Faculty Members
Dr. Vincent Ekka, SJ
Assistant Professor
Dr. Vincent Ekka SJ is an Assistant Professor at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. He obtained his doctorate in Social Sciences from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. The indigenous communities and their knowledge system, indigenous system of self-governance, and indigenous perspectives are the areas of his interest. His interests and engagements have interdisciplinary, with a special focus on indigenous studies. He obtained an M.Th. in systematic theology from Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. His publications include four co-edited books – 1. Sangharsh rat Adivasi Samaj, (Hindi), 2. Daliton ke Buniyadi Sarokar (Hindi), 3. Development with Dignity: A Tribal Perspective, 4. India’s Indigenous Peoples: A Journey of Self-Reflection on Culture, Society and Sustainability, and co-authored a book- “The Baigas of Sonbhadra”. He also co-ordinates tribal organisations across India and is associated with various national and international organisations. Currently, he is leading a pan-India study on Biodiversity Conservation” Health and Well-being if Indigenous Peoples.
Dr. Minakshi Sardar
Assistant Professor
Minakshi Sardar holds a Ph.D., M. Phil and M. A. degree from School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her doctoral thesis was “Process of Normalization of Israel-Vatican Relations, 1948-1993”. Her M. Phil dissertation was on “Israel’s Responses to Hostage Taking”. Her area of interest focuses on peace and conflict, negotiation, international relations, minorities, gender, Christianity, security issues, diplomatic relations and conflict resolution. She is a Non-Resident Associate at the Middle East Institute, New Delhi. Dr. Sardar has previously worked as a research assistant at Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka. She is also the Editorial Assistant of the Journal of Indo-Judaic Studies (ISSN 1206-9330). She can be reached at mini.8star@gmail.com
Dr. Arun Kumar Oraon
Assistant Professor
Dr. Arun Kumar Oraon completed PhD in 2021 at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, School of International Studies, JawaharlalNehru University, New Delhi, India. Its title is “Role of Social Media in Thai Politics, 2001-2016”. Jawaharlal Nehru University awarded the Degree on 14 November 2022. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the research department at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. He worked for the Journal Hashiye ki Awaz. He also co-edited two published books – 1. Sangharsh rat Adivasi Samaj, (Hindi) 2. Daliton ke Buniyadi Sarokar (Hindi). Research Projects Completed are: 1.’Disparity in Access to Education in the Aspirational Districts in Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, as Co-Principal Investigator. 2. Customary Laws and Practices: A Comparative Study of Five Major Tribes of Jharkhand, Co-Principal Investigator. 3. Value Chain analysis of four Minor Forest Products in Jharkhand (Tamarind, Sal seed, Lac, Chiraunji).
Dr. Yatish Kumar, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Yatish Kumar is an Assistant Professor at the Indian Social Institute. Before this, he served as a project consultant at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in New Delhi. His research interests around the dynamics of population ageing and its implications, urban demography, health disparities, gender status and socioeconomic determinants, and education in India focusing on various issues and challenges. Dr. Yatish Kumar an impressive publication record in reputable international jour international journals. He holds a PhD and an M.Phil in Population Studies from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, an MA in Geography from Jamia Millia Islamia University, and earned his Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) in Geography from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, University of Delhi. His extensive research experience of over nine years spans distinguished government, semi-autonomous, and private institutions, highlighting his expertise and contributions to the field.
Dr. Pintu Paul
Assistant Professor
Dr. Pintu Paul is an Assistant Professor at the Indian Social Institute (ISI), New Delhi. His research focuses on family demography, migration, education, health, and gender issues. He holds an MPhil and a PhD in Geography from the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Before joining ISI, Dr. Paul worked at Ashoka University, the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). Dr. Paul has authored several research papers, editorials, and book chapters published in internationally renowned social science journals including Social Science & Medicine, SSM Population Health, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and the Indian Journal of Human Development. He has also published op-eds in popular media outlets such as India Development Review and Down To Earth.