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Ayantika Chakraborty

Assistant Professor, Department of Amrita Darshanam (International Centre for Spiritual Studies), School of Engineering, Chennai

Qualification: B.A. Comparative Literature , M.A.Comparative Literature, M.A. Folklore , Ph.D. Folklore Research
Research Interest: Community Development and Livelihood in Craft Clusters, Digital Archiving and Ethnomusicology, Mask-Making Traditions , Gender in culture ,Ritual in Folklore ,Technological Intervention in Culture

Bio

Dr. Ayantika Chakraborty currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the Chennai campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. She is a motivated researcher focused on advancing collective knowledge in art and culture, with specialized expertise in Folklore, Ethnographic Fieldwork and archiving. Her professional background includes significant experience as an archivist and researcher, contributing to the study design and preservation of traditional Indian art forms. At Amrita, she teaches spirituality and culture studies and mentors students in interdisciplinary research through the Live-in-Labs program. 

Publications

Book Chapter

Year : 2023

Diminishing significance of ‘Ritual-Gold’ Amidst Covid-19 in India

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A. (2023). Diminishing significance of ‘Ritual-Gold’ amidst Covid-19 in India. In Covid 19 Anguish, Resilience and Determination. Guwahati: DVS Publishers.

Publisher : DVS Publishers, Guwahati

Year : 2022

Gender Bias in the Myths of Sati

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A., & Debnath, D. (2022). Gender bias in the myths of Sati. In Inclusive Education: Encompassing Rehabilitation. Department of Education, University of Kalyani.

Year : 2021

Hijra: An Active Culture Bearing Community through Different Ages

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Publisher : SSDN Publication & Distributors, New Delhi

Year : 2021

Kesariya to Rangati: A Reflection of Folkloresque in the Contemporary Indian Music

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A. (2021). Kesariya to Rangati: A Reflection of Folkloresque in the Contemporary Indian Music. Indian Folklore Contemplation on Arts, Aesthetics, And Culture. Upanayana Publication, New Delhi. (ISBN: 978-81-949267-4-0).

Year : 2016

Traditional Social Stigma against the Hijras

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Publisher : Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata

Journal Article

Year : 2021

Mask-Making Process of Chadhiapalli Village

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Year : 2021

Women Mask Makers of Odisha

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A. & Chatterjee, A. (2021). Women mask makers of Odisha. UNESCO Fellowship. Sahapedia

Year : 2021

Chadhiapalli: A Traditional Mask Makers Village in Odisha

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A. & Chatterjee, A. (2021). Chadhiapalli: A Traditional Mask Makers Village in Odisha. UNESCO Fellowship. Sahapedia

Year : 2021

Non-Medical Masks as Living Archive of Folklore Amidst the Pandemic

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, Ayantika. “Non-Medical Masks as Living Archive of Folklore Amidst the Pandemic.” Tabu Ekalabya Journal Issue 26, Vol. 41, 2021.

Year : 2021

Post-UNESCO Effect: Chhau’s journey from Cultural Sentiment to Commercialization

Cite this Research Publication : Ayantika Chakraborty, Post-UNESCO Effect: Chhau’s journey from Cultural Sentiment to Commercialization, Ethnographica et Folkloristica Carpathica, University of Debrecen/ Debreceni Egyetem, 2021, https://doi.org/10.47516/ethnographica/23/2021/9201

Publisher : University of Debrecen/ Debreceni Egyetem

Year : 2020

The Social Activist Folklorist in Folklore Research: Towards a More Compassionate Collaboration.

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, The Social Activist Folklorist in Folklore Research: Towards a More Compassionate Collaboration., Social Action, [publisher], 2020, [url]

Year : 2019

The paradigm of Feminism in Bengali Ballads

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Year :

Religious Migration of Ritualistic Mask Dances of North East

Cite this Research Publication : Chakraborty, A. (2021). Religious Migration of Ritualistic Mask Dances of North East, The Golden Line A Magazine of English Literature (ISSN:2395-1583 print) (ISSN 2395-1591 online)

Education
  • Ph.D.  Folklore Research Gauhati University,  Assam  2023
  • M.A.  Folklore University of Kalyani,  West Bengal (Gold Medalist)  2016
  • M.A.  Comparative Literature Jadavpur University,  West Benga l 2014
  • B.A.  Comparative Literature Jadavpur University,  West Bengal  2012

Courses Taught

  • Cultural and Spiritual Studies
  • Mentoring for Live-in-Labs
Recognition
  • UGC-NET Qualified Assistant Professor: Successfully qualified for the National Eligibility Test for the Assistant Professor grade in November 2017 and July 2018
  • Gold Medalist: Recipient of the Suhasini Devi Smarak Puraskar for ranking first in the M.A. in Folklore examination at the University of Kalyani.
  • Sahapedia-UNESCO Fellow: Recipient of the Sahapedia-UNESCO Fellowship (2020) for research on women mask makers of Odisha
  • Summer School Scholar: Participated in the 10th Folklore Fellows’ Summer School at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) (June 2021), focusing on the “Violence of traditions and the traditions of violence” under the guidance of Prof. Terry Gunnell (University of Iceland) and Dr. Neill Martin (Edinburgh University).
  • Research Fellowships: Awarded the UGC Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Scholarship (SVSGC) for research in Social Sciences
Appointments
  • Assistant Professor: Amrita Darshanam, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Feb 2025 – Present)
  • Archivist: Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology, American Institute of Indian Studies (March 2023 – Feb 2025)
  • Art Researcher (Consultant): Rooftop, Mumbai (Dec 2022 – March 2023)
  • Research Associate (Consultant): Intangible Cultural Heritage Division, INTACH, New Delhi (May 2022 – March 2023)
Invited Lectures
  • Expert Speaker: “The Intersection of Tradition and Technology,” TATA Samvaad Fellowship Heritage Residency, Bhubaneswar, 2025 “How to Write a Research Proposal: With Reference to Research in Folklore”, Centre for Folklore Studies and Research, June 2025 “Alternative Methodologies for Data Collection in Folklore” Centre for Folklore Studies and Research, November 2025
  • Guest Talk: “The Many Faces of Tradition: Masked Performances as Folkloric Expression,” Christ University, Bangalore, March 2025
  • Expert Lecture: “Cultural Heritage: National Perspective,” International Workshop, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
  • “Introduction to Culture”, PhD Course Work, School of Sustainability, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri
  • Session Chair: “Art at Risk: Strategies for Protecting Cultural Heritage,” International Conference at Techno India University, 2025
Workshops
  • Participated in Week-long Workshop on Indian Knowledge System and Intellectual Property Rights – IKS-TKDL Workshop-7, jointly organized by the IKS Division and the CSIR-TKDL Unit, Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, from 1st April 2025 to 7th April 2025
  • Participated in Seven Days International Workshop on Research in Culture and Humanities: Methodological Issue and Emerging Trends organized by the Centre for Studies in Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing, Jadavpur University in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication ad Journalism, University of Gour Banga, Department of Bengali, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University and Byanjanbarna Foundation from 17th- 23rd October 2019
  •  Participated in Week-Long Fieldwork – cum- Workshop on Folklore and Tribal Lore held at Rangbul Grampanchayet in Darjeeling District organized by the Department of Folklore, Kalyani University from March 19th to March 23rd, 2015

Conferences and Seminars 

International  

  • Presented paper titled “Unveiling the Veiled: An inquiry into Undocumented Death Rituals among the Hijra Community” in the 13th International Conference of Young Folklorists “Dark Side of Folklore and Folkloristics”, Lithuania from 9th October – 11th October, 2024 
  •  Presented paper titled “Reimagining cities: narratives of Slum as the bearer of Folkloric Identity in India” in the 15th SIEF Congress on Breaking the Rules? Power, Participation, Transgression held in Helsinki, Finland from 19th June to 24th June 2021  
  • Presented Paper titled “Kyriarchy Disguised in Philogyny: A Study of Tribal Marriage and Kinship in North East India” in the Three-Day International Virtual Conference (16-18 September 2020) on GENDER STUDIES Organized by Cape Comorin Trust, India, and Lavendar Literary Club, India, in Collaboration with Al-Maarif University College, Iraq; Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Bangladesh, Department of Folklore; University of Creative Technology Chittagong, Bangladesh, Department of English Language and Literature; Khurasan University, Afghanistan, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of English Language and Literature; Great Imam College, Iraq, Department of Religion Basics.  
  •  Presented Paper titled “Ghoti and Bangal: Convergence of Subculture within a Culture of West Bengal from the viewpoint of Post Colonial Factors” in ICSSR sponsored International Conference in September 2018 organized by Centre for Language and Cultural Studies, Gauhati University  
  • Presented Paper titled “Hijra: an active culture bearing community through different ages” in UGC- CPE Sponsored International Conference on Gender and Empowerment organized by Bijoy Krishna Girl’s college, Howrah in collaboration with School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata on 16th and 17th of Dec’ 2016  
  • Presented Paper at Folklore, Ethnology, Ethnomusicology Conference, Aberdeen, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, U.Kon 2nd July 2016 titled “Third Gender or Eunuch: A unique ethnic group in India”.  

National  

  • Presented Paper with the title “ Mask: An Emblem of Religion in North East” in the national seminar on Folklore of North East on 29th and 30th April 2019, organized by Gauhati University  
  • Presented Paper with the title Khoai boner anyo haat: A market to converge rural and urban” in the national seminar on Urbanization and Folklore: Emerging Issues and Perspectives in April 2018 Organized by Gauhati University in collaboration with ICSSR 
  • Presented Paper titled “Function and Significance of Bengali Folk LiteratureAn Overview” in a National Seminar on Indian Folklore History: Reading Region organized by N.S. Patel Arts College in association with the Indian Council of Historical Research, Gujarati Sahitya Akademi, Sardar Patel University, and Meghani Lokosahitya Kendra held in March 2018  
  • Presented Paper in UGC-DEB sponsored One – Day National Seminar on Gender, Culture, Politics: Bengal in the 20th Century, organized by Netaji Subhash Open University on 24th September 2016  
  • Presented Paper at a Two-days national seminar on “Dimension of Culture: Integration, Contradiction and Conflict” organized by the Department of Sociology, the University of Kalyani sponsored by UGC, New Delhi on 30th March 2016 titled “Dandiya: Transformation of a cultural element from folk to elite”  
  • Presented Paper at UGC Sponsored National Level Seminar on” Folklore and Tribal Studies in Eastern and North-East India: Perspective and Present Status” organized by the Department of Folklore, the University of Kalyani on January 15, 2015, titled “Change in Perspective of Scroll Painting: Contemporary Approach”  
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