Our Faculty

Dr. Sonali Pattnaik is a Faculty-cum-Researcher at the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. She holds a Ph. D. in Social Anthropology from Utkal University and has extensive teaching, research, and field experience in social policy, tribal studies, gender, ecological justice, and sustainable development.

She has worked with organizations such as Vasundhara and SPREAD on forest rights, social security schemes, and indigenous community research. She has also contributed to national-level academic content development by preparing modules on Family and Marriage for e-PG Pathshala (UGC’s digital learning initiative).

Her current teaching covers Social Work and Cognitive Science Learning & Technology, and she continues to publish widely on tribal rights, women’s empowerment, and community development.

Publications (Module and Newsletter)

• Content on Marriage (Module Author – e-PG Pathshala, UGC)
  Year: 2015
  Citation: Postgraduate-level digital learning content for Social Anthropology
  Publisher: University Grants Commission (UGC), National Mission on Education through ICT (NME-ICT)
• Forest Rights Act Training Manual for Government Functionaries and Members of Gram Sabha
  Year: 2015
  Citation: Module I, SCSTRTI & UNDP, Bhubaneswar
  Publisher: Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India & UNDP
• Optimizing Women’s Assertion of Forest Rights: An Initiative from Odisha
  Year: 2015
  Citation: People in Conservation, Vol. 6, No. 2, December 2015
  Publisher: Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group
• Women’s Right & the FRA
  Year: 2015
  Citation: Community Forest Rights at a Glance, Vol. 4, No. 1, Oct–Nov 2015
  Publisher: Community Forest Rights Newsletter (academia.edu archive)