Dr. Indra Kaul

Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Delhi

An independent researcher and former Associate Professor at University of Delhi, Dr. Indra Kaul has recently completed a monograph on Buddhist theris (nuns) with the title, Therigatha: A Study in Tradition and Modernity. She did her M.A. and M.Phil from Dept. of English, University of Kashmir, followed by another Masters course in Comparative Indian Literature from the University of Delhi. She also did a course in Canadian Studies from SNDT Women’s University, Bombay. Her Ph.D. is from the Centre for English Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, on the topic, “The Transgressing Female in Medieval Indian Literature.” Oriented towards inter-and-multi-disciplinarity/mediality, the study attempts to propose an alternative historiography of women and gender – structured around key issues such as women’s subjectivity, identity and epistemologies.

Her research interests remain Alternative Historiography of Women and Gender – with specific focus on transgressing categories like nuns, courtesans, priestesses, shamanesses, etc., as also androgynous/transsexual and other hybrid entities in Buddhist and Medieval Bhakti representations. This apart, Indian Classical literature, Comparative Indian Literature, 20th century British Fiction, and Post-Colonial Literature also remain her special areas of interest. She has taught, written and published in these areas.

Areas of Interest: Alternative Historiography of Women and Gender, Buddhist and Medieval Bhakti representations, Indian Classical literature, Comparative Indian Literature, 20th century British Fiction, Post-Colonial Literature

Email: indra[dot]kaul[at]sgndkc[dot]du[dot]ac[dot]in

Publications:

PAPERS

“Message as Medium: Feminine Body and Motifs as Lexicon of Popular Faiths.” Journal of Research & Innovation, vol. V, no. I, Vol. V, ISSN 2456-8740, 2021
“Against the Backdrop of Premodern Indian Representations of Gender: Modernism and Its Discursive Disenfranchisements.” Journal of Research & Innovation, vol. IV, no. I, ISSN 2456-8740
“Self, a Continuum of Being and becoming: Lalla Ded in the Backdrop of Bhakti.” Journal of Research & Innovation, vol. III, no. I, ISSN 2456-8740
“Beyond the Double-Bind: G-localised Spaces of Interrogative Gaze.” Journal of Research & Innovation, vol. I, no. I, ISSN 2456-8740
“The Epistemological Problematics of Transgression: A Study of the Sanskrit play Bhagwadajukiyyam (The Ascetic and the Courtesan).” Plenary Paper presented in the National Seminar on Social Epistemology and Comparative Indian Literary Culture (in memory of young Comparative Literature Scholar, Barleen Kaur), organized by the Department of Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies, University of Delhi and Delhi Comparatists, Delhi – 110007
“Therigatha: A Study in Tradition and Modernity.” Feminism, Tradition and Modernity, edited by Chandrakala Padia, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, 2002
“Of Wives, Nuns, Courtesans . . . in Medieval Indian Representations: Towards an Alternative Historiography of Gender.” Plenary paper presented at 4th JGU (O P Jindal Global University) International Literary Conference, January 24-26, 2018
“Of Androgynous Entities/ Identities: Trans (Gendered) Spaces in Medieval Indian Literature (Paper presented at UGC sponsored National Seminar held by SGND Khalsa College, University of Delhi on February 7-8, 2017
“Interrogating Gendered Subjectivity and Spectatorship in Medieval Indian Representations.” Lecture delivered at Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education (CPDHE), Delhi University, during its Winter School (February 18 – March 9, 2016) on the topic Folklore, Tradition and Culture, held for College and University Teachers