A Fulbright scholar from India, Megha Bahl is interested in studying the interactions between extractive practices, indigenous assertion, and militarization. Indigenous and other marginalized communities residing in east-central India are in the midst of a conflict with extractive forces over issues of autonomy and control over natural resources. This conflict has manifested itself in the form of different social movements and heavy militarization in these areas. The conflict has also witnessed dependence on the Law by the state, mining corporations, and the people in different ways.

Through fieldwork, interdisciplinary academic work, and litigation, Megha has studied significant aspects of this conflict, such as the impact of ‘development,’ ‘security,’ and the Law on indigenous lives. Through ethnographic work among indigenous communities, she intends to further her exploration by observing those local sites, actors, and power relations that constitute the mundane in a conflict-ridden society.

Before joining the Rice community, Megha earned an LL.M. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She also holds a Master’s in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics. Her legal practice across different courts in India, as well as her sustained work with people’s organizations in India and the United States over the last decade, gives her a grounded perspective on people’s issues.