ESIND - COST Action CA23144

With a Bachelor's degree in Theology and a Master's in Sociology of Religion, my research has primarily focused on the role of religion in shaping societal structures. My master’s thesis explored religious life through the lens of Cemil Meriç, emphasizing the interplay between religion and culture within Indian society. Pursuing a Ph.D. in the relationship between religion and economic development in Turkey, I investigated how religious values influence socioeconomic progress. Currently holding an associate professorship in Mass Sociology, my academic interests center on the dynamic interaction between religion, society, and cultural integration. My work bridges disciplines to examine cross-cultural religious dynamics, societal integration processes, and the sociological impact of religion in both historical and contemporary contexts.

I am a PhD student at Banaras Hindu University working on new religious movements in the West, especially in the US. My focus is on Hinduism and the Vedanta Movement of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. I am also interested in studying the exchange of ideas and knowledge between India and Europe. Banaras for a long period had contact with European scholars and missionaries who studied religion, Sanskrit and the indigeneous traditions.

A recipient of an ICCR, Indian Government scholarship in the period 2017-2020. I have conducted research on the Indian diaspora in Romania, as well as on the Indian culture representations in Romanian scape (from longing to belonging). I have organised an important conference on the Confluences between Indian Studies and the Romanian Perspectives (Academy of Economic Studies, Indian Embassy in Romania), and have collaborated with Indian scholars in coordinating issues dedicated to Indian culture and traditions (indigenous/tribal studies, buddhist studies, dance studies, the new diasporas). I have also organised events that bring together the Indian community in Romania and those interested in Indian culture (a Festival of Indian culture, ASIA Fest, etc.). At present, cooperating with the Center for Asian Studies in India for a research on Mircea Eliade and the Indian philosophical and spiritual traditions.

I am a historian of German-Indian relations, specializing in transnational history / global intellectual history of how knowledge institutions in the first half of the twentieth century (such as German universities, British Indian universities, language-learning facilities such as the Goethe Institut, the British Council, the German Academic Exchange Service) shaped the infrastructural backdrop of knowledge-transfer across German-speaking Central Europe and South Asia.

With a dual academic foundation in Hindu Studies (Hindology) and Islamic Theology, my interdisciplinary training enables a comparative approach to South Asian religions. My MA research focused on the concept of sacred individuals in Indian religious traditions, particularly Sadhus, while my PhD investigates the historical development of Shaivism. This scholarly trajectory is supported by language proficiency in Sanskrit (classical text reading), Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu, providing direct access to primary sources across traditions. My work combines scientific expertise with contextual religious analysis, aiming to deepen our understanding of ritual, asceticism, and religious identity in South Asia.