Portfolio

Researcher • Anthropologist • Media & Cultural Consultant • Local Producer • Tour Curator

With nearly two decades of experience supporting international media, universities, NGOs, researchers, writers, filmmakers, and cultural institutions, I work at the intersection of anthropology, social research, storytelling, and field production. My work spans documentaries, academic research, investigative reporting, cultural projects, and heritage exploration across North India — with a focus on Varanasi, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and the Gangetic plains.

I specialize in:

  • Field research & ethnography

  • Cultural, historical & archaeological documentation

  • Fixing, translation & local production support

  • Social issue exploration

  • Heritage & community-based storytelling

  • Academic collaborations

  • Custom cultural and historical tours

📌 Media & Documentary Collaborations

I have worked as a local assistant, field producer, researcher, translator, and cultural consultant for leading international media houses. My contributions typically include arranging interviews, scouting locations, conducting preliminary research, facilitating community engagement, and translating cultural contexts into compelling narratives.

🎬 Media & Documentary Collaborations

Travel show about unexplored areas of Varanasi

A documentary about Aghoris by Chris Kermis

Travel show about Mahakumbh by Chris Kermis

CBC – Might & Myth (India Reborn)

Seattle Times — India, One Day at a Time

CNN International — Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan Story

Channel 4 & BBC World :Sex, Death & Meaning of Life with Richard Dawkins.

Financial Times — Midnight’s Children

MTV Italia & LA7 — The Camminando

“Comparing Countries Compassion” Documentary

VPRO, The Netherlands : Documentry about special children

e3 Foundation, Taxas : Documentary about different religious groups and their belief in the God 

OHM, Netherlands : Documentary about a Netherlands born Hindu boy living with a traditional Hindu family in Varanasi

CNN IBN : Citzen Journalist show exposing corruption

VPRO, Netherlands : Documentary showing diversity of India with Jelle Brandt Corstius

  • Taipei Times : Worked with Mr. Noah Buchan from Taipei Times,  as research assistant and translator. He was interested in several stories related with Varanasi and we worked together on his articles related with Ganga and Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan.

📚 Academic & Research Work

I have collaborated with international universities and research teams on projects involving: Social and cultural anthropology, Rural and urban community dynamics, Religious practices & pilgrimage, Artisanal livelihoods. Heritage landscapes and ancient sites, Caste, gender, and identity, Development and social movements. My role includes field interviews, ethnographic work, archival research, transcription, translation, and contextual analysis.

🎓 Academic & Research Assistance

I’ve worked closely with researchers and students from leading global institutions, providing field assistance, translation, interview facilitation, and cultural context:

Hasseris Gymnasium, Denmark

DePauw University, USA – Organized visits, community meetings, translation.

Krista Bywater (UCSB) – Globalization & water governance research.

Lane Rasberry (Univ. of Washington) – India research coordination.

Tyler Gillard (Univ. of London) – Coca-Cola public health research.

Amanda Ciafone (Yale) – Death & mortality studies in Varanasi.

Adam Sargent (Univ. of Chicago) – Urban labor research.

Irene De Piccolo (Venice) – Hindu widows research.

Penguin Group, USA
Role: Translator for Michael Blanding (author Coke Machine).

Chen-Hsi Wong (Singapore) – Weavers & craft culture documentation.

🕍 Cultural, Historical & Archaeological Exploration

As a researcher with a deep interest in ancient sites and lesser-known heritage, I assist scholars, authors, and cultural institutions with:

  • Historical and archaeological site exploration

  • Documentation of temples, rituals, and lived traditions

  • Interpretation of mythological narratives

  • Heritage mapping in Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Madhya Pradesh, Sarnath, Bodhgaya, Sonbhadra and surrounding regions

This work blends academic insight with field experience, offering nuanced understanding of places and people.

🎥 Production Support for Writers & Filmmakers

I provide end-to-end on-ground support for creative and journalistic projects:

  • Scouting locations

  • Coordinating permissions

  • Managing logistics

  • Connecting with local communities

  • Translating interviews and dialogues

  • Guiding narrative development from a cultural standpoint

My ability to bridge local realities and global storytelling has made me a trusted collaborator for teams across all over the world.

🌏 NGO & Development Sector Work

I’ve supported NGOs and social organizations working in:

  • Education and youth development

  • Rural livelihoods

  • Women’s empowerment

  • Cultural preservation

  • Environmental and river-based issues

My contributions include research, community engagement, documentation, and cultural translation.

I’ve collaborated with and supported a variety of NGOs — as a translator, organizer, and cultural liaison:
• India Resource Center (USA) pragyabodh.com
• Chance India Association (Hungary) – former manager. pragyabodh.com
• AIDSvideos.org (USA) – translation project in multiple Indian languages. pragyabodh.com
• Lok Samiti (Varanasi) – English interpretation and coordination. pragyabodh.com
• Sanjeevani Booti (Varanasi) – co-founder and program lead. pragyabodh.com
• Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise – presenter/support.

🌟 Tour Curation & Cultural Interpretation

Alongside my research work, I design specialized tours through Divine Varanasi, focusing on:

  • History & archaeology

  • Hidden ancient sites

  • Social issues & everyday life

  • Cultural anthropology

  • Heritage walks & thematic explorations across Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sonbhdadra and more

These tours combine scholarship, storytelling, and lived experience, offering visitors a deeper understanding of India’s cultural landscapes.

With Professor Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and author