Prof. Dr. Shashi Bala, a renowned Indologist, is currently the Dean of Bhavan’s K M Munshi Centre for Indology, on Chair- Acharya Raghuvira, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. She is a recipient of the highest civilian state award of Mongolia. She contributes to the academia as Member – Mission High Level Committee, Indian Knowledge Systems, Ministry of Education; President – International Council of Cultural Studies, Bharat; Member – Anusandhan Prakoshtha, Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, Founding member – International Buddhist Confederation, and Joint Secretary – Antar Rashtriya Sahyaog Parishad.
She is an alumni of Himachal Pradesh University and specializes in India’s Cultural contribution to other Asian Countries, Sanskrit, History of Arts, Buddhism and cross cultural connections across political boundaries.
As a Research Professor and Executive Member at the International Academy of Indian Culture, New Delhi – founded by Late Prof. Raghu Vira and directed by Prof. Lokesh Chandra — she has written 25 books and 110 research papers presented at International conferences and seminars. She taught ‘History of Japanese Art and Southeast Asian Art’ for fifteen years at the National Museum Institute, a deemed University, New Delhi.
Documentation of objects of Asian art and culture preserved in museums and other collections in several countries and monuments scattered in Asia contributes immensely to her research projects on the sharing and spread of Indian culture abroad. As a researcher and explorer she has traveled to several countries like China, Japan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Nepal, Bhutan, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Vietnam, Croatia and Russia
The courses offered by her on Indian culture were well recognized in the academia. She has organized several important International conferences. Besides the conferences, exhibitions curated by her are acknowledged by several cultural and educational organizations and ministries in India and abroad. Illustrated lectures and interviews delivered by her are a source of learning for many students and seekers.
As a Consultant at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts she organized international conferences combined with exhibitions on great Indian Acharyas like Kumarajiva and Atisa. International seminars on Sanskrit on the Silk Route, Sanskrit in Southeast Asia and Sanskrit and Europe were coordinated by her for the Centre of Indology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Her well researched exhibitions on Sanskrit as Shared Heritage of Asia and Sanskrit and Indian Culture: Voyages are travelling across India and abroad. Catalogues of exhibitions and proceedings of all the seminars and conferences add up to her research credentials. While working on Indian diaspora, she curated an exhibition on Celebration of 100 years of Abolition of Indentured Labour. Her work has contributed to the cause of reminding about Romas — the Forgotten Children of India — through her research and writings.
The Bristol University, UK, and the Ural Federal University, Russia invited her as a guest Professor for teaching Japanese Art, Indian culture and Buddhist art. Her book on Atisha and exhibition on The Life and Legacy of Atisha has attracted much attention. She has also drafted courses on Holistic Science in Sanskrit and Indian Knowledge traditions for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which are approved by the AICTE.