Faculty Research Awards 2026: University of Hyderabad, TISS researchers recognised in arts and humanities

NEW DELHI : The Careers360 Faculty Research Awards 2026 for arts and humanities have recognised researchers from the University of Hyderabad and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.

Pramod K. Nayar from the University of Hyderabad has been recognised under the public category, while Samta P. Pandya from TISS Mumbai has been recognised under the private category.

Prof. Pramod K. Nayar is a Senior Professor in the Department of English at the University of Hyderabad and holds the UNESCO Chair in Vulnerability Studies. His research focuses on English colonial writing on India, literary and cultural theory, human rights and literature, and the literature of the climate crisis.

Nayar is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the English association and has authored numerous books and scholarly publications. He received the Visitor’s Award for Best Research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in 2018.

Nayar has a scholarly output of 73; 421 citations and an H-index of 17. The University of Hyderabad accounts for 81.8% of his scholarly output.

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On the other hand, Dr. Samta P. Pandya is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Justice and Governance, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Her research focuses on social work perspectives and praxis, social service organisations, volunteerism, gender, and social justice.

She has contributed extensively to research and scholarship in social work and has undertaken studies on social service, women, ageing, and faith-based organisations. Tata Group India accounts for 100% of her scholarly output.

The award carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and was presented by professor GD Yadav. He was the Founding Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai and is still associated with it as Emeritus Professor of Eminence.

Prof Yadav is President of the Indian Chemical Society, a Vice-President of the Indian National Science Academy and Fellow of 10 Indian and foreign science academies. He is the only second Indian to become a fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors and the only Indian fellow in the Canadian Academy of Engineering.