Founder, Digital Humanities Scholar & Technology Ethicist
Bengaluru, IN.
About
Highly accomplished Founder, Digital Humanities Scholar, and Technology Ethicist with a PhD in English Literature and over two decades of experience leading critical research at the intersection of technology, gender, and social justice. Spearheads innovative projects at Design Beku, focusing on decolonizing design, participatory technology, and AI ethics, backed by a robust portfolio of international grants and influential publications. Adept at academic leadership, curriculum development, and driving interdisciplinary initiatives to shape ethical and equitable digital futures.
Work
Design Beku
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Founder - Director
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Summary
Led a pioneering design and technology initiative focused on decolonizing digital spaces and fostering ethical, participatory approaches to technology development.
Highlights
Directed strategic vision and operations for Design Beku, spearheading research and design projects that challenge conventional technology paradigms and promote social justice.
Authored and co-authored multiple influential publications, including 'Toward Decolonizing Design and Technology through Collaborative and Situated Care-in-Practices' and contributions on AI ethics, gender, and digital self-determination.
Secured significant grants and fellowships, such as the Digital Good Fellowship (ESRC Digital Good Network) and Seed, Grow and Sustain (Numun Fund), to advance critical research in digital humanities and technology ethics.
Initiated and managed collaborative research projects with academic institutions and NGOs, focusing on participatory technology design for vulnerable communities, including AI for GBV and digital self-determination for people with disabilities.
Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology
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Course Director, MA in Digital Humanities
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Summary
Directed the MA in Digital Humanities program, overseeing curriculum development and fostering interdisciplinary research at a leading art, design, and technology institute.
Highlights
Developed and implemented a comprehensive MA curriculum in Digital Humanities, integrating critical theory with practical design and technology applications.
Mentored and guided graduate students through complex research projects, fostering a new generation of scholars at the intersection of humanities and technology.
Collaborated on international initiatives, including the DIG_IN: Digital Humanities Education Initiative Finland-India, enhancing global academic partnerships and curriculum design.
Contributed to the academic standing of the institute through active research and publication in the evolving field of digital humanities.
University of Stirling
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Lecturer in Publishing Studies and Digital Media
Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Delivered engaging instruction and conducted research in Publishing Studies and Digital Media, contributing to academic discourse and student success.
Highlights
Designed and delivered undergraduate and postgraduate courses in publishing, digital media, and critical theory to diverse student cohorts.
Supervised student dissertations and projects, guiding academic inquiry and practical skill development in emerging media landscapes.
Conducted independent research in areas of digital culture and media, contributing to departmental expertise and external publications.
Participated in faculty committees and academic administration, supporting the strategic goals and operational efficiency of the university department.
Education
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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PhDEnglish LiteratureGrade:
Jadavpur University
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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MA (Hons)English LiteratureGrade:
St. Stephen's College
Delhi, Delhi, India
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BA (Hons)English LiteratureGrade:
Languages
English
Skills
Digital Humanities
Critical Theory, Decolonization, AI Ethics, Gender Studies, Technology Studies, Participatory Design, Research Methodology.
Research & Analysis
Qualitative Research, Academic Publishing, Grant Writing, Literature Review, Data Analysis, Critical Thinking, Interdisciplinary Research.
Academic Writing, Public Speaking, Report Writing, Presentation Skills, Cross-cultural Communication.
Digital Media
Publishing Studies, Digital Culture, Online Platforms, Data Governance, Information Ethics.
Awards
Digital Good Fellowship
ESRC Digital Good Network
Awarded to explore whether AI can be considered a digital good by reimagining it through non-Western paradigms, aiming to manifest alternative, feminist, and anticolonial reimaginings of AI for societal benefit.
Seed, Grow and Sustain Grant
Numun Fund
Awarded under the Grow category to support the expansion of an established project and collective, specifically with the Channapatna Health Library.
Gendering the Smart City: A Subaltern Curation Network for GBV
Arts & Humanities Research Council, UK
Served as Co-Investigator (PI: Dr Ayona Dutta, University College London) for a research project exploring gender dynamics in smart cities with a focus on gender-based violence.
DIG_IN: Digital Humanities Education Initiative Finland-India
CIMO
Contributed to curriculum development and e-learning module design in collaboration with Professor Xenia Zeiler, University of Helsinki, as part of an international digital humanities education initiative.
Two Centuries of Indian Print Grant
Newton Bhabha Trust
Served as Co-Investigator & Digital Consultant for a project with the British Library and Jadavpur University, focusing on Indian print history.
Visiting Fellowship
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
Awarded a visiting fellowship to conduct research at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
Unbox Fellowship
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Served as Principal Investigator for the Unbox Fellowship, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Publications
The Machines Are Not All Right: Rethinking (Artificial) Intelligence.
TARSHI
Commissioned by TARSHI for their special issue on gender and language, this publication critically examines artificial intelligence from a gender and linguistic perspective.
Disability and digital self determination: design research and recommendations.
A report based on findings from four studios, involving people with disabilities, designers, technologists, and policymakers, offering design research and recommendations for digital self-determination.
Reimagining Automated Violence Interventions through Participatory Technology Design
Digital Futures Lab and Point of View
A collaborative research report exploring participatory design research for the use of AI in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Are We Together
Digital Futures Lab and Pollicy
A collaborative research report investigating how non-English speakers in India and Africa utilize mobile phones and experience the digital world.
A ‘Feminist’ Server to Help People Own Their Own Data.
The Bastion
A publication discussing the development of a 'feminist' server aimed at empowering individuals to control their own data.
Shaheen Bagh: Making sense of (re) emerging “Subaltern” feminist political subjectivities in hashtag publics through critical, feminist interventions.
New Media & Society
An article exploring the emergence of 'Subaltern' feminist political subjectivities within hashtag publics, utilizing critical and feminist intervention frameworks.
Design Beku: Toward Decolonizing Design and Technology through Collaborative and Situated Care-in-Practices.
Global Perspectives 2, no. 1
A publication co-authored with Naveen L. Bagalkot, Shreyas Srivatsa, and Paul Anthony George, focusing on decolonizing design and technology through collaborative care practices.
Decolonising Digital Humanities: Critically Making in India
Routledge India
A chapter in 'Exploring the Digital Humanities in India,' edited by Maya Dodd and Nidhi Kalra, examining critical approaches to digital humanities in the Indian context.
Wiki-urbanism: Curating a Delhi resettlement colony with open knowledge platforms
Taylor and Francis
A chapter in 'Platform Urbanism,' co-authored with Ayona Datta, exploring the use of open knowledge platforms to curate a Delhi resettlement colony.
Designing for Democracy: The Personal Data Protection Bill and The Risks of Responsibilisation
Economic and Political Weekly
An article analyzing the Personal Data Protection Bill in India and its implications for democratic design and the risks associated with responsibilisation.