Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt (Australian National University)

Dr Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt
Fellow, Resource Management in Asia Pacific Program
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
The Australian National University
ACT 0200, Canberra   AUSTRALIA

phones: 61/2-6125-4343 (office)
        61/4-0915-8145 (mobile)
fax:    61/2-6125-1635
email: kuntala.lahiri-dutt@anu.edu.au
URL:   http://rspas.anu.edu.au/people/personal/lahik_rmap.php
URL:   http://home.netspeed.com.au/kuntala.david


Description of work:
My current research focus is on community initiatives and development in 
mining and water sectors, and for this, I often use a gender lens to look 
into the heterogeneities within the broad community. For more on 
gender and water, see http://rspas.anu.edu.au/gwn.

My work focuses primarily on South Asia; for example, I am undertaking 
research on the social impacts of coal mining in India. In my view, the 
brunt of social changes in mining areas is often borne by women in rural 
and peasant communities. I also have an ARC-funded linkage grant studying 
the interface between large-scale mining and the community with emphasis 
on community empowerment in East Kalimantan. This project stems from my 
belief that community development by mining companies must include the 
specific objective of women's empowerment.

Another exciting theme that I am currently exploring is that of 
livelihoods in artisanal, small-scale, and at times illegal mining. For 
more on ASM see http://www.asmasiapacific.org

An interest of mine, no less stimulating than any of the above, is 
rickshaw art of Dhaka, Bangladesh (see http://home.netspeed.com.au/kuntala.david).