Academicians

Prof. Gita Dharampal

Dean of Research

Ashwin Zala

Associate Professor and Editor

Gita Dharampal, retired Professor and Head, Department of History, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, acquired an interdisciplinary academic training in literature and philosophy (Manchester, England and Leipzig, East Germany, 1970-74), social anthropology (Cambridge, England, 1975-76) and Indian cultural history (1976-1980, SOAS, London and Sorbonne, Paris, Ph.D.), and completed her Habilitation (= German professorial dissertation) in early modern history (Freiburg, Germany, 1992). Her publications and research focus on topics ranging from pre-modern transcultural interactions between Europe and India, the maritime cultural history of the Indian Ocean region (1400-1800), medical history, religious-ritual transformations (1500-2000), the socio-cultural and political history of the colonial period, in general, with a special emphasis on Mahatma Gandhi’s movement of political and cultural resurgence. Besides participating actively in international conferences and giving invited keynote talks, she has held visiting fellowships and professorships at various international institutions, among others, at Stanford University, USA, as well as at Indian universities (Delhi, Kolkata, and Hyderabad). Her language competencies include English, German, French, Latin, and basic Hindi.

Dr. Ashwin Zala did his doctoral dissertation on ‘Gandhi’s Resource Mobilization for Public Work: Cause, Method and Management’ at the Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad. His Master’s dissertation on ‘People’s Preparedness against Disaster’, with special reference to the Kutch district of Gujarat, was conferred with the ‘best research work in disaster management’ award by Unnati Foundation and the Government of Gujarat. He is regularly invited by universities and colleges to hold keynote lectures on Gandhi and Ahimsa, the scope of social work, Gandhian economics, and Gandhi as a leader and management guru. He delivered more than 90 special lectures and 30 workshops on Conflict Transformation in different parts of India, USA and Mexico.

His research and publications focus on various tenets of Gandhian thoughts. Prior to joining the GRF, he was the principal of MSW College affiliated with Bhavnagar University and a core member of the curriculum design committee at Bhavnagar University. At the GRF, besides being the Associate Professor, he is also the editor of the GRF’s monthly bilingual magazine ‘Khoj Gandhiji Ki’.