Surabhi Agarwal is a PhD student at the School of Social Sciences. She is interested in exploring how ideas and concepts from Buddhist philosophy can inform research in the social sciences. She has an MPhil in sociology from Hyderabad Central University and an MA in Dalit and Tribal Studies from Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha.
She has also completed a diploma course in Buddhist philosophy from Tibet House, Delhi, and a post-graduate certificate course in Western philosophy from the Open University, UK. She has worked as a social worker and as a transcriptionist.
Ashirwad Wakade is Ph.D. Scholar at NIAS. Before inducting as a Ph.D. student at the institute, he worked with Indian-Political Action Committee(I-PAC) for the West Bengal State Assembly elections. He also worked as a Project Associate with Azim Premji University for developing India-Covid Assessment and Response Dashboard. He was also a consultant for the Telangana Government’s Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society.
He has completed his Master of Arts in Education (Elementary) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai(TISS), and Bachelor of Science in Physics at Fergusson College, Pune.
Ashirwad is working with Dr. Shivali Tukdeo. His areas of interest include Sociology of Education, Rural Higher Education, Politics and Higher Education, and Education Policy.
Retired as the Head of NIAS Energy Programme.