Convocation 2009

Students of the passing out batch of Healthcare 2009 celebrate on the lawns of the Academy building with their faculty.
Indian and Overseas Research Trainees and Fellows

Bhasha Trust receives trainees from various countries. So far a total of 46 trainees from various countries of the European Union, The United States, Brazil, Iceland, Malta, Japan and the Netherlands have worked with the Academy. These trainees have carried out research in tribal studies, craft marketing, musicology, economics, organic agricultural practices and other related areas.

Some of them have also worked at the Academy as instructors for the health and education programs, have carried out surveys and helped in the preparation of a variety of materials and formats for the development activities undertaking by the Academy.
Trainees who have worked at the Academy include:
  • Ms. Danna Bohlender, Germany Language Studies Promotional Measures for Development of Tribal Arts and Craft


  • Ms. Nikki Galea, Malta Social Sciences Promotion of tribal arts in the international market


  • Ms. Susanne Baer, Esslingen, Germany Social Sciences Designed a brochure for Bhasha, reviewed the organizational model and built contacts with the German Media


  • Mr. Carsten Welsch, Giessen, Germany Economics Devised a system for Library and a system for profit-sharing among the Artists’ Cooperative


  • Ms. Claudia Luizza, Pisa, Italy Archaeology Report on people's perception of Microcredit & Bhasha


  • Ms. Heleen Dekker, Groenigen, Netherlands Personal & Clinical Psychology Did a Video documentation of activites at Bhasha Centre and tribal communities further developed a brochure and provided training at the Adivasi Academy.


  • Ms. Carolijn Terwindt, Utrecht, Netherlands Sociology Report on Chharanagar DNT Community in Ahmedabad) and documentation of her experiences with the DNT community


  • Ms. Marin Thorsdottir, Reykjavik, Iceland Anthropology Lectures on Anthropology at the Adivasi Academy


  • Ms. Hanneke Gisen, Utrecht, Netherlands Developmental & Clinical Psychology Report on psychological impact of migration on tribal women


  • Mr. Lance Schwarzkopf, Indiana, USA Natural Resources & Environmental Science Reforestation Project and training on alternative water sharing methodology


  • Ms. Chiho Hiornaka, Japan, Anthropology Designed Artists Cooperative and Bhasha website


  • Ms. Eunice Nijlant, Rotterdam, Netherlands Engineering Technology Devised a display system (tech) for objects used by tribals


  • Mr. Jens Koeniger, Germany Cultural Anthropology Research into the causes and the current situation of February 02 riots, to suggest how DSCs could prevent such events in future


  • Ms. Yoshiko Fujinawa, Kobe, Japan B.A. in Law Research into applicability of International Law to Feb '02 riots


  • Mr. Anand Patil, Detroit, USA Mathematics Research paper on mathematical modelling of sickle cell anemia and suggestions for future Bhasha work to alleviate the disease


  • Mr. Malcolm Billing, Toronto, Canada European Business Studies Fundraising for construction of Academy buildings Managing AIESEC trainee program, developing Indigenous People's Learning Network for AIESEC/Bhasha, managed an organizatonal change process for Bhasha


  • Mr. Rodrigo Ferreira, Florionopolis, Brazil Management Science Research & planning for Tribes First, a tribal handicrafts and cultural centre management of international arts contacts


  • Mr. Jan Ritschard, Fribourg, Switzerland Law Documentation and legal & political action preparation of conflicts between tribals and the Forests Departments


  • Ms. Hildegard Dietz, Mainz, Germany Sociology Analysis of the Academy for its impact on the students and their world view


  • Ms. Katie Heller, Washington, USA (Swiss SN) Social Studies Analysis of the academy for its impact on the PGD on the students and their world view


  • Ms. Frauke Godat, Berlin, Germany Political Science Support Project management of development projects in health & education managing AIESEC trainee program, mentoring trainees, developing Indigenous People's Learning Network, fundraising


  • Ms. Nadine Steinhardt, Chemnitz, Germany Organizational Psychology Developing section of Museum of Sound attached to Adivasi Academy


  • Ms. Johanna Schimrosczyk, Frankfurt, Germany Pedagogy Sociology, Research/Survey on Indigenous Knowledge


  • Ms. Keiko Ikemoto, Tokyo, Japan South Asian Studies Tribal Issues Survey, Migration


  • Ms. Mayuko Kaneda, Kyoto, Japan Commerce Tribal Arts Fair Trade sharing


  • Ms. Sarika Mehta, USA Linguistics Research on Rathwi language and Cultural Identity


  • Mr. Christoph Feick, Mainz, Germany Cultural/Social Anthropology Research on nomadic Tribes in India and Europe


  • Mr. Sim Vireak, Japan/Cambodia Law/International Politics PPT on Bhasha, Development Survey


  • Ms. Carmel O'Sullivan, Cork/Ireland Social Science Survey of tribal artists and promotion of craft


  • Mr Douglas Schlemmer, Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government Study of Confict between Indigenous Populations and Government Policies


  • Mr Timothy Perry, U. C. Berkeley A New Solidarity Rights Regime: How to Tailor Group Rights for Conflict Prevention


  • Mr Tobias Willi, Basel, Switzerland International Law Water Resource and Management Systems in Tribal Areas of Vadodara District


  • Mr Gudrun Sif Fridriksdottir, Iceland International Law Economic and Environmental Effects of Genetically Engineered Cotton for Farmers in Vadodara District


  • Ms Denisa Simlova, Prague Anthropology Promotion of tribal craft and culture


  • Mr Gudbjort Gudjonsdottir, Iceland Anthropology Documentation of projects and activities


  • Mr Nishant Choksi, US Archeology and Fulbright Fellow Avenues of Action: Indigenous Participation in Indian Democracy


  • Ms Aliche, Italy Antropology Study of tribal knowledge systems and how these are being employed by the Academy/Bhasha


  • Ms Natasha Petit Study of tribal knowledge systems and how these are being employed by the Academy/Bhasha


  • Ms Charlotte Serranrens Study of Healthcare Delivery in tribal areas of Vadodara District


  • Ms. Helga Rosa, Iceland Worked with Prakriti Health Care


  • Ms. Nina Koopman, Netherlands, Social Science Worked with funding Program


  • Ms. Chan Lily, Hong Kong, Social Science Worked with Denotified Tribes


  • Mr. Robert Gem, Hungary Engaged in Micro Credit Groups


  • Mr. Tatshuhiko Aizawa, Japan Fair Trade Work


  • Ms. Krin Dornbos, Netherlands, Human Resource Management Basic HR eliment in Organization


  • Ms. Faryal Iqbal, U.K Development Work


  • Ms. Rebecca Gibons, U.K Administration & have taken lectures


  • Ms. Hanna Al- Taher, Germany Study of gender relations in adivasi communities and the impact of micro-credit on the same


  • Roxanna Duerr from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques, Paris visited the Adivasi Academy for the Study of Green Economic Zone in February 2011


  • Nilanjana Deb and Dheeman Bhattacharya from Jadavpur University visited the Academy in March 2011 for research on literary forms among Adivasi and nomadic communities


  • Artist John Bowles from US visited Bhasha in December 2011


  • Students from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad came for field internship from 10th – 17th December 2011


  • Tulsi Patel (7th to 9th November 2011)


  • Nancy Varkey from the Indian Institute of Technology conducted a one day workshop for preparation of digitized lectures in Tribal Studies in December 2011


  • A group of students from IIT, Gandhinagar and California Institute of Technology visited the Adivasi Academy on 20th December 2011


  • Anu Asokan from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras working on Ecocriticism in Indian Cultures in translation visited the Adivasi Academy in January 2012


  • Social Anthropology students from IGNOU, Delhi visited Tejgadh and Chhotaudepur for a rural exposure programme from 6th to 24th January 2012


  • Ms Ksenia Vozdigan, Russia from the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnograph, Saint-Petersburg, Russia spent time at the Academy studying Tribal Art of Western India during January and February 2012


  • Director, Faculty and research students from the International Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad visited the Adivasi Academy for discussion on collaborative initiatives from 9th to 12th March 2012


  • Ankit Devada and Praveen Solanki from Centre for Studies in Rural Management at Gujarat Vidyapith were deputed to the Adivasi Academy for a project from January to March 2012


  • Siddharth Shah, a post graduate student at Nirma University carried out a study on Financial Inclusion and its Socio-economic Impact on Tribals during April and May 2012


  • Olivia Haber Greenwood from Haverford College visited the Adivasi Academy in 2012 and in 2013 for a study on Tribal Epics of Gujarat


  • William Gould, Senior Faculty at Leeds University is affiliated with the Adivasi Academy for a study on Identity, Performance and the State: India’s DNTs over Independence 1911-1959. The study is supported by the British Academy.