JNU | RTI | Directory | Contact Us | Emergency Services | List of Holidays
-A A +A

Mahendra P. Lama

Mahendra P. Lama

Mahendra P. Lama
Mahendra P. Lama
Professor
Centre/School/Special Centre
Centre for South Asian Studies
School of International Studies
Room No
228
Off. Phone
011-26704596
Residence
011-26741817, 09818686637
Email
mahendra_lama1961@yahoo.co.in; mplama@mail.jnu.ac.in
Personal Webpage
http://www.jnu.ac.in
Qualifications

Ph.D.

Areas of Interest/Specialization

Regional Cooperation and Integration; Energy, Trade, Investment, Migrations, Security and Border Studies, Hills and Mountains Studies and North East Region of India 

Experience
Presently Member, Eminent Persons Group on Nepal and India, set up by the Prime Ministers of India and Nepal
Founding Vice Chancellor, Central University of Sikkim; 
Ex-Member, National Security Advisory Board, Government of India 
Formerly Pro Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi and 
Formerly Chief Economic Adviser in the Government of Sikkim (Cabinet Minister Rank-2000-2007)
Awards & Honours
Father Schokaert Gold Medal, St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, 1979
Life Time Achievement Award, St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, 2007
High End Expert, Institute of South Asian Studies, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (2016-2018)
Government of India’s representative in the Steering Committee of the coveted South Asian Forum
set up by the Heads of the States and Governments in the 16th SAARC Summit in Thimphu in 2010. 
 
India’s representative in the Energy Cooperation Forum held in Indonesia and Thailand 2007
India’s representative in the Independent Expert Group set up by the SAARC leaders in 1997.
President of India’s nominee in the Courts and Executive Councils of various Central Universities. 
Visiting Professor, Tsukuba University, Japan
Nehru-Fulbright Education Administrator’s Fellow in USA in 2011; 
India-China Fellow at the New School University in USA in 2008-2010; 
Visitor to the European Union, Brussels in 2002; 
Ford Foundation Fellow at Notre Dame University in the USA in 1997. 
Malaysian Government’s invitee in its prestigious Malaysia International Visitor Programme (MIVP)
at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2007. 
Asia Leadership Fellow in Japan in 2001; 
 
Visiting Professor in Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo 2004-2005 
Visiting Fellow in Calcutta University 
Visiting Professor, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong
Headed Indian delegation of the Vice Chancellors to UK and China. 
Member Editorial Board of a number of national and international journals. 
International Collaboration/Consultancy
Collaborated with institutions like World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNESCAP, UNDP, USAID, AUSAID, ICIMOD, ERIA and
several prominent universities and research institutes in South Asia, China, Japan and US and 
various Ministries and institutions of Government of India
Best Peer Reviewed Publications
"Renegotiating Alternative Integration Model in the SAARC", International Studies, Sage, Vol 54, No 1-4, 2018
 
‘Promoting Trans-Boundary Power Trade and Interconnection to Enhance Energy Security and Sustainable Use of Energy
in South and South-West Asia’. Bangkok: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(UNESCAP : draft mimeograph), Bangkok, 2018.
“Integrating Energy Security Dynamics in Four Border Junctions: A Grand Vision for India”,
Strategic Year Book 2017, United Service Institute of India, Vij Books, New Delhi

“Relocating electricity interconnections in Nepal-India-China tri-junction”, in Bishnu Dev Pant et al (eds) 
Selected Essays on Nepali Economy, IIDS Special Edition, Institute of Integrated Development Studies, 
Kathamndu, Nepal, June 2017 
Policy paper on  India-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty 1950: Implications for Indian Gorkhas and Policy Suggestions,
Bharatiya Gorkha Parisnagh and Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation, Darjeeling , 2016
Monograph on BBIN Initiatives: Options for Cross-Border Power Exchange , ORF Issue Brief No  137,
Observer Research Foundation and Asia Foundation, New Delhi, 2016

Monograph on Unravelling Inclusiveness in North East India :  Lessons from the Experimentations of Indian Gorkhas;
Samata Annual lecture IV, SAMATA Foundation, Kathmandu, 2014

“Geopolitics of Power Trading in South Asia : Opportunities and Challenges”, Strategic Analysis, Vol 31 No 2, March 2007, Routledge, New Delhi

“Energy Cooperation in South Asia : Integrating the Stakeholders for Robust Regionalism”, South Asia Journal, SAFMA, Lahore, June 2005
“Globalisation and South Asia : Capturing Primary Concerns and Vulnerabilities” International Studies, Sage, April-June, 2001
Occasional Paper on  Managing Refugees in South Asia :  Protection, Aid, State Behaviour and Regional Approach, 
Occasional Paper 4, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit,  Department of International Relations , Dhaka University, 2000 
 
North East Region Vision Document 2020, Government of India, (Co-authored, 2008) 
First Economic Survey of Sikkim, 2006
Headed the Nathu la Trade Stduy Group that facilitated the reopening of historic trade route between Sikkim in India and
Tibet Autonomous Region in China after 44 years in 2006
First Human Development Report of Sikkim, 2001 
First Plan of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council 1988
Recent Peer Reviewed Journals/Books
"India - China : Rethinking Borders and Security" (Coauthored), (Michigan University Press, US, 2016)
 
"Human Security in India: Discourse, Practices and Policy Implications" ( UPL, Dhaka, 2010).

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.