Santanu Mitra
Superintending Anthropologist (Cultural)
Anthropological Survey of India
Western Regional Centre, Pratap Nagar, Udaipur 313001.
Ministry of Culture, Government of India
M.Sc. in 1995 in Anthropology from Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal
Ph. D. in 2019 in Anthropology from Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag, Jharkhand
Specialized in Social-Cultural Anthropology
Areas of Interest: In the field of Social - Cultural Anthropology with a special interest in Tribal Religion, Tribal Architecture, Cultural Pluralism, Visual Documentation
Career Graph:
Superintending Anthropologist (Cultural) Since 16th August 2021
Anthropologist (Cultural) 15th July 2015-15th August 2021
Assistant Anthropologist (Cultural) 6th September 2001-14th July 2015
Research Associate (Cultural) 26th April 2000-05th September 2001
Research Assistant Society for Applied Studies (December 1999-April 2000)
Research Assistant in Village India Project of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi (19 July 1999 to 18 October 1999)
Junior Research Fellow, Anthropological Survey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Kolkata (19 July 1996 to 18 July 1999)
Research Assistant in an IGNCA, New Delhi sponsored project in Odia Department, Visva Bharati on Santal Script and Literature in the District of Mayurbhanj under supervision of Professor Shyam Sundar Mahapatra (February 1996 to July 1996)
Assigned Projects in the Anthropological Survey of India:
Rural Livestock Markets in India: An Anthropological Exploration of Economic, Social and Cultural Facets (2023-)
Anthropological Study of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Communities (2018-2023)
Development and Sustainability (2017-18)
Bio-Cultural Diversity, Environment and Sustainable Development (2012-17)
Intangible and Tangible Heritage (2007-12)
Study of Syncretism in India (2002-07)
Management of Environment and Natural Resources: Study of Traditional Wisdom in Tribal Societies (2000-2002)
Boardgames in India (2000-2002)
Important Publications:
Mitra, Santanu and Ganga Nath Jha. "Understanding Religion and Identity Dynamics in Tribal Culture: Case Study of a few Indian Tribes" ed. Behera M. C. The Routledge Handbook of Tribe and Religions in India: Contemporary Readings on Spirituality, Belief and Identity (in Press)
Mitra, Santanu and Ganga Nath Jha. "Santal Bongas- Their Abode in a Santal Settlement: Man- Nature-Spirit Relationship". Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India. 64 (1-2). 2015: 47-58.
Mitra, Santanu. "Myth and Architecture: A Study among the Santal in West Bengal". in Mandal Debabrata, Bagchi Tilak and Mukhopadhyay eds. Portrait of Anthropological Research, 2008, New Delhi, Sarup Book Publishers: 207-244.
Mitra, Santanu. "Beliefs and Rituals in a Birbhum Village: The Process of Syncretism among the Mahali of West Bengal" in The Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata, 2005, 54 (1): 141-178.
Mitra, Santanu. "Sustainable Development: Strategy for Tribal India" in The Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society, Kolkata, 2005, 40: 127-133. This paper was presented at the Annual Conference of the Indian Anthropological Society held in 2003 at Jhargram, West Medinipore, West Bengal.
Chakraborty, Mainak, Mitra, Santanu, Harashawaradhana. "The Strategic Construction of Aryan Identity of Brokpas: An Anthropological Perspective". The Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India. 71 (1): 58-67. 2022.
Mitra, Santanu. "Management of Environment and Natural Resources - Study on Traditional Wisdom among the Bhil of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan". in Mandal, Hrishikesh and Amitabha Sarkar eds. Traditional Wisdom and Sustainable Living: A Study on the Indian Tribal Societies. Anthropological Survey of India. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. 2013: 349-438.
Das, N. K. and Santanu Mitra. Tribal Religion, Sectarian Movement and Religious Syncretism in Santal Society. in Arakeri, A. V. Kakali Chakrabarty and Bibhu K. Mohanty eds. Syncretism in India: Multidisciplinary Approach (Volume 1). Kolkata: Anthropological Survey of India. 2013: 112-175.