Ph. D. Harvard University, 2013 (Department of South Asian Studies); Doctoral dissertation: “Hindu Kingship: Ritual, Power and History”
MA. Florida International University, 2003 (Department of Religious Studies); Thesis: Kingship, Rituals, and Power in Nepal
MA. Tribhuvan University, 1993 (Central Department of English); Thesis: A Phenomenological Study of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land
BA. Tribhuvan University, 1990 (Economics and English)
IA. Tribhuvan University (Economics)
ACADEMIC HONORS, AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Harvard University
Presidential Scholar Award, 2004 (a five-year scholarship package)
Presidential Completion Fellowship, 2011-2012
Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University, Spring 2010
Dr. Stephen G. Jones and Wanda W. Jones Scholarship, 2010-2011
Arthur Daniel Stillman Endowed Beneficiary Aid Scholarship, 2008- 2009; 2009-2010
Graduate Writing Fellows Program, Spring 2008
Dillon Fellowship, 2005-2006
Dr. Stephen G. Jones and Wanda W. Jones Scholarship, 2004
University of Florida
University of Florida Wells Scholarship and Grinter Fellowship, 2003-2004
Honor for Outstanding Academic Accomplishment, University of Florida, 2004
Florida International University
Distinction in MA in Religious Studies, Florida International University, 2003
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Religious Studies, Florida International University, 2003
Florida International University Scholarship, 2001-2003
American Research Center, Hyderabad, India
Best Research Paper Award, American Civilization and Culture Course (XIX), American Research Center, Hyderabad, India, 1998
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Illinois Wesleyan University, Department of Religion, Bloomington, IL
Associate Professor, August 2020-
Assistant Professor, August 2014-2020 Visiting Instructor, Fall 2012- July 2014
Harvard University, Department of South Asian Studies, Cambridge, MA
Instructor, Fall 2009- Spring 2011; Teaching Fellow, Spring 2008, Spring 2007 and Fall 2006
University of Florida, Department of Religion, Gainesville, FL
Teaching Assistant, Fall 2003 and Spring 2004
Florida International University, Department of Religious Studies, Miami, FL
Instructor, Spring 2003; Teaching Assistant, Fall 2001- Fall 2002
Tribhuvan University, Central Department of English, Kathmandu, Nepal
Assistant Professor in English, Central Department of English, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. September 1995- July 2001
Nepal Engineering College, Kupondole, Lalitpur, Nepal. September 1994- September 1995; Lecturer in English
PUBLICATIONS
Book
Hindu Kingship Rituals: Power Relation and Historical Evolution. Harvard Oriental Series-Opera Minora, vol. 11 (Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2019).
http://bethgazo.gorgiaspress.com/harvard-oriental-series-opera-minora
Peer-Reviewed Articles in Journals
“The Coronation Rituals: A Comparative Study of the Ancient Hebrew and Vedic Traditions,” The Journal of Indo-Judaic Studies 16 (November 2018): 7-29.
“Thomas Pynchon: Postmodernism in Practice,” Literary Studies 17 (1999): 37-53.
Peer-Reviewed Chapters in Books
“Violence or Its Delegitimization?: Conflicting Views from the Hindu World,” The (De)Legitimization of Violence in Sacred and Human Contexts, pp. 125-138 edited by Muhammad Shafiq and Thomas Donlin-Smith. Basingstoke, Hampshire [England] Basingstoke, Hampshire [England]: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.
“Women’s Rituals, Gendered Rituals: Traditional Praxis and Strategic Interventions,” Making Gender in the Intersection of the Human and the Divine, edited by Muhammad Shafiq and Thomas Donlin-Smith, 327-344. New Castle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019.
“The Protection of Nature and Environment: A Case for Restoring ‘Dharma’ in the Hindu World,” Nature and the Environment in Contemporary Religious Contexts, edited by Muhammad Shafiq and Thomas Donlin-Smith, 183-203. New Castle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018.
“Coronation of the Hindu King: Tradition and Innovation in Nepalese History,” Strategic Interventions: Ritual Innovation in South Asian Religion, edited by Brian K. Pennington and Amy Allocco, 17-33. New York: SUNY, 2018.
“The Navarātra Homa: Livers, Enchantments, and Engendering the Śaktis,” Homa Variations: Religious Culture and the Transformations of Ritual, edited by Richard K. Payne and Michael Witzel, 314-336. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Encyclopedia Entries and Other Publications (non peer-reviewed scholarly articles)
“Kingship” (4000 words), Encyclopedia of Indian Religions: Hinduism and Tribal Religions, edited by Arvind Sharma. Springer publication, 2020.
“Vedic Period, c. 1750- 500 BCE” (1500 words); “Sikhism: A History,” (1000 words); “Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) as a Tactic in Gandhi” (800 words), Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa: An Encyclopedia, edited by Patit P. Mishra, Andrea L. Stanton, et al., Vol. Sage Publications, Inc., 2012.
“Lepchas” (500 words), Native Peoples of the World: An Encyclopedia of Groups, Cultures, and Contemporary Issues, edited by Steven Laurence Danver. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2012.
“The Viṣṇu Purāṇa: Explanation and Analysis,” Milestone Documents of World Religions, Vol. II, edited by David M. Fahey, 707-713. Texas: Schlager Group Production, 2011.
Book Reviews
The Easternization of the West: A Thematic Account of Cultural Change in the Modern Era by Colin Campbell. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers, 2007. In Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review, Volume 02, Issue 02 (pp. 386-388), 2011.
Kings of the Forest: The Cultural Resilience of Himalayan Hunter-Gatherers by Jana Fortier. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 2009. In The Journal of Asian Studies, Volume 70, Issue 02 (pp. 613-614), 2011.
Spiritual Journey Home: Eastern Mysticism to the Western Wall by Nathan Katz. KTAV Publishing House 2009. In International Journal of Hindu Studies, Springer, Volume 14, Numbers 2-3 (pp. 329-331), 2010.
India’s Princely States: People, Princes, and Colonialism. Ed. by Waltraud Ernst and Biswamoy Pati.
London; New York: Routledge, 2007. In The Journal of Asian Studies, Volume 69, Issue, 01 (pp. 302-303), 2010.
Forthcoming
Book Review (invited)
“Review of Dharma and Halacha: Comparative Studies in Hindu-Jewish Philosophy and Religion,” The Journal of Indo-Judaic Studies” (17), edited by Ithamar Theodor and Yudit Kornberg Greenberg, (Lanham, Boulder, New York, London: Lexington Books, 2018), 262 pp.
Paper under Review
Peer-Reviewed Article in a Journal
“The Sacred and the Sacrificial: The Status and Representation of Animals in Hindu Texts and Ritual Contexts,” Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies.
Work in Progress
A Mystical Quest for Unity: Approaching Ātman and Brahman in the Upaniṣads
Divine Presence: Consecration Ceremonies in Hindu and Jain Temples
King Shivaji in the Religions and Politics of Hindu India
GRANTS AND LEAVE
IWU Artistic/Scholarly Development Grant, Fall 2020
IWU Diversity Grant for a new course entitled “Titans for Diversity and Dialogue” (2019-2020)
Curriculum Development Grant, Interfaith Youth Core (Chicago, IL), Spring 2019, Summer 2018
[Re]Design Your Course for Civic Engagement, 2018
American Democracy Project and State Farm Course Development Grant (workshop organized by IWU and ISU), Summer 2018
Curriculum Development Grant (jointly with Elyse NelsonWinger), Interfaith Youth Core, Spring 2017
IWU Team Teaching Grant (jointly with Elyse NelsonWinger), Spring 2017
IWU Artistic/Scholarly Development Grant, Fall 2016
IWU Junior Faculty Leave, Fall 2016
IWU Mellon Foundation Grant (for a course development), Fall 2014
PRESENTATIONS IN CONFERENCES
“The Royal Nepalese Navarātri: Responses and Reactions to Animal Sacrifices,” Ritual Construction and Contestation: Navarātri Rituals and their Critiques, 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), Denver, CO; November 17-20, 2018.
“The Sacred and the Sacrificial: The Status of Animals in Hindu Religious Life,” Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM), 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), Denver, CO, November 17-20, 2018.
“Violence or Its Delegitimization?: Conflicting Views from the Hindu World,” Fifth International Symposium on Sacred Texts and Human Contexts: Religions and the (De)Legitimization of Violence, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY; July29- July 31, 2018.
“Divine Deception or Priestly Artifice?: Its Rationale and Justification in Śrī Svasthānīvrata,” The Conference on the Study of Religions of India, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA; June 21-24, 2018.
“Women’s Rituals, Gendered Rituals: Traditional Praxis and Strategic Interventions in Modern Times,” Fourth International Symposium on “Sacred Texts and Human Contexts: Women and Gender in Religions,” Nazareth College, Rochester, NY; July30- August 1, 2017.
“Gender Roles and Representations: Sacred Texts and Human Contexts of Nepalese Festivals,” Identities in Transition: South Asian Womanhood and Girlhood Conference, Loyola University, Chicago, IL; October 28-29, 2016.
“The Protection of Nature and Environment: A Case for Restoring ‘Dharma’ in the Hindu World,” Third International Symposium on “Sacred Texts and Human Contexts: Nature and Environment in World Religions,” Nazareth College, Rochester, NY; May 23-25, 2016.
“Hindu Nationalism: The Nation and the Goddess,” New England Conference of Association of Asian Studies (NEAAS), Wellesley College, MA; October 22-23, 2011.
“Honoring the Bombs: Tāntric Rites, Ritual Violence, and Maintenance of Power,” American Academy of Religion (AAR) Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA; October-November, 2010.
“The Navarātra Homa: Livers, Enchantments, and Engendering the Śaktis,” Conference on Variations of Homa: From Vedic to Hindu and Buddhist. Harvard University, MA; October, 2010.
“The Rājyābhiṣeka Ceremony: Tradition and Innovation in Nepalese History,” Ritual Innovation in South Asian Religions: Conference on the Study of Religions of India, Kalamazoo College, MI; June, 2009.
“Kingship, Rituals and Power in Nepal,” Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Gainesville, Florida; January, 2004.
“Color Purple: A Search for Personal and Cultural Identities,” Literary Association of Nepal; February, 1999.
“A Vision of the Self in The Old Man and the Sea,” Literary Association of Nepal; February, 1997.
TALKS AND COLLOQUIA
“In My Mother’s Garden: Gendered Culture & Voices for Change,” Religion Colloquium, Illinois Wesleyan University; March 8, 2017.
“The Triumph of the Goddess: Hindu Kingship Rituals and Maintenance of Powers in Nepal,” Religion Colloquium, Illinois Wesleyan University; February 11, 2013.
“Royal Nepalese ‘Navarātra’: A Convergence of Religious and Socio-Political Powers.” Hindu Studies Colloquium, Center for the Studies of World Religions, Harvard University, MA; January 27, 2011.
“The Crying of Lot 49: A Poetics of Postmodernism,” American Civilization and Culture Course XIX ; American Research Center Hyderabad, India; January 19- February 13, 1998.
RESEARCH LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH
Sanskrit (speaking, reading and writing proficiency)
Nepali (native competence in speaking, reading and writing)
Hindi (speaking, reading and writing proficiency)
Pali and Marathi (basic reading)
French (basic reading)
UNIVERSITY SERVICE (IWU) ELECTIVE COMMITTEE
Curriculum Council, Fall 2019- (Vice-Chair)
Curriculum Council, Fall 2018-2019 (Committee Member)
APPOINTIVE AND INVITED
Asian Studies Team of International Studies, Fall 2019- Present (Coordinator)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Planning Team, Summer 2019-January 20, 2020
Chapel Strategic Planning Group (January 2019)
Student Life Committee, Fall 2017- May 2018
Study Abroad Advisory Committee, Fall 2016- Spring 2018
Council on Religious Life, Fall 2014- Spring 2017 (except in Spring 2016); Fall 2019- Present
Co-facilitator of the Summer Reading Group, 2017- Present
First Year Advising (FYA) and Advising Continuing Students, 2015- Present
Council for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Fall 2015; Fall 2017
Faculty Committee for Diversity, 2014-2015 (Co-chair)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Academy of Religion
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
Permanent Member of Theta Alpha Kappa, the National Honor Society for Religious Studies/Theology
Member of Phi Beta Delta- Epsilon Chi Chapter Honor Society for International Scholars, IWU since March 16, 2015-
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Associate Editor, Asian Social Science (ASS) and a reviewer, Asian Culture and History (ACH)–peer-reviewed journals published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
COURSES AT IWU
GW/FYE 100/101: Titans for Diversity and Dialogue
GW 100: Peace and War in the Modern World
REL 110: Religions of the World (CSI, G)
REL132: Asian Religious Practice (CSI, G)
REL 133: Islam in the Modern World (CHC, G)
REL 232: Hindus and Christians (IT and G)
REL 309: Imagining Modern India (IT and G)
REL 332: Hindu Religious Tradition (CHC, G)
REL 333: Islam from Mecca to Malcolm X (CHC, G)
REL 334: Reading Hindu Texts (LIT)
REL 337: Encountering Religious Diversity (CSI, G)
REL 490: Senior Seminar in Religion