Prof. Sheila Rai
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Professor Sheila Rai
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Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan,Jaipur 302004 Rajasthan
Email ID:- sheilarai[at]rediffmail[dot]com
Prof. Sheila Rai has an illustrious professional career spanning three and a half decades serving in various academic and administrative capacities. She graduated from University of Rajasthan from where she also obtained her degrees of MA & MPhil in the discipline of Political Science and merited JRF from UGC for pursuing PhD research in Gandhian Philosophy.
Prof. Rai commenced teaching Political Science in 1985 in Vinodini Mahavidyalaya, Khetri and subsequently joined the Department of Political Science , University of Rajasthan where she served for nearly 30 years from 1989 to 2018. Thereafter she was appointed as Principal of St.Xavier’s College where she made significant contributions towards the growth of the institution. Imparting knowledge and shaping the minds of countless students, Prof.Rai’s academic career transcended borders as she served as faculty for foreign universities in various countries viz. US and Canada. Widely traveled, she has been invited by more than 25 countries for delivering lectures and participating in international deliberations. Prof. Rai has been privileged to hold numerous positions of responsibility and leadership. As National Expert Member, Technical Education & Training, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Ministry of MSME, and as President of the legendary Indian Society of Gandhian Studies Prof. Rai availed rewarding opportunities to pursue her passion for Gandhian thought and praxis. Prof. Rai's penchant for research found fruition through major research projects sanctioned to her by ICSSR (i) 'Evolution of Article 370: An Analysis(2017-19) (ii)'Caste Party and Ticket Distribution in Rajasthan(2005-07)' & (iii)Teacher Research Grant Project on ' Gandhian Paradigm: Quintessence of Real Development by ASRC, Hyderabad (1997). Her deep commitment to research propelled her towards supervising and mentoring 40 PhD candidates and also numerous MPhil and MA dissertations . She has presented her research in various national and international seminars and conferences and gained global recognition by being elected as Chair, Research Committee -35 ‘Technology & Development’ of International Political Science Association(2016 -2022). Author of six books viz. ‘Gandhian View of State, Individual and Society’ published by IRAS, Jaipur in 1991 and the latest ‘Globalization and Sustainable Development: Quest for a New Paradigm’ published in 2021 by Society Publishing, Burlington Canada, Prof. Rai is also Editor, for more than a decade, of ‘Raj-Yashti-The Journal of Social Sciences’ Bi-Annual Journal published by Rajasthan Political Science Association. She also has to her credit several Chapters & Research Papers published in national(28) and international (13)journals and books.
Prof Rai has organized and chaired several national and international conferences, seminars , symposia and workshops, fostering academic discourse and collaborations. As General Secretary of Rashtriya Samaj Vigyan Parishad she is persistently engaged in galvanizing efforts to augment the much needed indigenization of Social Sciences in India. She is currently also serving as Chairperson of India Policy Foundation, New Delhi; Visitor’s nominee in Selection Commitees for prestigious institutions viz. JNU & Central University Hyderabad and academic council member , Central University Punjab and member of governing bodies of various institutes of eminence.
Her key areas of interest and expertise are Indian and western political theory, Gandhian philosophy, Indian government and politics.