Dr. Vasudha Narayanan is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida and a past President of the American Academy of Religion (2001-2002). In 2023, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Narayanan was educated at the Universities of Madras and Bombay in India, and at Harvard University. Her fields of interest are the Hindu traditions in India, Cambodia, and America; visual and expressive cultures in the study of the Hindu traditions; and gender issues. She is the author or editor of seven books and numerous articles, chapters in books, and encyclopedia entries. Dr. Narayanan and the University of Florida have created the nation’s first Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions to encourage the research, teaching, and public understanding of Hindu culture and traditions.

The talk will be followed by an interactive Bollywood dance session (audience participation required!) by Geeta Dance and dinner (delicious Indian meal!).

Co-sponsors:

Ruth K. and Shepard Broad Distinguished Lecture Series

Dorothea Green Lecture Series