Graduate Student
Bio:
Jignyasu (he/him) is a graduate student in the Department of Global Studies at UC Santa Barbara. His research examines the triangulation of religion, state, and law in modern India.
His MA thesis, "The Custodial State: Colonial Legacies, Constitutional Logic, and the Asymmetrical Control of Hindu Temples in India," explores the paternalistic logic governing Hindu temples that undermines community autonomy and denominational rights, while paradoxically aligning with both Hindutva homogenization and Nehruvian secularism. He is currently furthering this research for a book project. To support his textual research interests, he is also undertaking advanced training in Sanskrit at Somnath Sanskrit University.
He holds a BA and MA in English Literature from the University of Delhi, where his training in literary and critical theory provided a strong framework for analyzing the interplay of power in quotidian life.
Born and raised in Gujarat, Jignyasu also dedicates his time to translating and editing Gujarati short stories, poems, and biographies into English. He loves all racket sports, football, running, hiking, and is always ready for a game.