Professor Paula Banerjee is the IDRC Research Chair on Gender and Forced Displacement at the Asian Institute of Technology’s Gender and Development Studies (GDS) Program within the School of Environment, Resource, and Development.
With extensive research experience and a notable publication record focusing on forced migration and gender issues in South and Southeast Asia, Professor Banerjee brings invaluable expertise to her role. She is also set to become the founding Director of the new Center on Gender and Forced Displacement, housed within GDS at AIT.
Professor Banerjee earned her Ph.D. in 1993 from the University of Cincinnati, USA, where she was honored with the Advanced Taft Fellowship. Additionally, she holds the position of Professor in the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Calcutta. Previously, she served as the Vice Chancellor at Sanskrit College and University in Kolkata, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership skills. During her tenure, she successfully managed a budget of approximately 4 million USD, spearheaded the establishment of seven new postgraduate departments, and oversaw the digitalization of one of the country’s most significant manuscript collections.
In her role as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Calcutta, Professor Banerjee was responsible for the academic welfare of around 7000 graduate students. She supervised 32 departments and ten research centers, and played a pivotal role in managing over 100 colleges affiliated with Calcutta University. Her contributions led to the accreditation of numerous Master of Arts programs, and she was instrumental in securing 42 government-accredited new posts.
Under Professor Banerjee’s leadership, the student base at the university saw a remarkable increase, rising from 92 students to over 600 within a span of two years. Her dedication to academia and her remarkable achievements in administration highlight her exceptional capabilities and commitment to excellence in higher education.
Learn more about the work led by Paula Banerjee