PhD Students

Currently in the process of becoming a researcher in education policy with the aim to strengthen the link between research and policy. Apart from work, you will find me pestering my friends with a dozen questions, defending the difference between veg biryani and veg pulav and having the best time of my day on the badminton court every evening!

After completing my Bachelors and Masters in Mathematics, I started teaching as a Math teacher. While interacting with students, I became a part of Center for Creative Learning, IITGN, where I explored how hands on learning engages teachers as well as students. My area of interests lies in Math education, interest and engagement in classrooms and hands on activities. I enjoy bird watching and crocheting.

Adyasha holds a Master’s degree from IIT Gandhinagar and a Bachelor’s in Technology. She has been a literature enthusiast from an early age, and it is her passion for reading and writing led her to shift her focus toward the study of literature. Adyasha enjoys crafting poetry and prose, and is currently exploring the art of storytelling, a recent interest she is eager to develop further.

I have completed my B.A.in History and M.A in archaeology from the University of Calcutta and MPhil in archaeology from Deccan College and Post Graduate institute Pune. I have hands-on training in handling archaeological samples from various premier laboratories in India and abroad. Last year, I worked as a visiting researcher at Archaeological Research Laboratory, University of Stockholm, Sweden. My research interest centres around the field of protohistory, ceramic archaeology, archaeological sciences, survey methods, geoarchaeology, and ethnoarchaeology. In my doctoral programme I aim to use the biomolecular components lying in the organic residue as a tool to understand the economic and subsistence practices associated with a protohistoric and technological traditions of a number of sites.

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Aniket Roy is presently a PhD scholar in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Gandhinagar. Previously, he worked as a visiting scholar at Presidency University, Kolkata. Aniket’s research focuses on the intersection of Continental Philosophy and Global Modernism. He has obtained his Masters degree from the Department of English, University of Calcutta. Aniket’s research interest comprise Continental Philosophy and Autobiographical Studies, Twentieth Century Literature, Modernism and Postmodernism, Bengali Vernacular Literature and World Literature.

I completed my BTech in Mechanical Engineering from the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam and attained a Master of Social Work- Community Organization and Development from Manipal University. My area of interests lies in tribal development studies, inequality, and marginalized communities.

Anup is a UGC–JRF Fellow and doctoral candidate in Environmental History. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in History, specializing in the History of Science and Technology. His doctoral research explores the intersections of labour, migration, ecology, and colonial governance in the Eastern Himalayas, with a particular focus on the British protectorate of Sikkim.

An avid writer by passion and a researcher by education, I am a Ph.D. student in Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. My research focus is Science Communication. I have worked as a Senior Project Associate (Writer and Editor) in External Communications at IITGN (2019-20). I completed my M.Tech (2016-18) in Biological Engineering from IITGN, and my B.Tech in Biotechnology from Amity University (Lucknow, U.P.). I believe that crisp discussions among researchers and academicians from different disciplines with each other and with the common public will eventually facilitate the advancement of all. This is what attracted me to my current area of research in the first place.

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Arindam Goswami is a doctoral student in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar. He has a Masters degree in English and American Literature from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. His research interests include Studies of Indian Travel Narratives and Indian English Literature.

Currently a researcher in the field of Linguistic Anthropology. My research interests include Semiotics, Linguistic Ethnography, Migration and Machine Translation. Other pursuits include Violin and Badminton.

I enjoy singing, reading non-fiction, and practicing yoga. Singing helps me express myself creatively, while reading expands my knowledge. Yoga helps me relax and stay healthy.

Research interests- Avant-garde literature and Bengali modernism

Hi, My name is Chaitanya and I am working as a research scholar at the Archaeological Sciences Centre, IIT Gandhinagar. Prior joining to PhD, I have completed Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India from 2022-24, followed by Masters in AIHC & Archaeology, from Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute, Pune and bachelor’s in history from University of Delhi.
My broad area of research is Archaeology of Harappan Civilization and specifically, I am interested in understanding the function of the Harappan lithics recovered from Mature Harappan sites in the Indian subcontinent as well as the cognitive ability of the inhabitants at the sites during ancient times. With the help of use-wear analysis, I aim to theorise the reconstruction of human behavioural patterns and to reconstruct the subsistence and material culture production patterns, thereby throwing light into the social fabric of past cultures.
Apart from my scholarly pursuits, I enjoy reading books, both fiction and non-fiction. Furthermore, I am an avid chess player and also have a keen interest in watching movies.

My research focuses on second language acquisition and language learning pedagogy, particularly in multilingual classroom settings. I aim to explore effective teaching strategies that enhance learners’ proficiency. Additionally, I am interested in the documentation and preservation of minority languages, which I hope to pursue further in my future work.

I have completed my graduation and masters in History from Banaras Hindu University. I am a bibliophile and music enthusiast. My research interests focus on subaltern experiences, especially exploring the intersectionalities of gender and displacement.

Dalia completed BA English from Stella Maris College, Chennai and graduated from IIT Gandhinagar with MA Society and Culture. For her master’s dissertation she worked on life histories to understand reconciliatory mechanisms among the Ilankai Tamil Diaspora in the United States of America (2019). For her doctoral project she continues to work on conflict and accountability in post-war Sri Lanka. Her research interests are the civil war of Sri Lanka, Memory and Narrative, Enforced disappearances and conflict-driven spatial identities.

Researcher in the field of Development Economics. BSc and MSc in Economics from University of Calcutta. Currently a doctoral student in Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Gandhinagar. My research interest lies in the areas of Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Local Governance and Economics of Discrimination. I have also worked as a Senior Executive in Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP before joining IIT Gandhinagar. Outside academia, I am an avid chess enthusiast. At different turns of life, I have tried to become a theatre practitioner, a poet, or a fiction writer, but failed so bad that decided to become an economist instead. Nevertheless, theatre, films and novels continue to be my breathing space till date.

I completed my Bachelor’s in Sciences from the Department of Geography at Presidency University where I also continued with my MSc in Geography. As a student of social and human geography I developed a keen interest in studying and understanding various social process in the context of space and environment. I joined IIT Gandhinagar as a Master’s student in the discipline of Humanities and Social Sciences in the year 2018. Since then, my research interests has been around the idea of ethnicity and how indigenous cultures and traditions define and shape the identity of various communities. I joined PhD in the year 2021 and am currently working on inter-ethnic relationships in the eastern Himalayan hinterlands.

Cycling and movies keep me rolling and inspired.

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I am a researcher passionate about understanding how mathematical creativity can be nurtured among school children. My broad academic interests include instructional design, equity in education, refugee education, mixed-methods research and policy implementation.

I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. at IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat, focusing on the Gamification of Mathematics Education. My academic journey includes D.El.Ed, B.Sc. in Mathematics (Honors), and M.Sc. in Mathematics Education from the Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi. Earlier, I worked as a mathematics teacher in schools and later with NCERT and various EdTech companies as a mathematics content developer, creating both digital and physical learning resources. These experiences sparked my curiosity about how gamification can transform mathematics education and enhance students’ learning experiences.
Outside academics, I enjoy swimming, gymming, traveling, and spending time in nature. These activities give me renewed energy and fresh perspectives that I often bring into my research work.
I am always eager to connect with researchers and educators who share an interest in innovative and engaging approaches to teaching and learning.

I used to work as a development practitioner in Muskaan, a Bhopal based NGO. Before that I pursued my MA in Development from Azim Premji University. My research interests revolves around issues of Vimukta communities, their relationship with state and the notions of agency and social justice. This stems from my engagement with the young people from Vimukta communities, when I was in Bhopal.

I competed a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Psychology from the University of Delhi, and have an active interest in Cognitive science (of science), Philosophy of science and engineering, and the learning sciences. Outside of work, I enjoy baking and learning new languages.

Khushboo Sahrawat joined the PhD program in Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Gandhinagar in May 2022. Her research explores the experiential aspects of social exclusion, approached through a multidisciplinary lens: autobiographical narratives, digital media, and network studies. Outside of academia, she leads the women’s squash team at IITGN. Khushboo holds a B.A. in English from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, and an M.A. in Society and Culture from IIT Gandhinagar.

Hi, I am Manali (/məna:li:/), a keen listener always looking for patterns in the chaos of speech. I am a researcher in the field of Linguistic Anthropology, presently navigating the intersections of phonology and semiotics. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in English at St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad, and pursued a Master’s degree in Linguistics at Banaras Hindu University. My areas of interest include phonology, language documentation, language ideology and syntax-semantics interface.

Hi, This is Manas. I have graduated in History from Visva Bharati in 2016 and completed my Master’s in the same subject in 2018 from University of Hyderabad. I have a wide range of research interests. However, to narrow it down, I am more inclined towards Subaltern Histories and the History of Medicine. My hobbies include playing football and watching movies. I also have immense interest towards Astronomy. It is extremely difficult to name a particular book as my favourite read. However, If I have to name one, I will choose, “Pale Bule Dot- A Vision of the Human Future in Space” by Carl Sagan.

I am an architect and a product designer by education, design educator by profession. My interests are pedagogy in design education and semiotics. My current research interest is analysing multimodal communication and the intersemiosis in the design process.

Asim is an inquisitive ethnographer with a research interest in exploring the cultural heritage of indigenous communities, specifically in the borderlands of the Himalayas. He has an interest in ethnoarchaeology, crafts specialisation and sustainable heritage. His research revolves around understanding how Traditional Knowledge Systems (TKS) can integrate with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve sustainable solutions for living. Asim holds a master’s degree in Society and Culture from IIT Gandhinagar and a bachelor’s degree in Physics from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has authored two books, namely “Aashnai” and “Khwabon ka Karwan”. He is also interested in Urdu Poetry, Screenplay writing, and theatre. Asim loves travelling and learning new languages.

MA from School of Global Affairs, Ambedkar University Delhi. BA (H) in History from Delhi University.
Research interests – indigenous rights, conservation conflicts, human-nature relations.

A professional social worker and public health researcher, Nilesh Vilas Thube is a doctoral student in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Gandhinagar. His doctoral study focuses on Climate Change Impact on Vulnerable Communities in Health Perspectives in Gujarat state. He has a M.Phil degree in Planning and Development from IIT Bombay. His undergraduate and master’s degree both completed in Social Work (Medical and Psychiatric social work). Prior to joining IIT Gandhinagar, he worked at Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG) as a research consultant and contributed in several health research projects in urban, rural and tribal settings of Gujarat. He was also placed as a Research Fellow for Ahmedabad based project by University of Boon, Germany which largely focused on water and sanitation. His broad area of experience and research interests span across different aspects of Social Epidemiology such as malaria outbreak, heat wave impacts, diabetes prevalence, maternal health, sanitation, health education, social factors for communicable and non-communicable diseases, health and environment.

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Poorva is a doctoral student from the Archeological Sciences Centre in the discipline of Humanities and Social Sciences. She completed her MA in A.I.H.C. and Archaeology from Deccan College, Pune. She has participated in excavations and explorations of archaeological sites in India as a part of her training. Her research interests include Art History, Indology, and Iconography. She is currently working on the art traditions of the Chalukyan and Hoysala dynasties as a part of her doctoral program.

I hold a master’s in education from the Regional Institute of Education, Mysore, and a B.Sc. B.Ed. from the Central University of Tamil Nadu. I joined IIT Gandhinagar as a Ph.D. scholar in 2025. My research focuses on storytelling and its role in fostering socio-emotional skills among students.

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I am Rakhi, a PhD scholar from HSS at IIT Gandhinagar. My current research focus is on significance of resilience skills in mathematics education. I am studying that how can we develop resilience skills in students that they can tackle mathematical challenges positively. My academic interests lie in the domain of ‘Curriculum and Pedagogy, School Education, and Gender and Schooling’. I have done bachelor’s in B.El.Ed from DU and Master’s in Education from Ambedkar University Delhi. I have also worked in NCERT as JPF.

I am researching the field of Green Criminology, with a special focus on conservation-related laws and the criminalisation of forest-dependent communities.

I joined as a doctoral student at IIT Gandhinagar in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2024. I have a background in A.I.H.C & Archaeology from Banaras Hindu University. My research area focuses on Archaeometallurgy, particularly the “Ethno-archaeometallurgy of High-tin Bronze in Eastern India”. I’ll be exploring traditional metallurgical practices and their cultural significance.

Currently enrolled as a PhD candidate in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, in the discipline of English, Satavisha holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Calcutta. Additionally, she also holds an MA by Research in Human Sciences from IIT Bombay. Her research interest includes studying women writer’s autobiographical texts on physical illness. She intends to explicate more on the narrative strategies employed to speak of illness.

I’m Saurabh, a doctoral student at IITGN. I earned my first Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from CSJMU Kanpur. Later, I pursued another Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Archaeology and Ancient History from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. My research interests include archaeozoology, environmental archaeology, and prehistoric cultural transitions. I have hands-on experience with collagen fingerprinting or ZooMs as a biomolecular approach to species identification of animal bones and mineralogical analysis of ceramics using XRD, SEM, and other novel methods.

Shweta Singha is a doctoral candidate in Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Gandhinagar. She is working on understanding the intricate web of acculturation within tribal communities. Her research explores the nuanced interactions among sub-tribes, between tribes, and non-tribal communities, shedding light on how these dynamics shape identities and relationships.
She holds a B.A. (H) in Geography from Miranda House, University of Delhi, and an M.A. in Urban Policy and Governance from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She also has two years of experience in government consulting, where she was part of the Monitoring and Evaluation team at NITI Aayog for the 15th Finance Commission.
If she is not on campus, you will probably find her enjoying the peace and beauty of the mountains.

Sohini has received her degree in Bachelor of Arts in English from Banaras Hindu University in 2017 and her degree in Master of Arts in English Literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad in 2019. She is currently a first year PhD student in the department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research interests include Indian English Literature, regional literature and rural narratives. In her copious free time she enjoys reading books and watching films, web series and documentaries. She has a knack for travelling and loves simple conversations over a cup of tea.

Sreelakshmi Sutheesh is a Ph.D. scholar at the Archaeological Sciences Centre, IIT Gandhinagar. She researches Culinary Archaeology, exploring what and how people cooked and ate in ancient Tamilakam using archaeological, literary, and ethnographic approaches. Her interests include Public Archaeology, Ethnoarchaeology, Folklore, Cultural Heritage, Megaliths, Archaeotourism, Museology, and Field Archaeology. When she’s not digging into the past, she loves videography, gardening, trying out new recipes, and living slow and sustainably.

Sreelekha Ravindran holds a B.A. in History, an M.A. in Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology and an Erasmus Mundus M.Sc. in Archaeological Material Sciences. Her doctoral research integrates archaeozoology and multi-isotopic approaches to investigate ancient dietary practices and human-animal-environment dynamics. Her research interests centre on bioarchaeology, archaeological sciences, field archaeology and experimental archaeology.

Suditi is a doctoral student at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, specializing in development and health economics. Before joining the PhD program, I was a Project Officer for the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Additionally, I worked as a Research Assistant at BASE University, Bengaluru.

I hold a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in economics(University Of Rajasthan) and a second master’s in population studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. My diverse academic and professional experiences have shaped my understanding of socioeconomic and health-related challenges, inspiring my current research endeavors.