Dr M. Satish Kumar is a globally recognised interdisciplinary scholar whose research is grounded in the field of colonial, postcolonial and decolonial geographies of South Asia with a close affinity to social sciences and humanities promoting SDGs. His research has three specific strands. The first strand of research was focused primarily on regional and urban development, issues with a particular focus on sectoral labour market analysis including an evaluation of economic policy impacts across the sector.

The second strand of research advanced questions about the impact of climate change on cultural heritage in fragile ecological zones of Assam. In particular, the role of heritage in the promotion of zero carbon footprints as a key initiative led over the last five years. This focused on decarbonisation and raising awareness against single-use plastics in fragile ecological zones and understanding the significance of traditional ecological knowledge systems in the indigenous communities towards strengthening innate resilience in the wake of climate change.

The third strand of research is the identification of the historical roots of underdevelopment and the significance of the unfinished project of decolonisation in India and globally. This is focused on unpacking the production and mapping of colonial spaces in India and an exploration of racialised, gendered and class-based subjectivities and the negotiations and conflicts around spatial idioms and symbols across the late 16^th to 19^th century. The most recent work covers the role of missionaries in the production of knowledge across distinct cultural systems.

Governments, charities and other organisations widely seek his knowledge and expertise and he has been an active advisor on subjects such as international and Indigenous development and higher education to the mapping of SDGs in local and global economies, to support for Ethnic Minorities in Northern Ireland, the Department for International Development, Northern Irish Assembly, Indian Government, Royal Irish Academy, Belfast City Council, Habitat for Humanity amongst others.

Dr Kumar’s research and teaching expertise and leadership have been recognised internationally and nationally through key measures of esteem namely, recent appointments as the Chairperson of the Kerala Urban Policy Commission; Distinguished Honorary Chair of Global Sustainable Development Goals-India; Membership of ICOMOS/India and being selected to participate in the prestigious G20-C20 Summit in India. He contributes as a Panel Member of the UKRI/AHRC Peer Review College, UK for DCMS, DFG and COP26 funding initiatives. He helped in the establishment of Future Earth Ireland under the aegis of RIA as a founder member.

He has also held a number of Visiting Professorships at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and the University of Calcutta, Kolkata. 

Dr Kumar’s valued contributions to international research and teaching have been recognised through a number of awards:

- Bhoovigyan (Earth Scientist) National Leadership Award by the late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President of India for contributions to Population, Environment & Development Studies. India (2002). 

- The India- European Union Global Peace and Friendship Award, 2001 for promoting international peace and understanding based on the values of Peace, Education and Culture over the past twenty years in the communities in India and the UK, (2003).

- Queen’s University Teaching Award (2014) as nominated by the students out of 1175 academic staff.

-Nominated by Queen’s University for the National (UK) Teaching Award, 2016

-Shortlisted for Queen's University Belfast Vice Chancellor's Research Impact Award, 2018. 

-Belfast Ambassador’s Award for standout contribution to UK-India relations, 2020. https://daro.qub.ac.uk/Dr-Satish-Kumar-Belfast-Ambassador-Medal

Dr Kumar brings a critical, Southern Asian perspective on diversity, gender and age into the engagement remit. Inclusivity and a diversity of experience across disciplinary boundaries help reinforce impact and add tremendous value for UKRI-led research initiatives across the global South. Evidence for his approach can be seen in his much-admired work in the local Northern Ireland context where he has been very active in establishing and participating in a number of initiatives to promote engagement and cross-cultural understanding. For example: 

- Established the Young Civic Leaders of Northern Ireland (2014) programme to encourage young people in Northern Ireland to engage in their local communities and make civic contributions. 

-Chair, BAME Mental Health, Counselling All Nations Services (CANS), Northern Ireland, Feb 2023

- Chair of the Board of Directors for ArtsEkta, Northern Ireland’s leading Intercultural Ethnic Arts and Cultural Organisation (2013-15), promoting intercultural dialogue. 

- Organised several interactive workshops on themes of global citizenship and peace for school children in Northern Ireland as part of work supporting the development of educational initiatives in the region, especially among marginal communities.

PhD Supervisions: 

Graduate Theses Supervised M.Phil. /Ph.D. since 1991
Supervised 11 MPhil and 1 PhD Thesis/ Dissertations in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1991-1997)
Supervised 3 MPhil Dissertation at University of Cambridge (1998-1999)
Supervised 5 PhD Theses and 1 MPhil Dissertation at Queen’s University Belfast (2001-2016)

QUB

PhD Shakshi Singh “Places of Protest: A Study of Rebellious Public Spaces”. (Jointly with Prof. Sue-Ann Harding), 2023-

PhD Diya Banerjee “From British East India Company to British Raj: A Morphological study of British Colonial Towns in the Indian subcontinent (1750-1950) (jointly with Prof. K. Lilley and Dr. A. Martire), 2023-

PhD Dan Acheson “A Multi-Level Perspective of Stakeholder Relationships: Investigating Policy and Institutional Barriers to Effective Plastics Recycling in NI”(with Stephen Mcllwaine and Oana Istrate), ongoing, 2020.

PhD Steven Donnelly “The Role of Urban Design and Culture in the Formation and Perpetuation of Mono-Cultural Communities in Belfast, Northern Ireland” (to be submitted April 2023)
PhD Neelambari Phalkey “Social and Ecological Resilience: A case of marginalised communities in Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem” (2017)
PhD Ajith Kalyath, “Land as a Critical Ecological Resource for Sustainable Cities: A Case Study of Chennai City, India” (2013)
PhD David Vumlallian Zou, Inscribing History at the Intersection of print Culture, Linguistic Diversity and Identity Issues in Northeast India. (2003-07)
PhD Suresh K. Rohilla, Role of ground Water in Urban development: Case of Delhi and its Peri-Urban Region. (2002-07)

JNU
Ph.D. Kalyan Das, Flexible Specialisation in Industrialisation in the context of Urban Development: A Study of
Tiruppur, Kannur and Morbi Towns, 1999
M.Phil D. Verma, Growth and Interdependence of Secondary and Tertiary Activities in Eastern India, 1971‑81.
M.Phil M. Mitra, Human Fertility in Eastern India ‑ A District Level Analysis, 1981.
M.Phil Kalyan Das, Sectoral Diversification and Urbanization Processes of Small Towns of India: A Case Study of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Orissa, 1961‑91.
M.Phil K.K. Champia, Urbanization, Industrialization and its Inter‑linkages: A Case Study of Jharkhand, 1971‑91.
M.Phil P. Choudhry, Delhi and Bombay Extended Metropolitan Areas: Core‑Hinterland Relationship, 1971‑1991.
M.Phil S. Chand, Housing and Household Amenities: A Comparative Study of National Capital Territory of Delhi and National Capital Region 1991.
M.Phil V.S. Dahiya, Foreign Direct Investment from Southeast Asia into India: A Sectoral, Spatial Analysis 1993‑94.
M.Phil S.K. Sah, Structure of Urban Agglomeration and Outgrowths in Five Metropolitan Cities of India, 1981-1991.
M.Phil Z. Ansari, Urbanisation and Urban Environment: A Case Study of Four Mega Cities of India, 1971-91.
M.Phil S. Mishra, Urbanisation, Migration and Industrialisation: A Case Study of Orissa and Punjab, 1981-1991.
M.Phil C. Sinha, Structure of Urbanisation in National and State Priority Cities of India, 1981-91.

Cambridge
M.Phil P. Kalia, Dilemmas of a tourist gaze in Khajuraho: Cultural Resource Management and issues of sustainability. [Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, 1999].
M.Phil K.A. Toole, “Provision of Water and Sanitation in Urban Slum Areas in the Developing World: A Case of South Africa”. [Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, 1999.]
M.Phil S. Jeong, The Land Aesthetic: An Embodiment of Value. [Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, 1999].

Queen’s University Belfast; University of Cambridge; Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Soka University of America

TEACHING AREAS

• Development Studies - regional focus on India/ South Asia.
• Urbanization - theoretical approaches, covering international case studies, focus on South and SE Asia
• Transformation of Metropolitan Labour Markets - Developing regions analysis
• Historical Geography of Urban Centre - specialized focus on South and SE Asia
• Gender and Work - historical and contemporary approaches, focus on South and SE Asia
• Migration - theoretical approaches, covering international case studies, focus on South and SE Asia
• Labour economics and gender theory, case studies internationally, focus on South and SE Asia
• Population and Environmental Issues - theoretical and international case studies 

Undergraduate Courses at the School of Geography, Queen’s University Belfast, UK since 2000

210GGY3063 Spaces of Urbanisation in Emerging Economies and Sustainable Development (Coordinator). Achieved high targets in delivering and fostering high performance and greater engagement with an advanced module.

210GGY1012 Human Geography: Society, Economy and Population (Coordinator)

210GGY1001 Spaces of Development (Jointly with Dr. Niall Majury)

210GGY238 Geographies of Uneven Development (joint Coordinator with Dr. Niall Majury) Succeeded in delivering the targets of meeting Learning Outcomes for the module and received more than average Scores in SET and SEM. Managed to achieve the targets set by the learning outcomes

210GGY105 Human Geography: Society and Space (team taught)Succeeded in delivering the targets of meeting Learning Outcomes for the module and received more than average Scores in SET and SEM.

110GGY1011 Human Geographies of the Modern World (Tutorials only)

110GGY3081- Dissertation

110GGY328 Independent Research Essay Successfully coordinated the Independent Research Essays module. 

210GGY329 Independent Research Essay Successfully coordinated the Independent Research Essays module. 

210GGY224 Field Techniques & Practice (2002-03 was responsible for allocating of Dissertation projects)

310GGY302 Dissertation (Coordinator 2002-2003). Organised the first ever-benchmarking document as guidelines for writing dissertation in line with the UK/QAA and subject benchmarking principles.

Graduate Courses at the Queen’s University Belfast, UK since 2000

MA GGY7002-Geo-Power: States, Sovereignty, Territory: Crossing the Boundaries (2022)

MA GGY7001-Critical Geopolitics (2021-)

MA GAP7415, Postcolonial Geographies, 2015-2016

MA GAP7402, Critical Approaches to Human Geography, Co-Taught, 2013-2015

MSc Leadership for Sustainable Development, Queen’s University Belfast, UK 2005 on-going. Gibson Institute for Land, Food and Environment. Contributed to the interdisciplinary teaching initiative for QUB by teaching in MSc Programme, 2005 - 2014

Supervised 2 Masters Theses in the Rural Development Programme for Gibson Institute for Land, Food & Environment (2003-04).

Graduate Courses at M. Phil and PhD. Level, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Cambridge, 1991-1999

Population Geography, Urbanization and Migration (Advanced Theory, International and South Asia, Case

Studies) 1991-97 Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

Labour Force, Employment and Manpower Planning (Theory and South Asia Case Studies of Metro Cities- New

Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Ahmedabad) 1991-95 JNU

Population Growth and Econ Development (Brazil, China, Japan and India) 1991-93 JNU

Environment and Development, Third World Urbanization and Sustainable Development (Theory and International Case Studies) 1998-99 Cambridge.

Graduate Training Program (First Year Ph.D. course in preparatory skills for research and fieldwork, general advising

on dissertation preparation, also including qualitative and quantitative methods in urban research and critical realism for social scientists) with Dr Linda McDowell. 1998-99 Cambridge

National Planning and Economic Policy (Focus on Urban and Migration policies in the Developing World). 1998-99 with Dr. John Cathie, Cambridge.

Institutions & Development(Colonialism, Post-modernism and Institutions) 1999 with S. Fennell, Cambridge.

Graduate Courses at M.A Centre for Regional Development, JNU

Urbanization and Migration (Theory and Case Studies from Developing Regions) 1996-97

Process of Urbanization and Urban Planning (Theory and International and South Asia case studies) 1995

Population and Environment (Theory and Case Studies from Developing Regions) 1997

South East Asia ‑ A Meso-Regional Study 1991-97 Jawaharlal Nehru University

Regional Development and Planning (Theory) 1995

Quantitative Methods in Geography 1991

International Summer School, University of Cambridge, International Programmes (A11 The State of the World: Exploring Environmental and Green Solutions, emphasis on “Sustainable Cities in the Developing World”) 1999, Term 1 with Dr. Joe Smith, CIES, Cambridge.

Undergraduate Courses in Geography and Land Economy, University of Cambridge

Urban and Regional Policies (Third Year Course) Lecturing on Developing world (with Dr. John Cathie) 1998-99 Cambridge.

Comparative Urbanization (Second Year Course) Comparing North & South America, Europe, Asia (with Dr. James Duncan) 1998-99 Cambridge.

Third World Urbanization, Development and Globalisation (Fourth Year Hon. Course) 1995 NUS.            

Geography of East Asia (First Year Course for Area Studies/Language Program) 1991-92 JNU.

Gender and Society in Southeast Asia (Fourth Year Course) 1995 National Univ. Singapore (NUS).

Undergraduate Courses in Geography and Land Economy (Individual Supervision at Cambridge)

Comparative Urbanization (Year II Geography Tripos) 1998-99

Urban and Regional Policy (Year III Land Economy Tripos) 1998-99

Human Geography (Year I Geography Tripos) 1998-99

Social / Post-colonial geography (Year III Geography Tripos) 1998-99

Leadership in Field Surveys

2017-19: Coordinated three major international research fieldworks in Majuli, Assam

2010-11: Coordinated two major research fieldworks in the Sundarbans in partnership with the Institute of Wetland Management

1999: Field Survey Methods (Socio-Economic) Course offered (with Prof. H. Singh and Dr. M. C. Sharma) in Baddi Industrial District at Solan, Himachal Pradesh (26 MA students)           

1993: Field Survey Methods (Socio‑Economic) Course offered (with Dr. S. Sinha) in Balroad Village, Bhiwani district, Haryana (26 MA students)

1992: Field Survey Methods (Physical Geography). Course (with H. Singh and S. Sinha) in the Himachal Himalayas of Spiti and Kinnaur region (42 MA students).

1991: Field Survey Methods (Physical Geography) Course in the Uttarkashi Region of Uttar Pradesh Himalayas (17 MA students)

1988‑89: Ph.D. research involved a survey of the Urban Labour Market of New Delhi.

EDUCATION

BA: Economics (Honours), St. Edmund’s College, North Eastern Hill University. Shillong (1979)

MA: Geography Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1981)

- Advanced Course Urbanisation in Developing Countries, at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, 1984.

- Advanced Course Women, Men and Development, at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, 27 April-24 July 1987.

M. Phil Regional Development Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1984) Thesis: “Female Participation in the

Tertiary Sector of the Urban Economy of India: A Case Study of Selected Districts”.

PhD: Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University. New Delhi (1991, Applied Labour Econ) Thesis: “The Urban Labour Market in India and the Female Workforce in the Tertiary Sector”

PGCHET. Post Graduate Course on Higher Education & Teaching, Queen’s University Belfast (2001-2) 

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY & POSITIONS HELD:

2023- Distinguished Honorary Chair of Global Sustainable Development Goals (Techno-India Univ) 2023.

2020-21- Visiting Professor Banaras Hindu University, India

2018- Fellow, The Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. 

2016-17: Visiting Professor, University of Calcutta, Kolkata

2015-16: Visiting Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

2013-14: Director Queen’s Academy India

2008-09: Visiting Professor Soka University of America, California, USA, Dec to February.

2008: Associate Professor, Queen’s University Belfast, on-going

2000-08: Lecturer B, School of Geography, Queen’s University Belfast

2000-2003: Associate Professor, Centre for Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi

1991-2000: Assistant Professor, Centre for Regional Development. Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi

1998-1999: Affiliated Lecturer, Department of Geography & Depart of Land Economy, University of Cambridge

1998-1999: Visiting Fellow, Fitzwilliam College University of Cambridge

1997-1999: Commonwealth Fellow, Department of Geography University of Cambridge

1995: Guest Lecturer, National Univ of Singapore Southeast Asian Studies Program & Depart. of Geography

ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP

Member- AHRC Review Panel Member AHRC-DFG; Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)(2022); COP26 (2021); Moderating Panel Standard Grants (2021). 

Member- EDI-Academic Lead for QUB, 2018-ongoing

Member-EDI-lead, Queen’s University Belfast in the Royal Geographical Society (2021-ongoing)

Fellow-Centre for Sustainability, Equality, and Climate Action (SECA), QUB, 2021-

Member-International Editorial Advisory Board, Indian Journal of Dalit and Tribal Studies,2020-

Member-Carnegie Trusts Peer Review, (2019-21)

Member- Peer Reviewer for the University Grants Commission- Ministry for Human Resources Development- Government of India- Sponsored Scheme for Transdisciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy- STRIDE., 2019-20

Member-Invited Reviewer for ICOMOS-Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Working Group-The Future of Our Pasts: Engaging Cultural Heritage in Climate Action. 2019, July.

Member-Peer Reviewer for the University Grants Commission- Ministry for Human Resources Development- Government of India- Sponsored Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration- SPARC. (2019-20)

Member-Trócaire Northern Ireland Board of Directors, 2019-ongoing

Member-Trócaire Northern Ireland, Expert Committee on Business and Ethics, 2019, March, ongoing

Member-Advisory Editorial Board for Journal of Rural Development, India, 2022

Member-International Editorial Board of Himachal University Journal: Humanities, Social Science, 2022

Member-International Editorial Board, Geography & You, India, 2020

Member- UK Research and Innovation Expert Panel Member for Future Leaders Fellows Scheme, 2018.

Member- VC's Expert Panel for Global Research Training Programme, 2018 

Member- Selection Committee for Queen’s University Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship), 2018

Member- Scientific Committee 12 World Congress of Regional Science Association, India, 2018.

Member - AHRC Peer Review College, 2017-2024

Member - Newton Global Challenge Fund Peer Reviewer, 2016-19

Member - Royal Irish Academy, Future Earth Ireland 2015-18

Member- Counselling for All Nations Services (CANS), Northern Ireland, 2018, ongoing

Member - South Belfast Partnership Board, since June 2016

Member - European Association for International Education, 2017 (on going)

Member - Irish Geographers Association, 2014

Chairperson - ArtsEkta, February 2013- March 2015

Member - Board of Directors of ArtsEkta, 2013

Member - India Stakeholders Advisory Group. Belfast City Council, 2012 - 2015

Director - Queen’s Academy India, 2013-2014

Member - Queen’s Academy India Project Implementation Group, 2013-14

Member- International Advisory Board Journal of Contemporary Management Research, 2018

Member - Expert Panel for the Selection of All Party Group- International Development Awards, Stormont Assembly Northern Ireland, 2012-14

Fellow - Higher Education Academy, UK 2009 (on going)

Member - Royal Commonwealth Society, UK, 2008-2012.

Fellow - Royal Geographical Society, UK, 2007 (on going)

Member - Steering Committee for Science & Technology, Ireland-India Council, Dublin, 2011-12

External Member - Trinity College Dublin, South Asian Initiative, 2009-14

Member - Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social Relations, 

Advisor - ‘oikos’ International, Geneva, 2009-13

Member - UK Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies (LLAS) 2008-2011

Secretary-General - Global Organisation of Persons of Indian Origin, (GOPIO) Ireland Chapt, 2006-09

Secretary - Postcolonial Research Forum, QUB

Board of Directors - Global Education Centre, Northern Ireland, 2003-06

Member - Institute of Learning and Teaching (ILT) UK.

Board of Directors - I-Factor InfoTech Limited, Harrow, UK, 2000-01

Life Member - Indian Society of Labour Economics (New Delhi).

Life Member - Association of British Scholars, New Delhi Chapter.

Fellow Researcher - The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (Tokyo).

RESEARCH AWARDS:

1. 2021-22 “Decolonising Earth Science Pedagogy & Curriculum-From Hidden Histories to Inclusive Curricula” UKRI-AHRC, with Rebecca Williams, University of Hull (£125,000).
2. 2019-2022 Research & Enterprise- Pump-Priming Fund for Interdisciplinary Research- “Anchoring the Past: Promoting the value of indigenous cultural heritage and sustainability in Bangladesh”, with Will Megarry (£37,123). Focused on implementation of SDGs in Bangladesh.
3. 2019 AHRC- International Placement PDRA Funds- “Roadside Shrines and Popular Icons: Use of Vedic and Post-Vedic. Gods from Early to Modern India”, with Dr. Smita Yadav (£5670)
4. 2019-20 GCRF Department of Education, UK Award “Solidarity and Empathy for Transforming the University (SETU)”. Jointly with Dina Belluigi (£24,766). Explored the role of SDGs and the Critical Universities Studies in the context of decolonisation of HE in South Africa, Ghana, Northern Ireland and India.
5. 2018- UKRI-AHRC-ICHR Workshop on "Cultural Heritage, Migration and the Indian Diaspora", in Ahmedabad, January 30-31, 2019
6. 2018 UKRI-GCRF Global Impact Acceleration Awards (GIAA) “Role of Heritage in Zero Carbon Footprint: Majuli”. November 2018 to March 2019 (£22,375)
7. 2017 “GCRF Department of Education, UK Award “Climate Change and Hidden Heritage: Lessons from Majuli” jointly with Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, October, 2017 to March, 2018 (£60,000).
8. 2017 “Transforming Heritage- An International Workshop for Enhancing UK-South Asia Networks” in New Delhi, India co-hosted with South Asian University and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA). Department of Education, Northern Ireland, as PI. (£25,300). Launched the Transforming Heritage Consortium. Planning to access increased funding opportunities for the key partners of the consortium.
9. 2017 “SPAN-HDI: Spatial Analysis of Human Development in India”, with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, as Co-PI (with Dr. Deepak Padmanabhan) (£19,124)
10. 2016 British Academy Research project “Surveying Empires-Archaeologies of Colonial Cartography in West Bengal”. Coordinated by Prof. Keith Lilley and Prof. B. Basak (University of Calcutta), November 2016-November 2017
11. Invited to participate in the AHRC Global Challenges Research Fund Town Meeting, Birmingham, Nov-4, 2016
12. 2016 Invited to participate in EU-India platform for Social Sciences & Humanities (EqUIP) Symposium Workshop with Indian Council for Social Science Research (New Delhi) and the Norway Research Council. The Gateway Resort, 13-14 October.
13. 2015 Successful in receiving the AHRC/ RCUK/ Newton-Bhabha expression of interest grant towards submission of a major project under the theme, Cultural Heritage and Rapid Urbanisation in India.
14. 2014 Successfully completed research grant of £9180 towards under from the British Library Endangered Archives Programme (EAP 759): Survey of Bengal ‘Puthis’ discovered in Sundarbans, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal”.
15. 2014-15 Successfully awarded £3.1 million out of the £45 million for the Queen’s Academy India Project for the North-East India Higher Educational Initiative for capacity building and collaborative partnership in Research and Education.
16. 2014-15 Awarded UKIERI as Co-PI with Belfast Metropolitan College (Belfast Met) titled: “Building Organisational Efficiencies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)” with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce. £50,000.
17. 2011-13 Awarded the prestigious Erasmus Intensive Program to hold a Summer School in Cyprus Agros, 5-26, August 2012 titled: Reconfiguring Values and Knowledge for Sustainable Communities (5 ECTS). This is a joint initiative between Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Cyprus and Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania [€51,490 per year or €154,470 for three years]
18. 2008 Awarded for three years’ joint grant application to Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE) with British Council and DFID, UK titled: Capacity building for a technological solution and training to improve groundwater resources management in arsenic affected areas of eastern India”, Co-Researcher with Dr. B. Sengupta as Principal Investigator. Jointly with Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur, India (£74,850)
19. 2008 Successfully completed the Evaluation Report “Habitat for Humanity: Calibrating Best Practice Against the MDGs”, Joint PI with Dr. N. Majury Report prepared for Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland (£2528).
20. 2002 Consultant for Final Technical Report for (DFID/NRSP) “Filling Gaps in Knowledge about Peri-Urban Interface around Hubli-Dharwad, India. (May)
21. 2001 Citcorp Grant, Development Planning Unit, University College London (£1000)
22. 2001 DFID Natural Resources Systems Programme (NRSP) Grant, Rothamsted (£600)
23. 1995-96 Feasibility survey for marketing of Liquid Petroleum Gas Market Survey for Wimco Petrogas Ltd. Fairwood Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd., New Delhi (£2585)
24. 1993 Asianet Communications Private Limited, New Delhi. Preparing background papers for making documentary films: Environmental issues in South Asia; Rural‑Urban Dichotomy: A Case of KotaDesasi and Paradoxes in Kerala, India and The University of Nalanda. 4th Century B.C. to 14th Century A.D, first international university in the world, Bihar, India.

SYMPOSIA AND CONFERENCES ORGANISED:               

2023- Launch of Hearing Our Neds Report, QUB/CANS, March 15. 

2019 Organised the Spring Conference on Dignity and Peace to commemorate the 10^th Anniversary of the conferral of the Honorary Degree to Dr Daisaku Ikeda from Queen’s University Belfast, with Prof. Hastings Donnan, Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, 14-16 May.

2018 Member of the Scientific Committee 12 World Congress of Regional Science Association, India.

2016, Organised a Special Session in the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual Conference, London, with. Dan Clayton, St. Andrew’s University, Scotland on “Geography and Decolonisation, 1945-1980”.

2017 Co-ordinator for 'Leave No One Behind' symposium on Belfast Local Development Plan 

2016 Co-ordinator for UN/Habitat III Conference at School of Natural and Built Environment, QUB

2016 Session Organiser with Dan Clayton for the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual Confer Geography and Decolonisation, c.1945-1980

2015 Member of the Conference of Irish Geographers organising committee at QUB (2014-15)

2012 Organised Mini-Symposium in Queen’s University Belfast on “Land as a Critical Resource for Sustainable Cities”. 15 June. Key participants were the World Bank, IBM (Dublin) and Belfast City Council (with Ajith Kaliyath).

2007-2011 Coordinator of the prestigious QUB-India Lecture Series

2010 Organised a Special Session in the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual Conference, London Jointly with Jenny Lunn, Royal Holloway University of London on Session: The role of religious organisations in social change in Asia

2009 Coordinating the conferral of the Honorary Degree to former President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam from Queen’s University Belfast 10 June

2009 Coordinating the conferral of the Honorary Degree to Dr. Daisaku Ikeda from Queen’s University Belfast 18 May

2009 Coordinated two joint symposiums between Soka University of Japan and Queen’s University Belfast: Language and Communication and Peace and Reconciliation in Soka University Japan, Hachioji 19May

2009 Coordinator, 14th International Conference of Historical Geographers (ICHG) Kyoto University, Japan, 23-27 Aug, Session: Progress in the Empire

2008 Successful coordination of an International Seminar Organized by Department of History, Assam University. Sponsored by ICSSR (New Delhi), ICHR (New Delhi), ICSSR-NER (Shillong) and Assam University.“Encounter and Interventions: History of Christian Missionary Endeavour in British North East India”, 17-18^th March

2007 Co-coordinator, QUB-Postcolonial Research Forum 1^st International Conference: Postcolonial Islands: Geographical, Theoretical and Human, September 21^st-23.

2007 Co-coordinator 28^th Irish Conference of Historians: Empires and their Contested Pasts. 18-20^th May, QUB

2006 Successfully coordinated a Satellite Symposium on Cancer Research between Cancer Research & Cell Biology (CCRCB) QUB and the National Institute of Immunology New Delhi, on behalf of Queen’s to extend the Internationalisation vision. Formalised collaboration between Government of India and QUB with top medical research institute (NII) & CCRCB, 10-11 April

Co-coordinator (with Dr. R. Tomlinson) for the Annual Conference of the Institute of British Geographers, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1997 Coordinator (with Prof. S.K. Thorat) National Seminar on “Employment and Poverty of Social Groups in the Context of New Economic Policy,” Centre for Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

1995 Coordinator (with Prof. H. Singh) “Tenth International Association of Universities General Conference of Vice-Chancellors,” New Delhi, 6‑9 Feb.

1993 Coordinator (with Prof. A. Kundu) "National Seminar on Rail Transport Pricing and Economic Development", Sponsored by Railway Fare and Freight Committee, Ministry of Railways, Government of India.

1993 Coordinator (with Prof. A. Mathur) “Thirty‑Fourth Labour Economics Conference”, Jawaharlal Nehru Univer­sity, 2-4 January 1991 Co‑Director (with Prof. M.K. Premi) One-Day Workshop on “First Results of Census of India 1991,” 24 April

1993 “India's Urbanisation as Revealed by 1991 Census,” 22 November. Held at the Centre for Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Language Proficiency

English, Hindi Bengali (bilingual proficiency), Assamese, Malayalam, Tamil, Punjabi, (working knowledge)

Other Interests:  Photography, gardening, films, music, theatre, poetry, trekking

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION SERVICE:

• Co-Champion- SWAN/ATHENA, 2022, ongoing
• International Exchange Director for Study Abroad- Erasmus & Turing Exchange Programmes, 2021-
• Disability Officer, Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, 2022
• Member, Queen’s University Belfast Senior Management Group for Advance HE Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Curriculum Project, 2019-
• Secretary for iRise- BAME Staff Network in Queen’s University Belfast, 2019, on going
• Member, University Academic lead on Internationalisation of the Curriculum, including EDI initiative, 2019, ongoing
• Member, Selection Committee for Queen’s University Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship),
• Advisor of Studies and Year-3 Coordinator (2017-19)
• Member, Finance Committee, School of Natural and Built Environment, 2016-21.
• Member, Internationalisation Working Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, February 2017-21
• Member, Innovation in Teaching Working Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, October 2017-21
• Member, School of Natural and Built Environment, Senior Management Board, October 2016-21.
• Member, School of Natural and Built Environment, Finance Committee, October 2016-21.
• Director Internationalisation for School of Natural and Built Environment, 2016-21
• Director for Queen’s Academy India, 2013-15.
• Member of School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology Senior Management Board (Oct 2015-16)
• Member, University Co-ordinators for Collaborative Programmes, 2014-15
• Member, Queen’s Academy Programme Implementation Group (2013-14)
• Member India Working Group, Queen’s University Belfast, (2008-13)
• Member, School Exceptional Circumstances Committee (2013-15).
• Member, Student Support Committee (2012-2015).
• Advisor of Studies, School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology (2012-15)
• Society, Space and Culture Cluster Seminar Coordinator (2012-15)
• Member Tender Selection Panel, Provis of Business Travel Services, Queen's Univ Belfast, (2012-13)
• Advisor of Studies for School of Geography (2003-06)
• Exams Liaison Officer (2001-03)
• Staff-Student Consultative Committee (2003-06)
• School of Geography Senior Management Committee (Sept 2004- Jan 2005)
• Post-Graduate Coordinator, School of Geography, Queen’s University Belfast (September 2004- Jan 2005).
• Member, Queen’s University International Development Committee (2004-05).
• Member Faculty Post Graduate Committee (September 2004- January 2005).
• School Representative in International Development Committee (2004-05).
• School Representative, Faculty Post Grad Committee (Sept 2004- Jan 2006. 
• Contributed to University Open Days, Discovering Queen’s initiative.