Dr Malavika Binny, Historian And Faculty At Kannur University, Selected For Rs 1 Crore Inherit Fellowship
Dr Malavika Binny, Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Kannur University, has been selected as the Inherit Fellow for 2026-2027 from India at the prestigious Käte Hamburger Center for Advanced Study, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. She is the only scholar chosen from India and one of fewer than ten selected worldwide for this fellowship, which carries funding worth one crore rupees. Dr Binny is a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.
Dr. Binny’s recognized work focuses on critical caste studies, particularly the relationship between caste and heritage materials or artefacts, an area rarely explored in depth until now. Her research examines how material objects in daily life relate to caste identities beyond usual caste and religious symbols, aiming to bring light to these connections using a novel academic approach called Critical Caste Studies.
Her interest in this subject began during her PhD studies in JNU, which initially explored Ayurveda’s historical perspectives on the human body. This led her into researching the history of medicines and instruments, through which she became more engaged with the history of material objects, eventually delving into caste materialism. She also addresses the intersections of gender, heritage, and materiality, highlighting the often-overlooked histories of women represented through various material objects, beyond the typical household items exhibited in museums. Her research includes fieldwork primarily in India and incorporates theoretical frameworks from international scholarship.
Dr Malavika Binny with her family
For Dr Malavika Binny, the philosophy and studies of Ambedkar as a continual inspiration. Her academic goal is to internalise and share a fraction of Ambedkar’s knowledge through her life and work.
Dr Malavika Binny is co-editor of ‘Goddesses of South Asia; Traditions and Transformations’ and author of the forthcoming book ‘Polyphonic Ayurveda.’ During her PhD at JNU, she was awarded the Erasmus Mundus Fellowship for Visiting PhD students and received the Ilamkulam Kunjan Pillai Young Historian Award from the Kerala History Congress. She also serves as an executive member of the Kerala History Congress.
Dr Malavika Binny at Kerala Literature Festival
The Käte Hamburger Center’s fellowship program, for which Dr Malavika Binny has been selected, runs from October 2026 to July 2027, focusing on themes like “Addressing Heritage Loss” and encourages original research that relates to historical and contemporary transformations in heritage. Fellows are expected to spend their fellowship period in Berlin, actively participating in the Centre’s academic community. Funding covers a monthly stipend, travel expenses, and visa costs, but fellows are responsible for accommodation and health insurance.
Goddesses in South Asia: Traditions and Transformations, edited by R. Mahalakshmi, Malavika Binny, and Megha Yadav.
Dr. Binny’s husband, Tintu Joseph, is a history faculty member at Mannanam KE College, Ernakulam.
