Dr. Ashitha Mandakathingal

Ashitha Mandakathingal received her PhD in Gender Studies from University of Hyderabad, India. Her research interest includes Women in South Asian Theatre, Body and Gender in Indian performances, Globalization and South Asian Ritual Arts. Her current work focuses on the impact of globalizations and intercultural contact on Kalaripayattu, and the ways in which changes are entangled with the ‘ritual mistakes’ and ‘ritual failures’ in its practice and performance. The work specifically addresses how it impacts women practitioners when ‘Kalari body’ transgresses the margins between ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’, and ‘regional’ and ‘global’. She has published articles in reputed journals.