Doctoral Students

Paavana P. Varma is a doctoral student in the School of Natural Sciences and Engineering. She is working with the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Programme. Her research explores the concept of charisma in conservation, examining how narratives about nature and species shape human perceptions, ethics, and relationships with the environment. Her research interests include environmental humanities, conservation narratives, human–nature relationships, affect studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to the Anthropocene.

Rupsa Karmakar is a PhD student at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (School of Humanities), Bengaluru, whose research involves archaeometallurgy, indigenous smelting, the history and the processes of metal crafting technology, ethnoarchaeology, and preservation of both tangible and intangible heritages in India. She holds an M.Sc. In Anthropology with a specialization in Paleoanthropology-Prehistoric Archaeology and a B.Sc. in Anthropology from the University of Calcutta.

Manikranth Chakravarthula is a doctoral student at the Conflict Resolution and Peace Research Programme, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. He holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Hindu College, University of Delhi. His research interests centre on political violence and peacebuilding in South Asia, with a focus on Indian approaches, state responses, and the role of civil society in negotiating state-society relations in conflict and post-conflict contexts

Suhas M. is a PhD student at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (School of Humanities), Bengaluru, whose research applies remote sensing and multi sensor geospatial techniques to the documentation, monitoring and conservation of India’s built heritage. He holds an M.Tech in Remote Sensing & GIS (IIRS-ISRO) and a B.E. in Civil Engineering and has worked on digital documentation projects for sites such as Srirangapatna, Raya Gopura (Melukote) and Pattadakallu.