Prof Nanigopal Mahanta 
Vice Chancellor, GU

Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta is a Professor, Department of Political Science and Director, Centre for South East Asia, Gauhati University, Assam, India. He is also the Chairman, Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan, Assam and Former Education Adviser to the Govt. of Assam.

His research interest includes issues of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Human Development and Security, Insurgency, Ethnicity and Identity Politics.

Studied in JNU, Mahanta was a Rotary World Peace Fellow in the University of California, Berkeley from 2002-2004. As a World Peace fellow he travelled to various parts of the world including Europe and South Asia for his internship and empirical work.

Dr. Mahanta has published articles in various journals and has written a number of books and often appeared as an expert in media. Prof Mahanta actively participates in various issues of the state and nation through popular writing, seminar, debate and discussion in various platforms including television and print media.

Prof. Mahanta was given the ERDF award of Excellence 2009 for creating Public awareness about civic and social rights and responsibilities. The award was given by Dr Rong Bong Terang, the then President, Asom Sahitya Sabha.

Prof. Mahanta is actively associated with various policy making bodies of Govt of Assam. He was the member of State Planning board known as State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA). Some of the departments where Prof Mahanta rendered his consultancy and advisorial services include the department of Education, Govt of Assam; Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA); Member of High power body of restructuring Cotton College University; Board Member, Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) etc. Prof Mahanta is also associated with number of high power bodies in the state.

Prof. Mahanta delivered invited lectures at various prestigious world forums. Some of these include: first Rotary International World Peace Symposium at Chicago, USA, in June 2007; Second World Peace Symposium at Birmingham (UK) in September, 2008; Rotary International World Peace Symposium held at Bangkok, Thailand, May, 2013 etc.

Dr. Mahanta has also been a visiting fellow to International Peace Research Institute (PRIO), Norway, Oslo and Visiting Fellow to Delhi University, New Delhi. He was also the President of North East India Political Science Association (NEIPSA) for last four years. His book "Confronting the State: ULFA’s quest for Sovereignty" is published by SAGE. He edited a number of books both in English and Assamese. His book on "Citizenship Debate over NRC and CAA: Assam and the History of Politics" has been published in the year 2021, and his latest book   "Adhunik Axomor Rajnoitik Itihas  [Muslim Leaguer Pora Nagarikatta Ainoloike]"    has been  published by Assam Prakashan Parisad in 2023.