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Statement of Claims against the Key Selection Criteria

Name: Meghna Amin


Job title: Research Assistant
Position Number: 0041560
1. Masters level degree in a social science discipline
I received my Masters Degree in Sociology from Manipal Centre for Philosophy and
Humanities, Manipal University. I have been academically trained in inter disciplinary
Humanities as I also took courses in Philosophy and English Literature at the Masters level.
2. Established knowledge of contemporary India's politics, society and economy
As part of my Masters dissertation, I conducted a period study on the head loading
women of the Mogaveera fishing community of Coastal Karnataka, India. As an insider to the
community, my thesis is a native ethnographic and anthropological account that sheds light
on matrilineal family setup, caste and gender politics as well as the barter system that
reinforced authority of the matriarch in the community. It documents the transition of the
fishing trade from a caste based occupation to a highly mechanized industry, which
increasingly has been drawing migrant population from across the country.
The fieldwork experience had contributed immensely to my deeper engagement with
contemporary politics of gender and caste. The subaltern perspectives emerging from the
ground informed and guided my thinking and research. A critical rethinking of micro-political
and social units from the vantage point of these subaltern fisher women deepened my grasp
of contemporary Indian politics and society.
3. Demonstrated experience in contributing / undertaking research reports preferably
on India related subjects
As part of my ethnography, I have documented around 50 interviews of Mogaveera
community members spanning over three generations, whose ages varied from 90 to 25. This
period study demonstrates how the Mogaveera women were the chief bread earners of the
family for the longest period of time. After extensive fieldwork in the harbour region of
Malpe, I wrote a 30,000 word dissertation titled Putting Food on the Table: A Period Study
on the Head Loading Mogaveera Women for my Masters Degree.

4.

Proven ability to source data and documents to support research program of the
Institute.
To support my research, I transcribed Tulu manuscripts and unpublished
material to English. I painstakingly went through government records, land and
property listings to reconstruct the socio-economic conditions of the time. I managed
to record some folk and oral retellings of myths that resonate closely with the
Mogaveera community. These mythologies have been gathered from the elderly while
participating in communal rituals and festivities.
I obtained some valuable information from interviews with a slew of
personalities such as some regional historians, writers, folk artists and social
scientists. I managed to track down sources that were out of circulation and extract
anecdotes from the memoirs shared with me by the interviewees. Moreover, it was
synthesized in a manner befitting the standards of research without compromising on
academic integrity.

5. Strong written and oral communication skills, including the production of media
reports and policy reports
I do possess strong written and oral communication skills. The former is
largely due to my academic training whereas the latter stems from my experience
working as a manager in a restaurant for a year. During the course of my higher
education, I compiled several academic reports and contributed articles recording the
proceedings of various conferences held on campus as a member of the editorial
committee. I am currently employed as an English teacher in a higher secondary
school. I am an able presenter as I manage to unpack complex concepts and ideas to
eager students on an everyday basis.
6. Demonstrated ability to work to deadlines and to set priorities with excellent
organisational skills.
My academic report is a testimony to my ability to deliver under pressure,
while always meeting stipulated deadlines. Due to my University training, I had the
opportunity to be a part of the organizing committee to host several National and
International conferences and workshops on campus. I was a core committee member
in organizing the III International Deleuze Studies in Asia Conference held at
Manipal.

7. Demonstrated capacity for collaborative research and capacity to work effectively


with Academic and Administrative staff and policy makers with the ability to work
Independently and as part of a team
Apart from working collectively with several members of the Mogaveera
community for my dissertation, I have also organised several interviews with them as
part of the Research Methods Module. As budding sociologists, we were keen on
understanding the several reasons that continued to push the youth of the fishing
community towards their caste based occupation i.e. fishing. I served as the
intermediary, translator between my classmates and community members.

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