Professional Experience:
I am a cultural researcher and documentation specialist with over eight years of professional experience spanning the social, economic, and cultural sectors in Northeast India. My career has been defined by a consistent engagement with research-driven initiatives, field documentation, and the coordination of heritage-based projects that bridge community knowledge with institutional policy frameworks. My work integrates academic rigor with practical implementation, focusing on participatory research, project management, and administrative coordination within government and academic settings.
From 2019 onwards, I have been associated with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Regional Centre Guwahati, where I have contributed to numerous projects under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) and the Ministry of Culture. My primary role involves leading field documentation, research, and programme coordination across the eight Northeastern states. I have organized and managed seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and symposiums on diverse themes of cultural heritage, traditional art forms, and indigenous knowledge systems, collaborating closely with universities, government departments, and cultural institutions. My work entails the preparation of detailed reports, concept notes, meeting minutes, and MoUs, ensuring seamless communication between field activities and central policy documentation.
Over the years, I have conducted extensive field documentation in over a dozen locations, covering endangered performing arts, crafts, ritual traditions, and oral narratives. My efforts have focused on preserving intangible cultural heritage and building platforms for community voices to be integrated into cultural policy dialogues. Among the key events I have coordinated are the “Seva Parv – Vikshit Bharat Art Competition,” “Echoes of Heritage: Reimagining Cultural Tourism in the North East” at Tripura University, and the “Raas Festival” at Majuli University of Culture, Assam. Each of these initiatives aimed to promote participatory engagement, cross-institutional collaboration, and regional cultural visibility. Alongside programmatic work, I have supported administrative and financial functions, including budgeting, travel coordination, and logistical arrangements for multi-location projects.
Prior to this, between 2017 and 2019, I served as a Research Associate at the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD), an ICSSR institute in Guwahati. My research experience there encompassed socio-economic development studies, policy evaluations, and community livelihood assessments. I was involved in projects such as the Integrationist Transformation Agenda of the Nation State & North East India, the Evaluation of the Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC), and a CSR evaluation of NHPC initiatives in the region. These studies honed my abilities in designing research tools, executing field surveys, data analysis, and drafting reports for government and CSR stakeholders.
My academic background includes a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Peace Building from Jamia Millia Islamia, and a Bachelor’s in History from Hans Raj College, University of Delhi, complemented by certifications in Computer Applications and North East India Studies. These qualifications have helped me develop a multidisciplinary approach—merging cultural studies, peace research, and development communication.
Throughout my career, I have combined field engagement with scholarly inquiry and administrative diligence. My professional strength lies in balancing community-level interactions with institutional coordination, ensuring that research translates into meaningful cultural and developmental outcomes.