Wikipedia

Nitasha Kaul

Nitasha Kaul is a British-Indian[3] academic, writer and poet based in London.[4][1] In addition to fiction, she writes and speaks about topics that cover the political economy, Bhutan, Kashmir, nationalism in India, gender and identity.

Nitasha Kaul
Born
Nitasha Kaul

November 1976[1]
Gorakhpur, India[2]
NationalityBritish
EducationSt. Thomas' School
Alma materUniversity of Delhi
University of Hull
Occupation(s)Writer, Poet, Activist, Academic
Known forResidue

Early life and education

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Nitasha Kaul was born in November 1976 in Gorakhpur, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, into a Kashmiri Pandit family that had migrated from the Downtown Mohalla of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.[2][5]

Kaul was raised in New Delhi had her schooling at St. Thomas' School.[6] Kaul graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Sri Ram College of Commerce, then affiliated with the University of Delhi.

Kaul moved to England from India in 1997, at the age of 21, for pursuing her post-graduate degree from University of Hull. Kaul went on to earn her Doctorate in Economics and Philosophy from Hull in 2003.[7] Her doctoral thesis was Interrogating the Subject-World of Economic Epistemology: Re-Imagining Theory and Difference.[8]

Career

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Kaul is a Professor of Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster in the UK.https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/kaul-nitasha In addition to her chair, she is also the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD).https://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/groups-and-centres/centre-for-the-study-of-democracy Kaul served as a Lecturer of Economics at University of Bath[8] and as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Bristol Business School from 2002 to 2007 before being made Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the Royal Thimphu College in Bhutan (2010).[7] Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster.[7][9][10] Her current scholarly interests include feminist issues concerning Kashmiri women, the rise of muscular neo-liberal nationalism in India, and an analysis of right-wing politics in India.[11]

On October 22, 2019, Kaul served as one of the key witnesses at a United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing about the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, following the revocation of special status within India.[12] Kaul outlined extensive UNHCHR reports about the violations of human rights (and democratic principles) in both Indian and Pakistan-administered Kashmir along with the recent clampdown on communication facilities and mass-detention in the Indian territory.[13]

Books

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Her first book Imagining Economics Otherwise: encounters with Identity/Difference (2007), was a monograph on economics and philosophy and was subject to mixed reception.[14][15][16]

In 2009 she wrote Residue, which was the first novel in English by a Kashmiri woman[17] and was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Asian Literary Prize.[5]

Controversies

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In February 2024, Kaul was invited to participate as a speaker in a two-day convention, but she was denied entry to India at Kempegowda International Airport, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, even though she carried a valid Overseas Citizen of India credentials.[18][19] While there has been no official statement from the Government of India on why she was denied entry, speculation is that it was a result of her criticism of Indian Government Policies in Kashmir, including her use of the term "occupied" for the state in her coursework.[20]

Bibliography

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  • Future Tense, Harper Collins India, 2020
  • Residue. Rupa Publications (Rainlight imprint), 2014 ISBN 9788129124852
  • November Light: An Anthology of Creative Writing from Bhutan
  • Imagining Economics Otherwise: Encounters with Identity/difference. London: Routledge, 2007 ISBN 9780415383974

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Nitasha KAUL". gov.uk. find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b PhD, Professor Nitasha Kaul [@NitashaKaul] (25 February 2024). "My origin is from a downtown mohalla in Srinagar, Kashmir and I was born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh — the land of saffron to the 'saffronisation' heartland. This is about the threat to me & my safety, & the important impact of my work that worries anti-democratic sensibilities (although as I said after speaking as an expert witness at the US Congress, given how I have been repeatedly threatened, if I come to any accident, it probably merits a closer look)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Poovanna, Sharan (25 February 2024). "Indian-origin UK professor claims she was denied entry into India despite invite by Karnataka govt". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  4. ^ Nitasha Kaul. University of Westminster.
  5. ^ a b c Flood, Alison (21 October 2009). "Indian subcontinent dominates Man Asian literary prize shortlist". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  6. ^ "South Asia Archives".
  7. ^ a b c "Home Page". nitashakaul. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  8. ^ a b "CURRICULUM VITAE". nitashakaul. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Dr Nitasha Kaul". University of Westminster. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  10. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (25 February 2024). "U.K. professor says she was denied entry into India for event". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 February 2024. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ "Dr. Nitasha Kaul Research Outputs". University of Westminster. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Human Rights in South Asia: Views from the State Department and the Region, Panel II 116th Congress (2019-2020)". US Congress. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Written Testimony of Dr Nitasha Kaula: Hearing on "Human Rights in South Asia: Views from the State Department and the Region, Panel II" U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation (Committee on Foreign Affairs)" (PDF). US Congress. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  14. ^ Charusheela, S. (April 2010). "Imagining Economics Otherwise: Encounters with Identity/Difference". Feminist Economics. 16 (2): 141–146. doi:10.1080/13545701003731864. ISSN 1354-5701. S2CID 145128669.
  15. ^ Richardson, Colin (2008). "Review of IMAGINING ECONOMICS OTHERWISE: ENCOUNTERS WITH IDENTITY/DIFFERENCE" (PDF). Heterodox Economics Newsletter (62).
  16. ^ "A Postmodernist Critique". The Book Review. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  17. ^ Bazliel, Sharla (28 March 2014). "The urge for closure". IndiaToday. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  18. ^ "India denies entry to UK academic visiting to 'speak on democratic values'". The Independent. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Prof. Kaul's Twitter".
  20. ^ "Twitter".
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