ANU South Asia Update Conference 2025

South Asia continues to play a pivotal role on the global stage, shaping trade, politics, and the broader geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region. Yet, despite its importance, there remains a significant asymmetry in the scale and depth of engagement by Australia in understanding the region on its own terms. The 2025 South Asia Update Conference seeks to bridge this gap by bringing together scholars, students, practitioners, and policymakers to critically explore South Asia’s history, culture, politics, and economy.

The conference features a keynote address by Professor Robin Jeffrey, distinguished author and former Dean of the College of Asia and the Pacific, alongside plenary sessions with award-winning authors and leading scholars. Over two days, participants will engage in rich discussions on pressing regional issues, including environmental challenges, urbanization, gender relations, voices of resistance, and the policy opportunities and challenges that shape South Asia’s future. The conference will conclude with a curated session in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, highlighting career pathways for HDR students and opportunities for academic collaboration.

Tuesday 4 November

Speakers

Panel 1: Embodied Gendered Practices

Shameem Black, Associate Professor, ANU
Megha Sharma, Visiting Fellow, ANU
Viyanga Gunasekera, PhD candidate, ANU
Maksuda Khanam, PhD candidate, ANU
Chair: Kalpana Ram, Honorary Professor, ANU

Panel 2: Entangled Ecologies

Assa Doron, Professor, ANU
Muhammad Kavesh, Associate Professor, ANU
V.Chitra, Lecturer, ANU
Hassan Virk, PhD candidate, ANU
Chair: Sango Mahanty, Professor, ANU

Panel 3: Infrastructures of Revival

Mohammad Ibrahim Khalad, PhD candidate, ANU
Preeti Mudliar, Australia India Institute Fellow, University of Melbourne
Nupur Joshi, Assistant Professor, Kalamazoo College
Nadine Vanniasinkam, PhD candidate, ANU
Chair: Nalin Mehta, Managing Editor, Moneycontrol

Wednesday 5 November

Speakers

Plenary: Power, Borders, and Populism in India

Nalin Mehta, Managing Editor, Moneycontrol
Malini Sur, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University
Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide
Chair: Annabel Dulhunty, Senior Lecturer, ANU

Panel 1: Voices of Resistance

Hafeez A. Jamali, Director General, Balochistan Civil Services Academy, Pakistan
Sahiba Maqbool, Lecturer, Monash University
Fazal Wahab, PhD candidate, ANU
Asaf Lone, PhD candidate, ANU
Chair: Sana Jaffrey, Research Fellow and Lecturer, ANU

Panel 2: Making South Asia's Urban Future

Contact the host of ANU South Asia Update Conference 2025