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Birendra Nath Prasad

Birendra Nath Prasad

Birendra Nath Prasad
Birendra Nath Prasad
Assistant Professor
Centre/School/Special Centre
Centre for Historical Studies,
School of Social Sciences
Room No
421, SSS-III
Residence
9580806633
Email
bnprasad@mail.jnu.ac.in, birendranathprasad191@gmail.com
Personal Webpage
https://jnu.ac.in/Faculty/bnprasad/cv.pdf
Qualifications
  • MA in History,  JNU. I was the topper of the batch in the Ancient Indian History section.
  • M.Phil & PhD in History, JNU.
Areas of Interest/Specialization

Religion and society in ancient and early medieval India, archaeological history of Indian religions, economic history of ancient and early medieval India, history of Southeast Asia.

Experience

As a permanent faculty (Assistant Professor) in the UGC pay scale in the P.G. Department of History of three Central Universities, I have 17 years and 11 months of P.G. teaching experience. I have taught in MA, M. Phil. (coursework) and PhD (coursework) classes and supervised M.Phil. and PhD researches.

Awards & Honours

Awards & Honours

International Collaboration/Consultancy

International Collaboration/Consultancy

Best Peer Reviewed Publications

Books:

  1. Archaeology of Religion in South Asia: Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina Religious Centres in Bihar and Bengal, c. AD 600-1200, Routledge, London and New York, 2021; 770 pages; ISBN number 9789351711964. Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Delhi, has published the South Asian edition of this book with the ISBN number 978-81-949912-8-1.
  2. Rethinking Bihar and Bengal:  History, Culture and Religion, Routledge, London and New York, 2021; 192 pages; ISBN number 9781032117225. Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Delhi, has published the South Asian edition of this book with the ISBN number 9788194991212.
  3. Religion in Society: Social Dimensions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism in India, Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Delhi, 2022 (forthcoming), 227 pages.
  4. Maritime Southeast Asia: History, Culture and Religion, Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Delhi, 2022 (forthcoming), 245 pages (Edited with an Introduction).
  5. Monasteries, Shrines and Society: Buddhist and Brahmanical Religious Institutions in India in Their Socio-Economic Context, Manak Publications, Delhi, 2011; 350 pages; ISBN no. 978-81-7831-231-6 (Edited with an Introduction).
  6. Social History of Indian Buddhism: New Researches, Research India Press, Delhi, 2021; 297 pages; ISBN no. 978951711964 (Edited with an Introduction).
  7. Studies in the History and Culture of Ancient Indian Buddhism, Research India Press, Delhi, 2022; 215 pages; ISBN no. 9789351711988 (Edited with an Introduction).
Recent Peer Reviewed Journals/Books
  1. ‘Major Trends and Perspectives in Studies in the Functional Dimensions of Indian Monastic Buddhism in the Past One Hundred Years: A Historiographical Survey’, Buddhist Studies Review (Journal of the UK Association for Buddhist Studies), London, Vol.25, No.1, 2008, pp.54-89.
  2. Brahmanical Temples, Maṭhas,  Agrahāras and a Buddhist Establishment in a Marshy and Forested  Periphery of Two ‘Frontier’ States: Early Medieval Surma Valley (Sylhet and Cachar), c.600CE -1100 CE’,  Religions of South Asia, London, Vol. 6. No.1, 2012, pp.33-60.
  3. “Cultic Relationships Between Buddhism and Brahman¬ism in the ‘Last Stronghold’ of Indian Buddhism: An Analysis with Particular Reference to Votive Inscriptions on Brahmanical Sculptures Donated to Buddhist Religious Centres in Early Medieval Magadha”, Buddhist Studies Review (Journal of the U.K. Association for Buddhist Studies), London, Vol. 30, No. 2, 2013, pp. 181-199.
  4. ‘Jaina and Brahmanical Temples and Political Processes in a Forested Frontier of Early Medieval South-western Bengal: A Study of Purulia’.  Religions of South Asia, Sheffield/London, Vol. 14, No..3, 2020, pp. 188-214.
  5. ‘Merchants and Their Family Members as Donors of Inscribed Sculptures in Early Medieval Bihar and Bengal’, Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Vol. 18, 2020, pp. 123-135.
  6. ‘A Viṣṇu Temple and Its Social Linkages in 11th -12th Century A.D. Comilla, Bangladesh: A Study in Some Copper-Plate Inscriptions’. In D.P. Dubey (ed.), Sanskrit Epigraphy in South Asia (Proceedings of the Epigraphy Section of the 16th World Sanskrit Conference, Bangkok, 2015), D.K. Publishers, Delhi, 2019, pp.139-148.  ISBN No. 9789387212008.

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.