Bharati was born and grew up in Kaliabor, a small town in Assam, India. In 2005, she completed her post-graduate studies in Zoology from Gauhati University and then received her M.Phil. in Zoology working in the field of cell and molecular biology. Her interest in film, literature, traditional folk media, and other communication modes prompted her to enrol in post-graduate studies in Communication and Journalism in Gauhati University. She earned her masters in Mass Communication securing 1st Rank from Gauhati University in 2007.
She is an avid film enthusiast and has published a number of articles and critical reviews on films of the region and beyond. Her academic background in the natural sciences and interest in film studies motivated her to work on eco-cinema focusing on representation of nature in non-fiction films under the tutelage of Prof. Ranjit Kumar Dev Goswami, Srimanta Sankaradeva Chair Professor of Tezpur University (formerly Professor of English, Gauhati University). Her doctoral research entailed the study of ecocinematic texts in India with special reference to Assam and its effect on the pattern of nature film production practiced in this part of the country in the light of ecocinema classifications and point of views (POV) of the directors.
Bharati started her teaching career at Centre for Mass Communication and Journalism of Cotton University (formerly Cotton College State University) in December 2007. Besides teaching, she directed a series of four dramas on scientific awareness, broadcast by All India Radio Guwahati in February 2010. She also coordinated a three-month certificate course on video production in 2011. She was also an Associate Programme Coordinator for six-week Techno-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (TEDP) on video photography and video editing at EDC in 2011. She supervised a project of writing and publishing Burhi Aair Xadhu, an anthology of children stories written by noted litterateur of Assam, Lakshminath Bezbarua into comic books by students.
She moved to the Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University in July 2013. Her teaching assignments include film studies, media theory, developmental communication and science communication. Her current research is focused on understanding and exploring the influence of culture on the narratives and representation of nature in eco-cinema and eco-feminism. Bharati is also actively involved in development communication (C4D) research through UNICEF funded projects since 2014 on social and behavioural change communication for adolescents in Assam. She also helped making community-based radio programmes on science for women’s health and nutritional issues as a part of a sponsored project by National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST, Government of India.
Bharati is also an expert in media theory and science communication. She is also associated with All India Radio and Doordarshan in various capacities as newsreader, copy editor-translator etc. She is a prolific writer and has published a number of short stories, poem and articles of general interest in various magazines and newspapers of prominence in Assam. In 2015, Nache Nanda Nandana, a collection of her short stories was published by Aakhar Prakash, Guwahati.
ECOCINEMA STUDIES
Potential of ecocinema as a tool for environmental sustainability and pedagogy is an active area for academic discourse. Rise of ecocinema studies has helped us to re-evaluate the environmental issues and to understand nature-human and nature-culture relationships at micro level similar to other branches of study of ecocriticism. Although in the recent past, works of media scholars such as Sean Cubitt, David Ingram, Scott MacDonald, Adrian Ivakhiv, Stephen Rust, Cynthia Chris, Paula Willoquet-Maricondi and Salma B Monani has set the standard for ecocrtitical scholarship in films, ecocritical studies on films focusing on nature-human relationship as a central theme is still relatively sparse in India. In order to understand the pattern of nature film production practiced in this part of the country, as a part of the doctoral research we analysed a few films of Assam – Gautam Bora’s Old Man River and Brahmaputra Series, Mauleenath Senapati’s A River Story of Hope and Despair, Gautam Saikia’s Unseen Beauty Unhidden Truth, and A Friend Turned Foe, The Last Hope by Dip Bhuyan and In Search of a Job by Mrinal Talukdar. The study revealed that they possess the qualities to raise consciousness about planetary health and biosphere, to seek public engagement about various issues and practices, and debate about the sustainable development. These films can thus be classified as ‘ecocinema’ and bears substantial potential for further academic discourses. In our study, it was found that nature has been projected both as ‘other’ and ‘self’ in the films.
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
Designed and coordinated a project on Social and Behaviour Change Communication for Adolescents Empowerment in Assam Phase I, (May-December 2015) funded by UNICEF, Assam (Amount INR 24,07,700)
Community engagement and community involvement was the prime objective of the project. Community radio programme, puppetry, Panel and Focused Group Discussion (in conclave) were organized for effective propagation of information. With more than three hundred multi-lingual and multi-cultural ethnic communities, Northeast India is unique in communication pattern. Diverge demographic and geographic profiles demand different and specific addressing of the issues customized to communities context. Present challenges in the development sector such as equitable health, sanitation, education and protection, call for a systematic use of Communication For Development (C4D) methods and tools to facilitate effective dissemination of information and knowledge to ensure community participation. This requires an analysis of the role that Communication for Development (C4D) can play, in the context of development programmes, as well as at the community level. As a result, a Ready Reckoner was released.
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Designed and coordinated a project on Community Radio Based Radio Programmes on Science for Women’s Health and Nutrition. (2015-2017) funded by National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST, Government of India (Amount INR 14,64,000)
Community Radio is the third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial and public broadcasting service. It broadcasts content which is popular and relevant to a local or specific audience but often overlooked by other media. After a capacity building workshop on Science for Women’s Health and Nutrition at Radio Luit (the first campus based Community Radio Station in Northeast) in association with Community Radio Association (CRA), a community based radio programmes on Science for Women’s Health and Nutrition was carried out catalyzed and funded by National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST, Government of India. The radio programme Bandhabi was broadcast with participation of women from villages. It helped in building their self-confidence and creativity. The programme has now transformed into a platform for women of all age groups to expose their talent. The programme helped in training a group of community radio volunteers who are now capable to design and produce radio programmes. These community workers were unaware about radio programme production. However, the training and association with Bandhabi made them Radio Activist of their community. They have developed clear concepts regarding issues of women's health and nutrition. The target audience of Bandhabi have better understanding of health issues such as menstruations, anemia, diabetes, pregnancy etc.
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
- Bharali, B. (2023). Sensitising Ecologically Through Eco-cinema in India’s North- East. In A. N. Goswami & T. D. Choudhury (Ed.), Sustainable Development: Taming Consumption, Yearning for Inclusivity (1st ed.). HP Hamilton Limited, UK, 2023.
- Dutta A, Lahkar A & Bharali, B. (2022). Measuring Media Metrics & Mob Lynching: Special Focus on Dokmoka Lynching. Prjna- Journal of GUTA, (ISSN-0976-9072 Vol- XXIX & XXX pp. 55-65.
- Dutta, A., Lahkar, A & Bharali, B. (2019). The Tale of NRC and Its Multiple Narratives: A Macro Level Study of Global and National Media Behaviour. Global Media Journal- Indian Edition. Vol XI, Issue-II, December, 2019 http://gmj.manipal.edu/issues/december2019/the-tale-of-nrc-multiple-narratives.pdf
- Bharali, B. (2020) . Assamese Cinematic Narratives: The Changing Landscape, E-CineIndia July-September. ISSN: 2582-2500
- Bharali, B., & Goswami, A. L. (2018). Fake News: Credibility, Cultivation Syndrome and the New Age Media. Media Watch, 9(1). 118-130.
- Bharali, B. (2015). Assamese Cinema: Ably Surviving Against the Odds. Vidura, 7(1), 43-45.
- Bharali, B. (2014). Old Man River and A River Story: ‘Eco-cinema’ in North East India. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 19(12), 44-51.
- Bharali, B. (2014). Filmmakers Focus on the Indian One-horned Rhino. Vidura, 6(1), 42-43.
- Bharali, B., & Chakrabarty, R. (2012). Science Museum for Science Communication: A Case Study. Indian Journal of Science Communication, 11(1), 20-23.
- Bharali, B. (2011). Development of Media in Assam: A Decades Study. Payobhora, 41(11), 40-42.
BOOKS / EDITED BOOKS
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Bharali, B. (2023). Sensitising Ecologically Through Eco-cinema in India’s North- East. In Sustainable Development: Taming Consumption, Yearning for Inclusivity (1st ed.) A N Goswami & T D Choudhury (Ed.). HP Hamilton Limited, UK, 2023.
- Dutta, A., Bharali, B., & Goswami, A. L. (Eds.). (2017). Decoding Communication for Development in India’s North East.. Guwahati: Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University In association with UNICEF and AMRT.
- Bharali, B., & Goswami, P. P. (Eds.). (2016). Adolescents in Assam: A Ready-Reckoner of Existing Evidence and Behaviours, Propgrammes and Policies. Guwahati: Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University in association with UNICEF.
- Bharali, B., & Dutta, S. (Eds.). (2016). Puppets for C4D. Guwahati: Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University in association with UNICEF.
- Bharali, B. (2015). Nache Nanda Nandada. Guwahati: Aakhar Prakash.
- Bharali B. et.al. (2011). A comic book on Burhi Aair Xadhu by Lakshminath Bezbarua, published by the Centre for Mass Communication and Journalism, Cotton College, Guwahati, Assam
BOOK CHAPTERS
- Bharali, B. (2011). Science and Technology Communication in Print Media of Assam: A Study of the English Press Since 1980. In Science Meets Communication (pp. 80-91). Guwahati: National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) Govt. of India and K. K. Handique State Open University.
- Bharali, B. (2010). Development of Mass Media in Assam: A look into the growth of Mass Media during 2000-2010. In Higher Education Vol II (pp. 347-357). Guwahati: APPOCCUS.
Self-Learning Materials
- K K Handiqui State Open University
- Centre for Open and Distance Learning, Tezpur University
TEACHING
- Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University, Guwahati (July 2013 – present)
- Senior Faculty, Centre for Mass Communication and Journalism, Cotton College, Guwahati (December 2007 – July 2013)
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Visiting Faculty, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Institute of Open and Distance Learning, (IDOL), Gauhati University, Guwahati (2008 – present)
- Visiting Faculty, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh (2009 – present)
- Academic Consultant, Bachelor of Mass Communication Course, KK Handique State Open University, Guwahati (2008 – present)
- Academic Consultant, PG Diploma in Audio Programme Production, IGNOU Convergence Scheme (2008 – 2010)
- Member, Placement Cell, Cotton College, Guwahati
- Member, Board of Studies, DK College, Mirza, Assam
EXPERIENCE IN ELECTRONIC MEDIA
- Copy Editor cum Translator, DDK News, Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati (2011 – 2014)
- News Reader in All India Radio (AIR), Guwahati (2008 – present)
- Casual Announcer in All India Radio (AIR), Guwahati (2005 – 2008)
- Director of a series of four Drama on Scientific Awareness, broadcast by All India Radio, Guwahati, February, 2010
- Coordinator, Three months Certificate Course on Video Production and Editing (24 January – 24 March 2011), Conducted by EDC, Cotton College, under the University Grants Commission (UGC) sponsored scheme Introduction of Career Oriented Courses in Colleges / University
- Associate Programme Coordinator, Six weeks Techno-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (TEDP) on Video Photography and Video Editing Organized by EDC, Cotton College (20 September 2010 – 29 October 2010)
- Attended a 7-day training to Radio Active, Bangalore’s first Community Radio Station to learn the functioning of Community Radio, 2008
- Vani Certificate Course (Training institution Programme) at All India Radio, Guwahati From 17-21 July 2006, Organised by Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Cooperation of India) All India Radio (AIR), Delhi
- Recitation in audio-CD Mur Mon Chatokar Kantho
ACADEMIC HONOURS
- 1st Position in Post-Graduation (MA) in Mass Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University (2007)
- 2nd Position in Bachelor of Communication and Journalism (BCJ), Gauhati University (2005)
FELLOWSHIPS & AWARDS
- Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) in Mass Communication and Journalism conducted by University Grants Commission, India (2008)
- Won the Media Fellowship, Eastern Panorama, Shillong (2006)
- One of the ten Best Storywriters of Gariyoshi Chandra Prasad Saikia Memorial Short Story Competition (2006)
- Recipient of Rajyapal Puraskar Guide (1995)
ADDRESS
Dr. Bharati Bharali
Department of Communication and Journalism
Gauhati University
Guwahati 781 104, Assam
Email: bharatibharali@gauhati.ac.in; bharalibharati@yahoo.co.in
Communication Design Specialist
Project: Developing a Communication Strategy for Behaviour Change among Indigenous People of Meghalaya
Project Organisation: Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
Sponsoring Organisation: Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA)
Engagement Period: April 2022- March, 2023
