भारतीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान (का.हि.वि.) वाराणसी

  Ph. D. Cultural Studies, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, 2015.

  M. Phil English, Pondicherry Central University, Pondicherry.

  M. A. English and Comparative Literature, Pondicherry Central University, Pondicherry.

  B. A. English Language and Literature, M. G. University, Kottayam, Kerala.  

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Humanistic Studies, IIT (BHU) - 19 March 2018 onwards.

Assistant Professor,  Dept. of English, Providence Women’s College, Kozhikode- Affiliated to University of Calicut and Dept. of Collegiate Education, Govt. of Kerala-  17 August 2016 to 16 March 2018.  

Assistant professor (contractual) Dept. of English, Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga -August 2014 to June 2015.  

Paper Presentations in Seminars and Conferences (best in last seven years)

IACLALS Annual Conference on Wit, Humour and Carnivalesque in Literature and Performance, BITS Pilani, Goa Campus, 15-17 February 2024

‘Experiencing the Kitchen: Visual-Auditory Defamiliarization of the Kitchen Space in the film The Great Indian Kitchen (2021)', paper presented at the Spatiality and Temporality International Conference, organized by London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research,  Birkbeck, University of London 11-12 February,2023. 

‘Intersection of Caste and Gender in the Sabarimala Issue: Problematising the Hindu Devotee’, European Conference on South Asian Studies. University of Vienna, Austria, 26-29 July 2021.Online. (Co-Presenter- Mr.Sooraj S.S.)

'The Subversive Visual Retellings of the legend of Nangeli, the Subaltern Woman who Protested against the Breast Tax'. International Colloquium on Politics and Narratives of the Body, Nannterre University, Paris France. 26-28 May, 2021. Online. 

‘The Experience in/of Cinema: Gender, politics and the Question of Representation in Recent Malayalam Films’. International Conference -Towards New Visions:Women in Films, Media and Beyond. University of Guelph, Shastri Indo Canadian Institute and IIT Madras, 11-12 March 2021.Online. (Co-Presenter: Dr Vipin K. Kadavath.
 

‘Language/Region as Mother: The Corporeal Aesthetics of Region/Nation in Vallathol Narayana Menon’s Poetry’ at the National Seminar on “The Literary Across Cultures: Cultural Poetics of Bhasha Literatures in Theory and Praxis held at Forum on Contemporary Theory, Vadodara, Gujarat, 25-27 February,2019.      

'Feminism in the Time of Corporate Women Empowerment Initiatives: A Study of Select Indian Television Commercials’ at the Young Scholar’s Conference on Gendered Myths of Conflict and Un-belonging From a Comparative Literature Perspective organized by Centre for Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Latin American Studies, JNU, New Delhi  2-3 August 2016.

‘Inventing a Dance Tradition: Kerala Kalamandalam and the Constitution of Mohiniyattam as a Modern Dance Form’ at the British Association of South Asian Studies (BASAS) Conference on South Asian Studies organized by the Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, England, 6-8 April, 2016.

Politics of the Body: The Ban on Cinematic Dance in Educational Institutions in Kerala’ at the IACLALS, Indian Association of Common Wealth Literature and Language Studies Conference on Right to Write: The Culture of Literary Controversies and Controversial Literature at Dept. of English, Kakatiya University, Warangal, Telangana 22-24 January, 2016.

Performing Femininity: A Study of Mohiniyattam Dance’ at the international conference Ideology in Postcolonial Texts and Contexts” at University of Munster, Munster, Germany, May 14-16, 2015.

Workshop Organizer- National Workshop on Gender Studies- Dept. of English- Central University of Karnataka- Gulbarga- February-2015.

Making it Feminine: A Study of the Evolution of Mohiniyattam at Embodying Gender: Dance and Body in Social Context, National Workshop organized by School of Women Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 28-29 March 2014.

Performing/ Gendering the Body: Studying Dance as a ‘Bodily’ Text at Talking Bodies: An International, Interdisciplinary Conference on Identity, Sexuality and Representation held at University of Chester, Manchester, England, United Kingdom, 26th -28th March 2013.

Dance and ‘Gender Performativity’: The Case of Mohiniyattam at International Conference on Gender Studies and Expanding Horizons of Inter/Trans-Culturality, held at JNU, New Delhi, 7th -8th March 2013.  

Journal Articles (best in recent years)

S.J. Abhitha, and K.R. Kavya Krishna. “Experiences of Schooling and Studenthood: Contextualising Dalit–Bahujan Autobiographies.” Contemporary Education Dialogue, vol. 22, no. 2, 2025. Sage Publications. (SCOPUS)

Sooraj, S.S., and K.R. Kavya Krishna. “The Politics and Aesthetics of Male Homosexuality in Malayalam Cinema: Contextualising the Film Ka Bodyscapes (2016).” Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 72, no. 7, 2024. Taylor & Francis.  (SCOPUS, WoS & PubMed)

Sooraj, S.S., K.R. Kavya Krishna, and Ajit Kumar Mishra. “Undoing the Masculine Hero: Fahadh Faasil’s Stardom in Contemporary Malayalam Cinema.” Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, no. 50, 2023, Australian National University. (SCOPUS & WoS)

Sooraj, S.S., K.R. Kavya Krishna, and Ajit Kumar Mishra. “The Male Householder and the Hypermasculinity Deity: Malayalam Language Films Based on the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.” Visual Anthropology, vol. 36, no. 4, 2023. Taylor & Francis.  (SCOPUS & WoS)

Sooraj, S.S., and K.R. Kavya Krishna. “Decoding Hegemonic Masculinity and Patriarchal Family: A Reading of the Malayalam Film Kumbalangi Nights.” Caesurae: Poetics of Cultural Translation, vols. 4.2–5.1, 2022. (UGC-CARE)

Khutia, Samyamoy, and K.R. Kavya Krishna. “Streaming Sexualities: The Changing Face of Gay Masculinity in Hindi Media.” Dialogist: International Journal of Literary Studies and Interdisciplinary Research, vol. 1, no. 2, 2022. (Peer-reviewed)

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. “The Somatic Turn in Humanities and Social Sciences.” Diotima’s: A Journal of New Readings, Special Issue: “The Body: History, Representation, Resistance,” Providence Women’s College, 2017.

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. “Engendering Revolution: A Study of Select Textual Representations of the Radical Left Movement in Kerala.” World Journal of Gender and Literature, Authors Press, 2016. (Peer-reviewed)

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. “Politics of Gender, Body and Caste: Understanding the Ban on Cinematic Dance in Schools of Kerala." Diotima's: A Journal of New Readings, Vol. 10, pp. 25-38, 2019. (Peer-reviewed)

Book Chapters

K.R. Kavya Krishna, and Vipin K. Kadavath. “Experience in/of Cinema: Gender and Spectatorial Subjectivity in The Great Indian Kitchen.” Women in Contemporary Indian Films and Media: Representations and Responses, edited by Aysha Viswamohan, Routledge, 2025.

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. “Feminism in the Time of Neo-liberal Women Empowerment: A Study of Select Indian Television/Online Advertisements.” Gendered Ways of Trans-national Unbelonging from a Comparative Literature Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019.

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. “Gender and Performance: The Re-invention of Mohiniyattam in Early Twentieth Century Kerala.” Transcultural Negotiations of Gender: Studies in (Be)longing, edited by Saugata Bhaduri and Indrani Mukherjee, Springer, 2015.

Book(s)

Krishna, K.R. Kavya, and Mythili Maratt Anoop, editors. Mohiniyattam: A Reader. Vol. 1, Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House, 2025. ISBN 9789368534754.

Anoop, Mythili Maratt, and Kavya Krishna K.R., editors. Mohiniyattam: A Reader. Vol. 2, Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House, 2025. ISBN 9789368532446.

Journal(s) Edited

Kavya Krishna K.R., Volume Editor, Diotima’s: A Journal of New Readings (peer-reviewed annual journal, Postgraduate Department of English, Providence Women’s College, Kozhikode), special issue on “The Body: History, Representation, Resistance” (ISSN 2319-4189)

Teaching Materials

Assigned Teaching/Learning Content Developer: MHRD-UGC e-PG Pathsala (2017) - Subject: English, Paper: Cultural Studies, Topic: Minority/Subaltern Studies.

Other Writings

Discussant - for the article “Charting a History: Women’s Organizations Across Three Campuses in Hyderabad” in Anweshi Research Centre for Women’s Studies - Broad Sheet on Contemporary Politics - Special Issue on Sexuality and Harassment: Gender Politics on Campus Today, Edited by Asma Rasheed and Madhumeeta Sinha, Vol. 2, December 2013 (ISSN: 2278-3423)

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. "Dalit Feminism: Origin and Development" (Translation of Malayalam Article by P. Lisa). Malayalam Dalit Writings in English Translation, Mythri Books, Trivandrum, 2020. (ISBN: 9788194537472)

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. "Nirtham Enna Social Text: Mohiniyattavum Strainathayum" (Dance as a Social Text: Mohiniyattam and Femininity). Sanghaditha, Special Issue on "Dance," Vol. 21, 2020.

Krishna, K.R. Kavya. "Vallathol,Mohiniyattam,Malayalee Sthree Swathva Nirmmithi: Chila Vayanakal" (Vallathol, Mohiniyattam, and the Making of Malayali Womanhood: Some Reflections). Swatanthryathinte Manifesto, edited by Unni R. and Benyamin, Insight Publica, 2025.

Selected Invited Talks Delivered 

'Masculinity Studies: Concepts and Research Possibilities', Resource person at Short Term Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on Gender Studies, HRDC-Kannur University, 19 March,2024. 

'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress' ,International Women's Day Event, Distinguished Speaker, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, BHU, Varanasi, 7 March, 2024.

International Conference on 'Literature, Digital Popular Culture and Evolving Narrative', Plenary Speaker, Christ University, Delhi NCR, 9 February 2024. 

'Masculinity Studies: History and Theories' Resource person at the National Level FDP on Modern Literary Theories: Trends and Influences, Presidency University, Bengaluru, 1 December 2023. Online. 

‘Gender, Culture and Dance’ Resource Person, at Short Term Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on Gender Studies HRDC,-Kannur University, Kerala,26 August 2022. Online.

‘Film Appreciation’ Resource Person for Workshop at Dr. N S A M First Grade College, Bengaluru, 15 June 2022. Online.

 ‘Gender Equality and Women Empowerment’ talk at  Dr.Ambedkar Centre of Excellence (DACE)    for Civil Service Coaching of SC Students at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, November 2022.

‘Masculinity Studies and Feminism’ Plenary Talk in the 3rd International e-Conference Gender, Culture and Society organized by New Literaria Journal and Guru Ghasidas Viswavidyalaya,Bilaspur,26 November 2022. Online.

‘Thinking about Mohiniyattam and Malayalee Femininity’ invited talk at Research Forum, Dept of English, Calicut University, Kerala, 29 September,2021. Online.

‘Gender and the Politics of Experience in The Great Indian Kitchen’ Plenary Talk at White Noise: A Symposium on Subtle Sexism at Loyola Academy PG College, Secunderabad, Telenagana, 14 August 2021. Online.

‘Doing Research in Cultural Studies’     plenary talk at UGC sponsored One day National Interdisciplinary webinar on New Perspectives and Approaches to Research. At Arya Mahila PG College/Vasanta College for Women, BHU. 7 Feb 2021. Online. 

‘Understanding Cultural Studies: Theory, Praxis and Research Possibilities’. Yuvakhsetra Institute of Management Studies,  Palakkad, Nov 27, 2021 Online. 

‘Reinvention of Arts in South India: Rukmini Devi Arundale and the Making of Bharatanatyam’National Webinar on Cultural Studies, Providence Women’s College, Kozhikode, Kerala. 6 October 2020. Online. 

‘Reading Mohiniyattam from a Gender Perspective’YouTube release as part of International Talk series- Mohiniyattam on Wider Canvas, Moham School of Dance, Hyderabad. 11 September 2020. Online.

‘Reading Kumbalangi Nights’ talk for ‘Talking Films Online- Film Club’, 22 August 2020. Online.

Career Opportunities in English Studies, Assumption College, Changanassery, Kerala. 19 December 2018. 

‘Narrating Trauma: Thinking Through the #Me Too Moment’ Plenary Talk at National Seminar on Trauma: Experience and Language organized by Dept. Of English, Government College, Kottayam, Kerala from 18 December 2018.

‘Is there a Cultural Studies Way of Reading a Text?’ talk at National Workshop on "Understanding the Text: Approaches to Literary Studies and Academic Writing" organised at Mahila Mahavidhyalaya, BHU, Varanasi, 1 September 2018. 

 ‘Dalit Sthreevadam’ /‘Dalit Feminism’ into English and also delivered a talk on the process of    translation of the same, Resource Person at the National Workshop on Translation of Malayalam Dalit Writings organized by the UGC SAP DRS II, Institute of English- University of Kerala from 13-15, March 2017. 
 

Current PhD Scholars and their Research Areas

Submitted

Sooraj S.S.- Tensions in Heteropatriarchal Consensus: Men and Masculinities in Contemporary Kerala (Awarded Oct. 2024)
                     Area: Masculinity Studies

Ongoing

Abhitha S.J. - Narratives of Alternate Childhoods in India
                       Area: Childhood Studies / Marginal Literatures

Samyamoy Khutia - Queerness and Politics of Sexuality in Bengali Cultural Sphere
                                 Area: Gender and Sexuality Studies / Queer Studies / Regional Literature / Film Studies

Nidhila S.- The Cinematic World of P. Padmarajan
                  Area: Film Studies / Malayalam Cinema

Samridhi Thakur* - Desiring Subjects & Female Sexual Desire
                               Area: Film Studies / Women's Cinema

Joyshree Biswas - Gender Imaginaries in AI Narratives
                               Area: Film Studies / Posthumanism

Diwakar Attri - Dalit Women's Writings in Hindi
                        Area: Marginal Literatures

Sijin M. George - Syrian Christian Cultural Practices in Kerala
                            Area: Cultural Studies

Parthasarathi Das - Area: Film Studies / Gender Studies

Maheswari M.S. - Area: Film Studies / Gender Studies

*co-supervision

Scholars who have qualified JRF/NET/GATE and are interested in working within the broader framework of Cultural Studies are invited to submit their research proposals via email. Proposals in related areas, including Critical Performance Studies and/or Dance Studies, are also welcome.

Grant from Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge for ‘Outstanding Early Career Academicians from South Asia’ to present a paper in the international conference on South Asian Studies at University of Cambridge, April 2016.

Grant from GAPS- Gesellschaft fur Anglophone Postkoloniale Studien (Association for Anglophone Postcolonial Studies) Germany to present a paper in an international conference at University of Munster, Germany in 2015.  

Travel Grant from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad to select PhD Scholars to present a paper at an international conference. Presented paper at University of Chester, England in 2013.