 01 02 03 04 05 MA Intensive South Asian Studies MA South Asia area studies (1-year) – MSc Development Studies Centre for International Studies MA Global Security and (2-year) – School of Languages, School of Languages, Cultures (Contemporary India pathway) and Diplomacy (CISD) Strategy (Online) Cultures and Linguistics and Linguistics – Department of Development The programme is delivered The MA in Global Security and This course is an exciting The MA in South Asian Studies Studies by the Centre for International Strategy takes a critical view opportunity to develop an provides exceptional opportunities The programme Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) to traditional strategic studies, understanding of South Asia that for advanced study of one of the attractsapplications from in association with the FCO’s encompassing Africa, Asia and is of the greatest possible depth world’s most diverse and important students with a variety of Diplomatic Academy, Middle East approaches to and sophistication, and is based regions. academic and experiential using a combination of multi- grand strategy for peace and upon cultural and linguistic fluency disciplinary teaching, cutting- security, conflict resolution, Students can choose to concentrate backgrounds. as well as advanced training in edge research and public international collaboration, on pre-modern or modern South Asia We welcome applications from an academic discipline. Students discussion of diplomacy and war technologies and and can acquire a basic knowledge those who have worked in a study a South Asian language and international politics disarmament. of one of the area’s languages. broad field of development, a relevant discipline and spend a in a globalised world. but also from students without Modules covering South Asian semester at a partner university in The degree provides a wide-ranging relevant work experience who This programme is available as a Region: a South Asian country. interdisciplinary analysis of the South can demonstrate a strong Masters, Postgraduate Diploma Asian countries – India, Bangladesh, 1. Indian Foreign and Security interest in, and understanding and Postgraduate Certificate level. Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri of, development issues. Policy Lanka. Disciplines available include * Please contact the respective 2. Afghanistan: Strategic and Politics, Economics,Anthropology, departments for information Geopolitical Perspectives Law and History. pertaining to these programmes. 3. Economy, Politics, and The programme attracts students Society: South Asia from a variety of backgrounds. While some wish to broaden their previous 4. Pakistan: Religion, Politics, studies or experience of South Asia, and Security others approach the programme without having a South Asian element to their first degree, but with a desire to focus their previous training on the region.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 19 TRAVELLING SSAI MEMBERS

Dr James Mallinson Dr James Mallinson spent a month-long trip to India in January 2019. The first two weeks were spent in Delhi and Rajasthan visiting manuscript libraries and speaking at the Jaipur Literary Festival (together with SOAS colleague Dr Daniela Bevilacqua). In between talks at the festival, Dr Mallinson made visits to the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum in the City Palace to consult its manuscript collection, which is overseen by Dr Giles Tillotson, formerly Reader in History of Art at SOAS, now occupant of a beautiful office in the heart of one of India’s most visited tourist attractions. The collection has not been formally catalogued but there is a digitised list of over 10000 manuscripts. Among various interesting works Dr Mallinson was delighted to find an entry for the Yogabhāskara, an important medieval yoga text which was thought to have been lost. He is now writing an essay on this manuscript for a forthcoming book on treasures of the palace collection and plans subsequently to edit and translate the text. After Jaipur, Dr Mallinson spent ten days at the Kumbh Mela festival together with his colleague on the Hatha Yoga Project, Dr Daniela Bevilacqua. Staying in the heart of the camps of the traditional ascetics, they caught up with old yogi friends and made several interesting new ones. Among many fresh insights, a highlight was witnessing for the first time the ancient jal-dhārā austerity, in which Among many fresh an ascetic has 108 pots of cold water poured over him at 4am every day for the four winter months. insights, a highlight Professor Michael Hutt “ was witnessing for the

Michael Hutt, Professor of Nepali and first time the ancient Himalayan Studies, has returned from a six- week research visit from Nepal as part of the jal-dhārā austerity, in project ‘After the Earth’s Violent Sway’, funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund which an ascetic has through the Arts and Humanities Research 108 pots of cold water Council. The project investigates the cultural “ and political impacts of the April 2015 Nepal poured over him at earthquake and of earlier earthquakes in Nepal 4am every day for the During the trip, Michael visited the hill four winter months. villages that were at the epicentre of the 2015 earthquake and almost completely destroyed. For further info, see the project blog: https://sway.soscbaha.org/blog/

20 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 TRAVELLING SSAI MEMBERS

Professor Navtej Purewal Navtej Purewal, Reader in Political Sociology and Development Studies, presented for the Ma & Morley foundation scholars programme at the University of Newcastle in Australia which supports students from indigenous/aboriginal/marginal communities in Australia. The session was presented as part of the foundation’s theme ‘Peace, demilitarisation and cultural respect’ with the Australian Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Tej provided the background and analysis of the ongoing conflict and recent escalations in South Asia between India and Pakistan in terms of borders, nationalism and militarisation. The day focused on the global context of the movement to ban nuclear weapons, Australia’s refusal to sign the ban treaty, and the South Asian region as a ‘hot spot’ of nuclear nationalism with India and Pakistan being two out of nine countries possessing nuclear weapons. ICAN is a global civil society coalition which has campaigned to promote and bring into full implementation the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work.

Professor Bhavani Shankar Bhavani Shankar worked on two major projects set in South Asia, ‘Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems’ (SHEFS) funded by the Wellcome Trust, and ‘Market Intervention for Nutritional Improvement’ (MINI), funded by the Gates Foundation.

These have required quite a lot of travel, particularly in rural Bihar, but also to other parts of India as well as Bangladesh. A long-running project, ‘Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia’ (LANSA) also came to an end in early 2019. These projects have results in 8 journal articles being published during this year. I gave keynote lectures in 2018 at the EAT Asia-Pacific Food Forum in Jakarta and at the Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research, Mumbai. We have also won some new funding as part of a consortium - the GCRF-funded ‘Action Against Stunting’ Hub that includes an India study site.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 21 VISITING SCHOLARS AT SSAI

Charles Wallace India Trust are published from Pakistan on this topic. But discuss my work with Dr. Eleanor Newbigin Fellowship at SOAS, 2018-2019 the SOAS Library has an excellent collection of from the history department which was very The SOAS South Asia such books and reports. This fellowship gave useful. Being in London provided me with the Institute, through Dr Anwesha Sengupta me an opportunity to consult this collection. opportunity to meet some of the UK based Moreover, I also consulted the archival researchers working on my field, including Prof. the generous support collection at SOAS where I found the collection Ananya J. Kabir and Uditi Sen. titled “India: A People Partitioned” very useful. of the Charles Wallace At SOAS, I delivered a lecture titled “Living on The CWIT-SOAS fellowship also provided me Trust, annually the Edge: The Platform Refugees of Calcutta, with an opportunity to work at the British 1950s-1960s” (20 March, 2019). The lecture was awards two visiting Library. The India Office Records (IOR) and the chaired by Professor Edward Simpson. It was Manuscripts under the Asia Africa Collection fellowships for a an intellectually stimulating experience as I are very useful for my research. I found the received very useful feedback and important three-month long Fortnightly and the Weekly Reports sent by questions from the audience and from the the British Deputy High Commissioners from association with SOAS. Chair. Eleanor Newbigin from the history Kolkata and Dhaka between 1947 and 1950 department, Shreela Ghosh and Richard Alford These fellowships particularly useful. I also found various reports from Charles Wallace India Trust and others are awarded to one published by the East Pakistan Government attended the lecture. on matters of jute trade. Since I look into the scholar each from India economic consequences of Partition for East I also used this opportunity to visit museums and Pakistan. Assistant Professor, Institute of Development and West Bengal, these record were extremely and old bookshops in London. Visiting the Studies Kolkata helpful. British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, It is awarded to those National Gallery and the Tate Modern It was an honour and a great privilege to receive At SOAS South Asia Institute, I had opportunities academics who are were enriching experiences. I also spent a the Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship at to interact with a number of faculty and considerable time exploring a number of ready to make the SOAS University of London. I reached London researchers who were generous with their bookshops near SOAS and BL, including Judd, most of a short period on January 22 (2019) and I spent next three time and comments. I discussed my work Skoob, Waterstones, London Review of Books months in the city. Richard Alford and Shreela with Professor Edward Simpson, the director of study and discussion Ghosh of Charles Wallace India Trust and Jane and Houseman. of the South Asia Institute and received very at SOAS. Applications Savory and Sunil Pun from SOAS South Asia useful feedbacks. I also had the opportunity The three months that I spent at SOAS were Institute were extremely helpful with all the to interact with his PhD students. Discussing exciting and intellectually stimulating. I am very are encouraged from logistical details. Therefore, settling down in my work with the research associates of the grateful to Charles Wallace India Trust and SOAS those scholars who London and at SOAS was not difficult at all. South Asia Institute – Dr. Priyanka Basu and Dr. South Asia Institute for this lovely opportunity. have had no or little During my three months stay at London, Sanjukta Ghosh – was also very productive. I I particularly want to thank Shreela Ghosh I worked extensively at the SOAS Library. attended the seminars and events organised by and Richard Alford from CWIT, Prof. Edward opportunity to do My research focuses on the process of the South Asia Institute. Moreover, I attended Simpson, Jane Savory, Sunil Pun and Dorinne research outside implementing Partition (1947) in India and three lectures at the history department of Kaw from the South Asia Institute, SOAS for Pakistan. As a scholar based in India, I have very SOAS. These lectures were very interesting and their time, support and encouragement. their countries. limited access to the books and reports that relevant to my work. I had the opportunity to

22 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 VISITING SCHOLARS AT SSAI

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Fellowship at SOAS, 2018-2019

Dr Umber Bin Ibad

Associate Professor, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) Lahore

It was an honor to receive the Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Fellowship at SOAS University of London. From the very first day, I found everyone around me very accommodating and convivial. Mr. Tim Pritchard and Mubashir Sheikh from Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust and Sunil Pun from SOAS South Asia Institute were extremely helpful with all the logistical details. I was all set after reaching London on 11 June 2019 for having an exciting research experience. improve, especially my methodological position. The three months that I spent at SOAS were exciting and During my three months stay, I worked extensively at intellectually stimulating. I am very grateful to Charles Working at SOAS also gave me opportunity to get exposed to the SOAS Library. My research focuses on the “religious Wallace Pakistan Trust and SOAS South Asia Institute for this the multi-disciplinary academic environment even outside tourism: Identity, Pilgrimage and Borders” in Pakistan. SOAS lovely opportunity. I particularly want to thank Mubashir SOAS. Along with attending the seminars and book launches has a big library with the extensive collection of research Sheikh from CWPT, Prof. Edward Simpson, Tej Purewal and at SOAS I was able to attend and participate in some of the material helping me develop my project in archival as Sunil Pun from the South Asia Institute, SOAS for their time, related academic activities. I attended a seminar at Glasgow well as theoretical ways. The CWPT-SOAS fellowship also support and encouragement. provided me with an opportunity to work at the British university. I attended another seminar at the university of Library. The India Office Records (IOR), especially the Foreign Warwick. I went to Cambridge to attend a talk by Hussain Office Correspondence and Sanitation Reports, along with Ahmed Khan on the meaning of heritage. the Records of the Hajj were very useful. I also found rare I was invited at the University of Bath for a day conference on Manuscripts and the research journals of nineteenth and the Memory, Culture and Disputed Territories. I presented my SOAS Charles Wallace India twentieth century useful for my research. developing research and received important feedback. and Pakistan Fellowship At SOAS South Asia Institute, I had opportunities to interact I also used this opportunity to visit museums and old with a number of faculty members and researchers who bookshops in London. Visiting the British Museum, Victoria were generous with their time and comments. I discussed and Albert Museum, National Gallery and the Tate Modern For more information please visit: my work with Professor Edward Simpson, the director of the were enriching experiences. I also spent a considerable www.soas.ac.uk/south-asia-institute/ South Asia Institute and received very useful feedbacks. I also time exploring a number of bookshops near SOAS and BL, had the opportunity to discuss extensively my work with including Judd, Skoob, Waterstones, London Review of scholarships/fellowship/ Dr. Tej Purewal. Her feedback gave me plenty of insights to Books and Houseman.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 23 RECENT PUBLICATIONS BY SSAI SCHOLARS

Almut Hintze: Living Zoroastrianism Rahul Rao: ‘Out of Time: the queer politics of a modernist agenda. Jainism as a lived postcoloniality’, religion is analysed here for the first time as Almut Hintze co-edited a volume in a dynamic social system with regard to an honour of Maria Macuch, the historian of Rahul Rao gave talks on his forthcoming individual Jaina sect that self-referentially Sasanian law. Together with the team of book ‘Out of Time: the queer politics of reproduces itself through selective networks the Multimedia Yasna (MUYA), the SOAS postcoloniality’, which explores the politics of actions and communications connecting Shapoorji Pallonji Institute and Dr Sarah of contestation of antisodomy laws in itinerant mendicants and their devotees. Stewart, the team put on an exhibition on Uganda, India and the UK. These included The work is both an ethnography and a Living Zoroastrianism in the Foyle Gallery public lectures in Copenhagen and Brussels, contribution to the comparative sociology within SOAS’s Brunei Gallery (Oct.-Dec. as well as a seminar in Yale University’s of knowledge. The empirical investigation 2018). South Asia Studies Council Colloquium focuses on the documentation and historical Series. He has also spoken about his work contextualisation of religious practices, The exhibition also formed part of the on the politics of controversies around the overall aim of the study is a better Bloomsbury Being Human Festival in statues of public figures (many in India) theoretical understanding of the effects of November 2018. on a number of occasions, including at a social forces on the structure of thought by public event at the LSE. Recent publications way of an exemplary investigation of current include a review article surveying literature processes of change and modernisation in on the politics of time and temporality in the Jaina tradition. international relations in Millennium: Journal of International Studies, and a review of Jasbir Puar’s recent book ‘The Right to Maim’, offered from a decidedly Indian perspective, on The Disorder of Things blog.

Philippe Cullet: The Right to Sanitation in Peter Flügel : India Asceticism and Devotion: The Ritual System of the Terāpanth Śvetāmbara Jaina , Röll Philippe Cullet edited Right to Sanitation Verlag, 2018 in India – Critical Perspectives (Oxford University Press, 2019) with L. Bhullar & The two-part monograph Asceticism and S. Koonan eds, both SOAS PhD alumni; Devotion: The Ritual System of the Terāpanth published ‘Model Groundwater (Sustainable Śvetāmbara Jaina, based on fieldwork Management) Bill, 2017: A New Paradigm and archival research mainly conducted for Groundwater Regulation’, 2/3 Indian in Rajasthan in 1992-93, describes history, Law Review 263 (2018) and wrote opeds on philosophy, organisation, ritual system, and water law and policy in The Print and the influence of a ‘protestant’ Jaina mendicant Shillong Times. order that doctrinally rejects image- veneration and from 1949 onward pursued

24 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 RECENT PUBLICATIONS BY SSAI SCHOLARS

Peter Flügel : Contributions to Jaina Studies: Jaina Amina Yaqin: Contesting Islamophobia: anti-Muslim prejudice in Media, Culture and Politics Schools & Sects, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2019 SOAS University of London’s Dr Amina Yaqin, Senior Lecturer in Urdu and Postcolonial Studies, has co-edited a new book on anti-Muslim prejudice in The twelve articles assembled in this first media, culture and politics. volume of the author’s Collected Papers Contesting Islamophobia: anti-Muslim prejudice in Media, Culture and in Jaina Studies, written in English, were Politics is co-edited with SOAS research student, Dr Alaya Forte (Centre for published as journal articles and book Gender Studies) and Peter Morey (University of Birmingham). This book chapters between 1996 and 2016. They are is an output of the Muslims Trust and Cultural Dialogue research project, reproduced here in almost identical form, funded by the RCUK, led by Professor Morey in collaboration with Dr Yaqin though an attempt was made to eliminate as partner and Dr Alaya Forte as research assistant. The publication has typographical errors and minor mistakes. received generous support from Professor Abdel Haleem (SOAS Centre for Three articles, chapters 2, 6, and 11, which, Islamic Studies). on request, were first published without the use of diacritical marks, have been changed The book reveals the way in which Islamophobia’s pervasive power is back to their original format. In a few cases, being met with responses that challenge it and the worldview on which the biographical data of recently deceased it rests. The volume breaks new ground by outlining the characteristics of individuals were updated. contemporary Islamophobia across a range of political, historic, and cultural public debates in Europe and the United States. The articles address aspects of the history, doctrine, organisation, and ways of life in Chapters examine issues such as: how anti-Muslim prejudice facilitates Jaina mendicant orders, sects and schools, questionable foreign and domestic policies of Western governments; the following an overview of the contemporary tangible presence of anti-Muslim bias in media and the arts including a monastic traditions. The majority are critique of the global blockbuster fantasy series Game of Thrones; youth outcomes of a long-term research project, activism in response to securitised Islamophobia in education; and activist covering a period of over 30 years, on the forms of Muslim self-fashioning including Islamic feminism, visual art and aniconic or amūrtipūjaka Śvetāmbara Jaina comic strip superheroes in popular culture and new media. traditions, which had been neglected by Drawing on contributions from experts in history, sociology, and literature, modern scholarship and, with the notable the book brings together interdisciplinary perspectives from culture and exception of the Terāpanth and the Śramana. the arts as well as political and policy reflections. It argues for an inclusive Samgha,. are still almost unknown even cultural dialogue through which misrepresentation and institutionalised Islamophobia can be challenged. in India itself. Two articles pertain to the Akrama Vijñāna Mārga, a new syncretistic The volume includes a chapter by Dr Yaqin entitled ‘Islamic Feminism in a Time of Islamophobia: the Muslim Heroines of Leila Aboulela’s Minaret and Elif Shafak’s Forty Rules of Love’. religious movement, combining Sāmkhya. ontology with Jaina soteriology. Further information on the book can be found on the publisher’s website. Dr Yaqin will be in conversation about the book at the Bradford Literature Festival ‘Islamophobia from Street to State’ on 6th July.

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 25 SSAI STAFF PROFILES

Anthropology Dr Feyzi Ismail Senior Teaching Fellow

Institute Director: Emma Crewe Expertise: NGOs and social Dr Jens Lerche Professor Tom Selwyn Professor Professor of Social movements, politics and development Reader in Agrarian & Professorial Research Edward Simpson Anthropology in Nepal & South Asia, global Labour Studies Associate Professor of protest and change, alternatives to Social Anthropology Expertise: South Asia and the UK; neoliberalism and imperialism. Expertise: India; labour, social Expertise: Tourism/pilgrimage with anthropology of institutions (including Email: [email protected] movements and globalisation; labour regional interests in Palestine/Israel Expertise: Infrastructure development the UK parliament and development and the ILO; labour and caste in India; and Bosnia-Herzegovina. in South Asia; Islam in South Asia; NGOs), international development, agrarian political economy. Email: [email protected] politics, ethnography and society policy, planning and practice, Email: [email protected] in Gujarat; social theory and technology, gender, children’s rights, violence and inequality. the Indian Ocean; disaster and Dr Navtej Purewal Email: [email protected] reconstruction anthropology; Deputy Director, SOAS post-colonial rural change. South Asia Institute Dr Paolo Novak Email: [email protected] Development: Dr Alessandra Mezzadri Lecturer in Expertise: IFeminist scholarship and Senior Lecturer in Development Studies gender in South Asia; reproductive Development Studies rights; girls’ education; neoliberalism Expertise: Trans-nationality with Expertise: International trade, global Professor and social policy; bordering processes reference to migration; refugee Professor David Mosse commodity chains; production Jonathan Goodhand in Punjab across India and Pakistan regime; borders and NGOs Professor of Social networks and industrial systems; Professor in Conflict & Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Anthropology informality and processes of labour Development Studies informalisation; inequality and social Expertise: South & Central Asia; complex structures of oppression; gender, Expertise: India, especially Tamil political emergencies, humanitarian aid; feminisms and reproduction; the Nadu and Adivasi western India; NGO capacity building; aid, conflict political economy of the garment caste and religion, Dalit politics, Professor Nigel Poole and development. industry; the political economy of India vernacular Christianity, environmental Anna Larson Professor of International Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] history, common property resources, Research Associate Development Policy indigenous irrigation, participatory rural development, aid agencies, Expertise: Democratisation in Expertise: Agri-health and nutrition, Afghanistan and other conflict- natural resources and food value anthropology of development. Professor affected states, with a focus on gender chains, poverty reduction Email: [email protected] Peter P Mollinga and democratic institutions (elections, Email: [email protected] Dr Richard Axelby Professor of political parties and the legislature). Research Associate Email: [email protected] Development Studies

Expertise: Natural resource use, Expertise: South Asia, Central Asia; citizenship and identity, and the comparative political sociology of Damian Walter politics of development. water resources and development; Senior Teaching Fellow Email: [email protected] technology and agrarian change; boundary work in natural resources management; interdisciplinary Expertise: Nepal; shamanism and ritual social theory. practice; anthropological theory, past Email: [email protected] and present. Email: [email protected]

26 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 SSAI STAFF PROFILES

Professor Dr Sonali Deraniyagala Dr Pallavi Roy Bhavani Shankar Lecturer in Economics Lecturer in Dr Shabnum Tejani Professor of International International Economics Dr Roy Fischel Senior Lecturer in the Food, Agriculture Expertise: South Asia and sub- Lecturer in the history History of Modern and Health Saharan Africa; technical change and Expertise: Political of South Asia South Asia productivity in manufacturing; industrial Economy of Growth, Expertise: Analysis of economic drivers policy, the impact of trade liberalisation governance and liberalisation in Expertise: History of precolonial South Expertise: Nineteenth and Twentieth of over and under-nutrition, nutrition on manufacturing performance developing countries, corruption, Asia, Muslim polities and societies; The century social and intellectual history, transition, dietary policy evaluation, Email: [email protected] Institutional Economics, Industrial Deccan, 1300-1700; South Asia and particularly of the Bombay Presidency; impact assessment and the role of policy, politics of austerity in Europe the early modern Muslim world communalism and nationalism in agriculture in enabling better nutrition and the Euro crisis. Email: [email protected] India; debates around secularism and and health. Email: [email protected] religious intolerance. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Professor Mushtaq Khan Dr Eleanor Newbigin History of Art & Archaeology Professor of Economics Financial & Senior Lecturer in Dr Subir Sinha Management Studies the History of Modern Senior Lecturer in Expertise: Institutional Economics Professor Pasquale South Asia Institutions and and political economy; the Scaramozzino Development economics of rent seeking, corruption Expertise: History of modern South Dr Crispin Branfoot and patron-client networks; late Professor of Economics Asia, particularly the transition to Reader in the History Expertise: Institutions of development, industrialisation and the state Expertise: Macroeconomics, applied independence; gender, family and law of South Asian Art & NGOs, social movements; the Email: [email protected] econometrics, fiscal policy. in colonial and post-colonial India Archaeology environment, common property Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] institutions and resource use. Expertise: Architecture, sculpture Email: [email protected] and painting in South Asia, especially History in southern India; pilgrimage and sacred geography; material religion; Economics: Dr Satoshi Miyamura colonialism and material culture. Senior Lecturer in the Dr Mandy Sadan Email: [email protected] Economy of Japan Professor Reader in the History of Michael W. Charney South East Asia Expertise: South & East Asia, Professor of Asian Dr Antonio Andreoni especially India & Japan, Development and Military History Expertise: Ethnicity and conflict in Senior Lecturer Economics, Labour economics mainland South East Asia, cultural in Economics and Institutional economics, Expertise: The history production, non-national histories Dr Fiona Buckee Labour-management bargaining; of Buddhist societies in South and of Eastern Himalayas and South East Research Associate Expertise: Production structures and Research Methods in Economics Southeast Asia and of culture, Asian Massif and the South, South East capabilities; Learning, Organisations Email: [email protected] technology and warfare in colonial and East Asia border worlds of Burma Expertise: Design and formalistic & Innovations; Automation & Robots; Africa and Asia. Email: [email protected] development of Indian temple Industrial Eco-systems; Linkages, Email: [email protected] architecture, Latina temple spires from Diversification & Industrial Renewal; the Vastushastras (Indian texts detailing Financialisation of Manufacturing; the ‘rules’ of Indian architecture). Political Economy of Industrial Email: [email protected] development; political settlements and corruption; Structural Economic Dynamics; Global Policy Email: [email protected]

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 27 SSAI STAFF PROFILES (CONTINUED)

Krishna Pradhan Law Professor Senior Lector in Nepali Dr Heather Elgood, MBE Rachael Dwyer Dr David Lunn Course Director of the Professor of Indian Simon Digby Expertise: Nepali Language Diploma in Asian Art Cultures & Cinema Postdoctoral Fellow Email: [email protected] Dr Samia Bano Expertise: A specialist in Persian, Expertise: Hindi Cinema; Indian Expertise: 19th and 20th century Senior Lecturer in Law Jain, Sultanate and Mughal popular culture; Indian film; Hinduism; Hindu and Urdu literature; cinema; manuscript painting as well as the new middle classes; Mumbai/Bombay; music; journalism; North Indian Expertise: Muslim Family law in the UK ritual arts of Hinduism. Gujarati language and literature; literary history; intellectual history; Naresh Sharma & Europe, Family Law, Multiculturalism, Email: [email protected] Gujarati diaspora, especially UK & East literary translation Senior Lector in Citizenship, Islamic Jurisprudence and Africa; comparative Indian literature Email: [email protected] Urdu & Hindi Email: [email protected] Human Rights, Feminist and Critical Social and Political Theories, Issues Languages And Cultures Expertise: Urdu & Hindi Language concerning the rights of Muslim Email: [email protected] women and Gender Equality Dr James Mallinson Email: [email protected] Professor Senior Lecturer in Michael J Hutt Sanskrit and Classical Ms Sahana Bajpaie Professor of Nepali and Indian Studies Senior Teaching Himalayan Studies Professor Fellow in Bengali Expertise: Sanskrit, Poetry and Dr Lidia Wojtczak Philippe Cullet Expertise: Nepali literature; Ethnography of Yoga Senior Lector in Sanskrit Chair, Centre of Law, Expertise: Bengali Language the Nepali media; Nepali politics; Email: [email protected] Environment and Email: [email protected] Bhutanese refugees Expertise: Sanskrit Development Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Expertise: Law and environment, law and natural resources, intellectual Mr Aishwarj Kumar property, water, human rights, Teaching Fellow in Hindi international law, India Dr James Caron Rakesh Nautiyal Email: [email protected] Lecturer in Islamicate Senior Lector in Hindi Expertise: Hindi Language Dr Amina Yaqin South Asia Senior Lecturer in Urdu Email: [email protected] Expertise: Hindi Language and Postcolonial Studies Expertise: Islam in South Asia; Email: [email protected] Afghanistan and Pakistan; Indo- Dr Stefanie Lotter Expertise: Urdu language and Dr Vanja Hamzić Persianate sociocultural history; Research Fellow literature; post-colonial literature Senior Lecturer in transnational non-Western history; and Co-Investigator, and theory; gender studies; South Legal History and activism and social movements. Professor Francesca ‘After the Earth’s Violent Asian literatures in English; feminism Legal Anthropology Email: [email protected] Orsini Sway: The tangible and in a Third World context; gender and Professor of Hindi And intangible legacies of a politics in Pakistan Expertise: Law and Society of South South Asian Literature natural disaster’ Email: [email protected] Asia (especially Pakistan), South East Asia (esp. Indonesia) and West Africa Expertise: Hindi literature; North Indian Expertise: Nepali society and culture; (esp. Senegal); Islamic Law; Legal literary cultures; Hindi; Urdu museology; social and cultural and Social History; Legal and Social Email: [email protected] anthropology of the Himalayan; elite Anthropology; Gender, Sexuality and studies; heritage studies the Law; Colonialism and Slavery in Email: [email protected] the 18th and 19th Centuries; Marxism; Critical Theory; Law of Tort; Global Law/Governance; Cold War Studies Email: [email protected]

28 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 SSAI STAFF PROFILES (CONTINUED)

Politics & International Studies Study of Religions:

Dr Rahul Rao Dr Kanika Sharma Murali Shanmugavelan Senior Lecturer Lecturer Senior Teaching Fellow in Politics Dr Peter Flügel Dr Rochana Bajpai Reader in the study Expertise: Law and colonialism; law PhD Research Methods Expertise: India, Tamil Nadu; caste Expertise: International relations of Religions and society in South Asia (especially Seminar Co-Convenor (and media); Dalits; mass media; theory, critical theory (especially gender issues); Law, image and critical media theory; mobile phones; postcolonial and queer Expertise: Jaina Studies; South Asian architecture; Psychoanalytic Expertise: Contemporary political digital media practices including mobile theory), comparative political thought, History & Culture; Anthropology & jurisprudence; Critical legal theory theory, particularly multiculturalism; apps; ethnography of communication gender and sexuality, South Asia Sociology of Religion Email: [email protected] methodology, particularly political and media; social anthropology Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ideologies; modern Indian politics Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dr Mayur Suresh Lecturer in Law Music Dr Avinash Paliwal Expertise: Anti-terror laws (particularly Lecturer in Diplomacy and Dr Sian Hawthorne of South Asia); law and anthropology; Public Policy Lecturer in Critical Theory legal theory (particularly on theories Sutha Nadarajah and the Study of emergency legality); sexuality and Lecturer in Expertise: IIndia in of Religions Professor gender identity in South Asia International Relations Afghanistan from the Soviet Invastion Richard Widdess Email: [email protected] to the US Withdrawal, India’s foreign Expertise: Narrativity; Cultural Memory; Professor of Musicology Expertise: International Relations theory, policymaking towards Myanmar since Religion and Gender; Feminist international security; global public Independence (1947). Historiography; Postcolonial theory; Media & Film Expertise: History and theory of Indian policy; North-South relations; civil Email: [email protected] Postsecularism and gender; Intellectual classical music; dhrupad; Newar music wars; peace processes; peacebuilding; history in the study of religions. of Nepal; historical ethnomusicology; securitized development; politics of Email: [email protected] analysis of musical performance; the ‘War on Terror’, international cognitive approaches to music; music financial regulation. Dr Somnath Batabyal Dr Simona Vittorni and meaning; music and religion Email: [email protected] Lecturer in Media in Development and Senior Teaching Fellow Email: [email protected] International Journalisms Professor Almut Hintze Expertise: Nationalism; Zartoshty Brothers Expertise: South South Asian politics; Professor of Zoroastrianism Asia with a focus on modern Indian politics India; transnational Email: [email protected] Expertise: Professor news spheres with a Dr Richard Williams Dr Matthew J Nelson Hintze takes an interest in all aspects of special focus on India; Development Lecturer in Reader in Politics Zoroastrianism, the religion of pre-Islamic discourses in India and its articulation Ethnomusicology Iran. in mainstream and alternate news Expertise: Comparative Politics, Email: [email protected] forums; environmental politics. Expertise: Music of South Asia; Comparative Political Thought, Email: [email protected] Hindustani classical music; historical South Asia, Islam, non-elite politics, ethnomusicology; cultural history; democracy. historical musicology and musical Email: [email protected] aesthetics; lyric, song, and musical literature; music and gender; music and religion; history of emotions Email: [email protected]

SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 29 SSAI STAFF PROFILES (CONTINUED)

Research Associates Library and Information Services Professor Ulrich Pagel Deputy Head of the School Professor Cosimo Zene of History, Religions and Professor in the Philosophies Study of Religions and Burzine K Waghmar World Philosophies Senior Library Assistant Expertise: History of Dr Jennifer Ung Loh (Acquisitions and Buddhism in Tibet, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Expertise: Anthropology of religion, Research Associate Bibliographic Services) Kanjur Studies, Vinaya, Religions of Central theory in the study of religions, Asia, Tibetan, Sanskrit. continental philosophy, Gramsci Expertise: Gender and sexuality, Expertise: Indo-Iranian History, Historical Email: [email protected] and religion, intercultural and particularly in India; LGBT Geography and Philology; Languages inter-religious dialogue, minorities movements; gender and law and Religions of Late Antiquity; Pakistan (Dalits), mysticism and heresy, Email: [email protected] studies non-Western Christianities, Email: [email protected] Mediterranean anthropology; South-Asia (India, Bangladesh), Dr Ayesha Siddiqa Dr Theodore Proferes Sardinia, world philosophies. Research Associate Senior Lecturer in Ancient Email: [email protected] Indian Religions Farzana Whitfield Expertise: Civil-military relations in Subject Librarian South Asia, Philosophical linkages Expertise: Vedic language Professorial Research Associates (South Asia & Development between South Asia and the Middle and religion; Indian Philosophy Studies) East with an emphasis on transfer of Email: [email protected] Professor Peter Robb knowledge since the late 18th century. Email: [email protected] Emeritus Professor, Email: [email protected] Department of History, School of Professor History, Religions and Gurharpal Singh Philosophies Professor of Sikh and Punjab Studies Expertise: The history of modern Dr Raghav Kishore South Asia; early Calcutta, c.1780- Research Associate Expertise: Politics; Religious 1830, Indian agrarian history, Studies; Development; Politics and especially Bihar and Eastern India. Urban and health history. Currently Corruption; Sikh studies; multiculturalism; Email: [email protected] working on the role of India in transnationalism and development the formation of the World Health Email: [email protected] Organisation, c. 1948-1960 Email: [email protected] Professor Werner Menski Emeritus Professor, Dr Vincent Tournier School of Law Seiyu Kiriyama Lecturer in Buddhist Studies Expertise: Classical and modern Hindu Sanjukta Ghosh law; Muslim Law; Laws of South Asia; Research Associate Expertise: Buddhism in Family law; Comparative law; South Ancient Asians in the UK; Immigration law; Expertise: Food security, migration and and Early Medieval South Asia Ethnic minorities international development Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

30 SSAI ANNUAL REVIEW 2018/19 The South Asia Institute welcomes individuals and groups with an interest in South Asian studies who would like to get involved with our activities.

CONTACTING THE SSAI Email: Email us at [email protected] to receive our weekly e-bulletin. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7898 4390 Facebook: Like us or follow our page at www.facebook.com/SouthAsia.SOAS Twitter: Follow and interact with us: @SOAS_SAI Webpage: www.soas.ac.uk/south-asia-institute/ Blog: blogs.soas.ac.uk/ssai-notes Address: SOAS South Asia Institute Fourth Floor, Brunei Gallery SOAS, University of London Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square London WC1H 0XG