The Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof Ghan Shyam as Indian Diaspora Council’s Director of Academic and Cultural Outreach in Uttar Pradesh, India.

This appointment takes effect immediately. The term of this appointment shall be for a period of three (3) years, is voluntary and can be renewed upon approval of the Board of Directors of the Indian Diaspora Council. The position reports directly to the president of IDC International.

The portfolio of Indian Diaspora Council’s Director of Academic & Cultural Outreach in Uttar Pradesh, India shall include: Advice and recommendations on outreach and engagement as well as liaison with academic institutions in Uttar Pradesh, India on behalf of Indian Diaspora Council; for on-going and planned Indian Diaspora Council Indian Diaspora research, surveys and migration history projects, events and programs in India and globally; promote and advance Indian Diaspora Council’s recommendations, suggestions and proposals to academic institutions in Uttar Pradesh, India and solicit collaboration and support where appropriate; including but not limited to organizations, academic institutions, scholars and researchers; advice, recommendations and assistance to descendants of Indians from Uttar Pradesh seeking to trace and visit their ancestral roots. We expect that this portfolio of responsibilities to be enlarged subsequently to include other areas as Indian Diaspora Council enhances its outreach, programs and projects Dr.Ghan Shyam was born in Azamgarh District of Uttar Pradesh, India. He earned his BA from Allahabad University, MA & PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. He joined Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, UP in 1998, is currently a full professor in the department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences. He has taught courses on the history of modern Europe, American history, and the history of the Indian diaspora, among others. Through his teaching, he encourages his students to broaden their understanding of other countries and societies and develop a critical bent of mind.

Dr.Ghan Shyam had been Fulbright Fellow at New York University twice; in 2005 as a short term fellow to study US Civilization and for the academic session 2016-17 as a visiting scholar to teach and conduct research on the topic “In the Land of Opportunity: A Comparative Study of Indo-Caribbean & Indian Immigrants in New York City since 1965”. His current research interest is in Indian diaspora studies focusing on Indo-Caribbean diaspora. He has published articles on the identity and social roots of Indian-origin people in the Caribbean, and made presentations at international conferences in India, the U.K., Canada, the USA and Trinidad.

IDC’s Board of Directors places high value on Prof. Ghan Shyam’s position, experience, expertise and shared interests to enhance the goals of IDC in India and globally, and welcomes him to the IDC family.