Contributing Scholars & Authors Directory

SU

Suraiya Islam Ria

PV-2026-0007

Research Scholar at Banaras Hindu University

Suraiya Islam Ria is an accomplished Kathak dancer and researcher with extensive experience in performance, workshops, teaching, and cultural collaborations. She is currently pursuing her PhD at Banaras Hindu University. Deeply rooted in the classical tradition of Kathak, her artistic practice also engages with contemporary perspectives and interpretations of the form. Her work brings together sustained dance practice and scholarly inquiry, exploring the aesthetic, expressive, theoretical, and cultural dimensions of Kathak. Her academic research seeks to develop a deeper understanding of Kathak as a living classical tradition while contributing to the broader theoretical and scholarly discourse surrounding Indian classical dance.

Contributing scholar to the Poorvam research ecosystem.

Contributing scholar to the Poorvam research ecosystem.

Contributing scholar to the Poorvam research ecosystem.

SW

Swami Medhananda

PV-2026-SM05

Vedanta Society of Southern California / UCLA & USC

Swami Medhananda is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order and an academic philosopher, currently serving as Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy at the Vedanta Society of Southern California in Hollywood. He is also the Hindu Chaplain at UCLA and the University of Southern California, and Section Editor for the International Journal of Hindu Studies (Springer).

SW

Swastik Banerjee

PV-2026-1615

Contributing scholar to the Poorvam research ecosystem.