Mr. Sayed Raj Askari is a research scholar and serves as Assistant Professor of English at Integral University, Lucknow. He qualified for the UGC-NET in English Literature in 2020 and has since been teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. His research centers on African American Drama, which explores the voices of playwrights ranging from Lorraine Hansberry to the contemporary Jeremy O. Harris. Sayed’s research uncovers narratives of Black people in American culture and critically analyses plays that examine the political and social status of the Black community in America. In addition, his research interests include performance studies and Shi’a Islamic studies.
Sayed also specializes in Awadh’s various artistic expressions. As an ardent performer, he performs Nauhakhwani and Sozkhwani (elegiac renditions) in Shia cultural gatherings called Majlis, which is an important convention in Shiaism. As a cultural ambassador, Sayed seeks to impart the knowledge of these traditions. While doing so, he would love to engage in cross-cultural dialogue to gain a better understanding of cultures around the world.
As a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, Sayed is teaching Hindi at Yale University. He wishes to make learning more fun through his musical understanding, while embracing the new cultural ethos, which would add new flavor to his personality.