Host Institution India: Wesleyan University

Yagnya

Ms. Yagnya holds a master’s in English and a bachelor’s in history and English from Janki Devi Memorial College, University of Delhi. Her master’s dissertation, ‘Queer Aging’, examined the intersections of cultural gerontology, queer temporality, and spatial theory in Victorian novels, reflecting her interdisciplinary research interests. She has worked as an asynchronous tutor at Trivium Education, applying the research, analytical, and editorial skills developed through her academic training. She has recently completed a certificate course in Mandarin Chinese from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.

Beyond academia, she volunteers with the Robin Hood Army, where she has supported the education of underprivileged and marginalized children, demonstrating her dedication to inclusive learning and community service.

As a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at Wesleyan University, she is teaching Hindi and developing an understanding of language’s cultural nuances by creating an immersive experience for the students. She employs audiovisual aids, activity-based learning, and storytelling through various art forms to make learning interactive. She hopes to apply the skills gained through the FLTA experience in the Indian educational landscape by promoting multilingual and cross-cultural understanding.

Dhara Kanchan

Ms. Dhara Kanchan is a passionate scholar deeply interested in language, literature, culture, and Indian classical music. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Gargi College, University of Delhi, and a master’s degree in English from Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur. Fluent in Hindi and English, she has intermediate proficiency in the Bundelkhandi dialect, and elementary knowledge of Sanskrit and French. Actively engaged in academic discourse, she co-translated a classic Hindi text published in Becoming Translators: Theory and Practice of Translation. She has presented papers at national conferences and would like to pursue PhD research at the intersection of translation studies, cultural studies, philosophy, and folkloristics.

Dhara’s academic engagements are complemented by active social engagement through the National Service Scheme, including teaching underprivileged children at St. Stephen’s College’s Social Service League. She has over five years of training in Indian classical ragas on the synthesizer under Ustad Latif Ahmad Khan. She recently began learning the flute. She is a certified yoga practitioner (Patanjali Yogpeeth) and holds a diploma in the Bhagavad Gita from ISKCON in Ayodhya, enriching her understanding of Indian philosophy.

As a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant in Hindi at Wesleyan University, Dhara is aiming to create an immersive, learner-centric classroom by integrating literature, art, and cultural media. This opportunity to teach, audit courses, and immerse herself in American culture will deepen her intellectual horizons and pedagogy. For Dhara, this Fulbright journey reflects her core principle: Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye (knowledge is that which liberates), fostering transformation for self and society.

Priyanka Chakraborty

Ms. Priyanka Chakraborty is a PhD candidate in the Department of English, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. She has submitted her doctoral thesis, which explores the pluralities of Tibetan identity and their articulation in contemporary Tibetan literature. She completed her master’s in English and Comparative Literature from Pondicherry University. She also holds a master’s degree in women and gender studies. She has presented her works in various international conferences and has been awarded best paper in two events. Last year, she attended the summer training school organized by Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on the Integration of Migrants in Europe at University of Tuscia, Italy. Her recent publication is a study of the journeys of texts and humans from India to Tibet.

Ms. Chakraborty has taught undergraduate and postgraduate students in two Banaras Hindu University affiliated colleges. As a faculty of English literature, she has taught several courses on poetry, drama, fiction, translation studies, gender studies and language. She regularly engaged her students in various academic and cultural activities. She is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer.

As a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, Ms. Chakraborty will teach Hindi at Wesleyan University, Connecticut. She will develop language adaptability of students through language usage in their respective cultural environment and uses blended methods of language teaching. As a cultural ambassador she will use every opportunity to familiarize the students with her culture while developing their language skills. She believes in an equal, inclusive, and multicultural society and preaches the goal of a symbiotic, holistic and eco-friendly existence.

Pawan Kumar Sharma

Dr. Pawan Sharma is a professor of chemistry at the Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh. Previously, he was a professor of chemistry, dean of research & development, and dean of students’ welfare at Kurukshetra University, Haryana. He is passionate about teaching chemistry, and believes chemistry is not simply a body of knowledge but also a way of thinking.

Dr. Sharma has visited six continents and many countries, including the U.S. on a Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Seminar grant (2019). He is a recipient of the prestigious Srinivasa Ramanujan Birth Centenary Award gold medal (2018-2019) by the Indian Science Congress Association. He also received a bronze medal (2018) from the Chemical Research Society of India. He has over 130 research publications in journals of international repute and has also been granted patents.

In his ten months as Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, Dr. Sharma will be teaching one course per semester, bringing diversity to the curriculum in terms of perspectives in teaching and cross-cultural communication. He will deliver public lectures to share with the campus and the community his experience of going to the Antarctic region, highlighting the implications of the formation of an ozone hole over Antarctica. He also hopes to engage with secondary school students in the area for ‘Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)’. He aspires to strengthen the ties between Wesleyan University and higher education institutions in India.

Areeba Shabbir

Dr. Areeba Shabbir has worked with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, as On-Air Educator for the Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) national TV channel. She has also held positions as Guest Faculty at Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University in New Delhi, and as Assistant Professor at GLA University in Mathura.

Dr. Shabbir completed her Ph.D. in English language teaching (ELT) from the Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Her research focused on the role of technology in language learning and teaching. During her research, she volunteered for Vision Aid Incorporated USA, and developed and taught spoken English courses to visually impaired individuals. In addition to contributing research papers to journals of high impact, she also actively participated in debates, group discussions, and theatrical performances as a student.

Dr. Shabbir is a teaching assistant in Hindi and Urdu at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. She aims to foster meaningful cultural exchange between both nations. She is promoting various aspects of Indian culture, including art, literature, and values by organizing and participating in cultural events at her host institution. Furthermore, Dr. Shabbir is working on collaborating with artists, cultural centers, and educational organizations in the U.S. to launch joint projects aimed at promoting the richness of Indian culture.

Aditya Raj

Aditya Raj is a passionate educator and scholar with a deep interest in languages, literature, science, technology and environmental studies. He holds a master’s degree in English, and has qualified UGC NET for university-level teaching. He was guest faculty in the Department of English at Lalit Narayan Mithila University, where he taught a diverse range of topics like Indian classical literature, Victorian literature, postmodernism and other literary theories. Beyond teaching, Aditya is engaged in doctoral research, exploring human-AI intersections, terraforming and the role of culture in science fiction. He actively contributes to the academic community by publishing research articles, contributing chapters to edited books and attending conferences.

Aditya’s passion for languages extends beyond his native Hindi; he has completed a certificate course in French as well. He has volunteered his language skills by teaching Hindi to local communities in Nepal.

As a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, Aditya is teaching Hindi at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT. He seeks to empower his students by making them proficient in Hindi, while also enriching his own educational journey by understanding American culture, learning innovative teaching methods and advanced pedagogical skills. He sees this two-way exchange as an opportunity to create a vibrant learning environment and celebrate the richness of intercultural connections.