The Indic Belt Society civilizational connections

India & Southeast Asia

Reviving Glorious Connections,
Shared Heritage & Common Destiny

About Us

Our Story

The Indic Belt Society emerged in 2018 from academic discussions and intellectual engagement with Dr. Gautam Kumar Jha, Assistant Professor at JNU, alongside students of Bahasa Indonesia and International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Our society endeavours to undertake comprehensive study in various fields related to the shared culture and international affairs of India and Southeast Asia as one Indic Family. The Society also publishes the International Journal of Indic Knowledge Systems, details of which are available in the Journal section.

Addressing Social Fragmentation

Once known for harmonious and composite culture with strong social structures, societies in the Indic belt are fragmenting swiftly due to rapid globalisation. The mass exodus from rural to urban areas has weakened common identity and compromised social harmony. We work to address these challenges and restore cultural cohesion.

Cultural Renaissance

There is renewed interest in reviving cultural identities across India and Southeast Asia. Governments are paying special attention to revival of languages, culture, and local wisdom, creating opportunities for civil society renaissance among those who view cultural heritage as the most significant part of their self-identity.

Natural Cultural Flow

The outreach of Indic culture to Southeast Asia was not forceful but a natural flow of vibrant culture evident in common people's lives. The Indic Belt Society studies and celebrates this organic cultural exchange through scholarly research and dialogue, foregrounding the everyday over the exceptional.

Shared Civilizational Memory

India and Southeast Asia share deep civilizational memory rooted in common philosophical traditions, artistic expressions, linguistic families, and maritime history. Our work seeks to recover and articulate this shared inheritance for contemporary audiences, reclaiming what colonial fragmentation obscured.

People

Leadership

The scholars and practitioners steering the vision of the Indic Belt Society.

Bandana Jha
Founder & Comptroller

Bandana Jha

Bandana Jha is the founder of the Indic-Belt Society and a language professional specializing in Bahasa Indonesia, translation studies, and cross-cultural communication. She currently serves as a Quality Analyst at Concentrix DAX, Gurugram, combining multilingual expertise with analytical proficiency.

She holds a Master’s degree in Translation Studies and has pursued advanced studies in Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the University of Delhi. Her academic journey reflects a strong commitment to intercultural dialogue and international engagement.

Bandana is also an empanelled Indonesian News Reader with All India Radio (AIR), contributing to greater understanding of Indonesia among Indian audiences. Through the Indic-Belt Society, she works to strengthen educational exchanges, cultural understanding, and civilisational connections between India and Southeast Asia.

contact@indicbelt.com

What We Do

Focus

Promoting cultural heritage and academic excellence across the Indic Belt region through research, education, and community engagement.

Scholarly Research

Publishing peer-reviewed articles, books, and journals on Indic knowledge systems, history, culture, and international relations.

Act East Policy & Connectivity

Engaging with India's Act East Policy through academic and cultural frameworks that foreground civilizational depth alongside strategic connectivity.

Indigenous Knowledge

Documenting and promoting traditional medical systems and indigenous knowledge frameworks shared across the Indic world.

Social Harmony

Fostering dialogue around shared values, composite cultures, and the intellectual traditions that have historically bonded societies of the Indic belt.

Youth Engagement

Mentoring the next generation of scholars through internships, fellowships, and public programmes connecting youth with civilizational heritage.

Civilizational Diplomacy

Contributing to policy discussions on civilizational diplomacy, cultural soft power, and India's engagement with Southeast Asian nations.

Events

Dialogues

Academic webinars, diplomatic dialogues, and scholarly interactions across the Indic world. The Society conducts interactions with scholars, diplomats, cultural practitioners, and researchers from across the Indic world.

Dialogues — Upcoming

The Indic Belt Society is in the process of scheduling its upcoming academic webinars and dialogues. Events will be announced here as dates are confirmed. We look forward to engaging scholars, diplomats, and cultural practitioners from India and Southeast Asia.

To receive updates on upcoming events, write to us at indicbelt@gmail.com

Research & Commentary

Insights

Research articles, scholarly books, seminar reports, and original commentary on Indic knowledge, culture, history, and international relations.

Articles — Coming Soon

Our research articles, policy briefs, and original commentary are currently being compiled and will be published here shortly. The Indic Belt Society is actively engaged in scholarly writing across the domains of Indic studies, international relations, and cultural heritage.

Articles

Original research and commentary on Indic civilisation, Southeast Asian connections, and cultural heritage.

View When Available
Books

Monographs and edited volumes on Indic knowledge traditions, history, and international relations.

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Seminar Reports

Reports and proceedings from academic seminars, workshops, and institutional dialogues.

View When Available

Join Us

Work with Us

Join a growing academic community committed to civilizational scholarship, cultural dialogue, and interdisciplinary research across the Indic world.

Remote Academic Internships

Flexible remote internships in research, content development, media, public outreach, and policy analysis. Open to students from humanities, social sciences, media, law, international relations, culture, and technology.

Apply Now

Research & Content

Contribute to journal publications, policy briefs, articles, and reports that shape understanding of Indic civilizational connections in contemporary academic and public discourse.

Get Involved

Media & Digital Outreach

Support our podcast series, social media presence, and digital content platforms that translate scholarly research into accessible public knowledge for wider audiences.

Join the Team

Institutional Partnerships

We welcome collaborations with universities, embassies, think tanks, and cultural organisations interested in India–Southeast Asia civilizational research, academic exchange, and public diplomacy.

Partner with Us

We are interdisciplinary by design. We welcome students and professionals from history, anthropology, international relations, linguistics, comparative law, philosophy, media studies, environmental humanities, and all allied fields.