Academic Career & Professional Journey

44+ years of university teaching, research supervision and academic leadership

Teaching Experience

44 years of continuous university teaching experience at undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Academic Excellence

Throughout First Class with First Position in M.A. Political Science and recipient of two prestigious Gold Medals:

  • Karan Singh Gold Medal – for outstanding academic excellence
  • Banaras Hindu University Gold Medal – for securing first position in M.A. Political Science

Doctoral thesis was highly acclaimed by distinguished examiners Prof. Rashiddudin Khan and Prof. A. B. Lal, who described it as “a distinct contribution and valuable addition to Political Theory.”

Post-Doctoral Studies & International Academic Exposure

1986–1987

University of Texas, Austin (USA)

US Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Research on “Russell–Ottoline Papers: A Study of Bertrand Russell in the Pre-First World War Period” at the Humanities Research Centre, Austin, Texas, USA.

1989

McMaster University, Hamilton (Canada)

ICSSR Post Doctoral Fellowship
Post-doctoral fellowship to work on unpublished papers of Bertrand Russell and his correspondence with Indian leaders at Russell Archives(), University of McMaster (Canada), Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation (England), Bertrand Russell Society (USA), University of Heidelberg (Germany)

International Fellowships & Visits

Other Distinguished Fellowships

• Salzburg Fellowship Award, Austria
• Indo-French Fellowship Award, Paris
• McMaster Visiting Scholar Fellowship
• ICSSR International Collaborative Fellowships

Major Research Projects Completed

Total: 8 Major Research Projects (UGC, ICSSR, International and Other Agencies)

2012

Eurocentrism in Political Theory: Explorations in Indian Political Thought

UGC Major Research Project examining decolonisation of political theory and indigenous thought traditions.

2004

Feminist Challenges to Modern Social Sciences: A Cross-Cultural Exploration

UGC Major Research Project analysing feminist epistemology and critique of Western scholarship.

2005

Integrating Support Services to Family Courts in Varanasi

NIPCCD / ICSSR project focusing on women’s access to justice and legal counselling support systems.

1999

Indian Feminist Perspective: A Study in Mahatma Gandhi

ICSSR Research Project exploring Gandhian feminist approach and women’s emancipation.

1997

Reconstructing Human Rights: A Cross-Cultural Exploration

Shastri Indo-Canadian Social Science Fellowship Project on multicultural human rights discourse.

1987

Russell-Ottoline Papers

Fulbright Post-Doctoral Project on early Bertrand Russell political thought.

1986

Socialism: A Study in Bertrand Russell

UGC Career Award Project examining socialist dimensions of Russell’s political philosophy.

1993

Terrorism and Its Moral Equivalent

Bertrand Russell Society project analysing ethics and political violence.

Research Supervision & Guidance

26
Ph.D. Theses Awarded
8
Major Projects Guided
70+
Research Publications
44
Years of Mentoring

Selected Notable Ph.D. Supervisions

  • Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Political Ideas – President of India Award (Dr. Shamim Fatema)
  • Reinterpreting Human Rights: A Third World Perspective – Dr. Sonali Singh
  • Swami Vivekananda’s Political Ideas – Dr. Rashid Ahmed
  • Ethnic Conflict and Nepalese Origin People in West Bengal – Dr. Anupama Kaushik
  • Feminist Challenges to International Relations Theory – Dr. Manisha Misra
  • Third World Feminism: Contemporary Discourse – Dr. Ashita Gupta
1974

M.A. (Political Science) — Gold Medalist

First Position; Awarded Karan Singh Gold Medal and Banaras Hindu University Gold Medal

1970s–2018

Faculty Member, Department of Political Science

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (Undergraduate, Postgraduate & Research Teaching)

1986–1987

US Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellow

University of Texas at Austin — Research on Russell–Ottoline Papers

1989

Shastri Indo-Canadian Post-Doctoral Fellow

McMaster University, Hamilton — Research at Bertrand Russell Archives

2002–2007

Director — Centre for Women’s Studies & Development

Banaras Hindu University

2007–2010

Head — Department of Political Science

Banaras Hindu University

2012–2013

Dean — Faculty of Social Sciences

Banaras Hindu University

2013–2016

Vice-Chancellor

Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner, Rajasthan

(Parallel Appointment)

Major National Committees & Academic Leadership Roles

2014–2018

First Woman Chairperson — Indian Institute of Advanced Study

Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla

Overlapping tenure with:
• National Academic Advisory Committees
• International Lecture Engagements
• Research guidance & book projects

-2019

Updated Positions — update it

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Overlapping tenure with:
• National Academic Advisory Committees
• International Lecture Engagements
• Research guidance & book projects

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