After earning my M.A. in Münster, which I began majoring in Indian Studies and ended
majoring in Philosophy, I worked for some time at the University of Rostock, where
I served as main coordinator of the Center for Logic, Philosophy of Science, and History
of Science.
From Rostock, I moved on to Pittsburgh, where I completed my Ph.D. in the area of
contemporary Philosophy of Perception, Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Philosophy of
Science. My doctoral advisor was Anil Gupta.
After earning my Ph.D., I accepted a position at Ashoka University in Sonipat, Haryana,
in India. At Ashoka, I served as Assistant Professor of Philosophy, completed a full
tenure as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, served for a year as Department Chair,
eventually earned tenure, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023, while on
extended sabbatical leave, which I spent serving as the University of Pittsburgh's
inaugural Bhagawan Vasu Pujya Swami post-doctoral fellow in Jain Studies.
Since my graduate student days, my areas of research have expanded beyond from purely
theoretical concerns so as to include work in Moral Perception [especially on Iris
Murdoch and Simone Weil], Philosophy of Love, Jain Philosophy, Philosophical Counselling,
Fusion Philosophy, and Non-Violent [Just] Communication. In fact, I have become increasingly
interested in bringing my background in analytic philosophy and Indian Philosophy
to bear on Peace and Conflict Studies [though, since I care most about Philosophy
of Love and Nonviolence, I prefer the label 'Peace and Nonviolence Studies'].
Since it provides a unique opportunity to pursue all my various interests, I was thrilled
to join Fresno State's Philosophy Department, where I serve the community primarily
by helping teach for, further grow, and develop the PAX program, by assisting with
the administration of the
M. K. Gandhi Center for Inner Peace and Sarvodaya, and, of course, by offering philosophy courses in my areas.
In the medium term, I would love to help develop ties [and perhaps a student exchange]
between Fresno State and Ashoka, as well as a collaboration with the University of
Münster. [After all, Münster is one of Fresno's official sister cities!]
