Team

Vaibhav Chauhan is Head of Special Collections and Assistant Director of the Jio Institute Digital Library (JDL). He is trained in the management and promotion of both Tangible and Intangible Heritage and specialises in steering and managing multi-stakeholder cultural projects. He has been associated with renowned institutions like Sangeet Natak Akademi, Tata Consultancy Services and National Mission for Manuscripts, to name a few. He has co-founded cultural enterprises like Sahapedia.org, India Heritage Walks and Museums of India in the non-profit space. He takes a special interest in developing tools, technology and policies for the GLAM sector to embrace digital change.

Dr Kurush F. Dalal is an Archaeologist, Historian and Culinary Anthropologist. He has a BA from the University of Mumbai, an MA in Archaeology as well as a PhD on the Early Iron Age in Rajasthan, both from Deccan College, Pune University. Subsequently, he shifted focus to the Early Medieval Period predominantly on the West Coast of India and excavated the sites of Sanjan, Chandore and Mandad. Dr Dalal also actively works on Memorial Stones and Ass-curse stones in India and dabbles in Numismatics, Defence Archaeology, Architecture, Ethnoarchaoelogy and allied disciplines. He has published over 35 papers and has read many more at National and International seminars.

Anjana Premchand is the Lead, the Mumbai Archive Project, Special Collections at Jio Institute Digital Library (JDL). She studied journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia. She has been working in the arts and culture space for five years, and led the digital outreach for Marg, India’s oldest continuously published art magazine. She had a brief stint at a creative agency and has worked for leading retail brands. She is interested in the arts and technology space.

Ayan Ghosh is the Lead (Fellowship & Grants) and Visual Researcher, Special Collections at Jio Institute Digital Library (JDL). He has a postgraduate degree (M.Des) in Communication Design from the National Institute of Design, and an undergraduate degree from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. Ayan previously worked for Getty Images, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and Sahapedia. He takes a special interest in built heritage, visual arts and photography.

Tushar Ayyar is a Curatorial Assistant, Special Collections at Jio Institute Digital Library (JDL). A commerce graduate, he pursued a master’s degree in ancient Indian culture and archaeology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He has completed a certificate course in archaeology from Centre for Extra-Mural Studies, University of Mumbai and a PG diploma course in Museology and Conservation from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. He brings an experience of six years working in different institutes like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and the Coin Museum at the Indian Institute of Research in Numismatics Studies. He has a keen interest in the fields of archaeology, history, numismatics and iconography.c

Subuhi Jiwani has worked as a researcher, journalist and documentary filmmaker in Mumbai. She has covered diverse topics, from the arts to climate change, and also written books of fiction for children. She currently works as a communications associate with a climate tech firm.

Ankita Jain, a documentary photographer with extensive work experience in indigenous communities across India, is dedicated to capturing character studies, expressions of faith, gender roles, class divisions, and more in her work.

Gautami Choudhari is a budding archaeologist who is often found hiding behind books wanting to dive deeper into the fields of archaeology, history, research and education.

Sohini Rajiyung is a social impact strategist with over seven years of experience. She also possesses extensive editorial and publishing expertise, having collaborated with organizations such as Zubaan, CulTre, and Sahapedia. Beyond her professional engagements, she provides mentorship to young women leaders and refugees across Asia and the Pacific through her association with Wedu and ChatLoop. With a background in Literature and Human Rights, she is passionate about promoting knowledge dissemination and advocating for social justice through her work.