Psychology in Modern India

Girishwar Misra, Ph.D. served as Professor of Psychology at the University of Delhi for two decades. He also served as Vice Chancellor ofMahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishvavidyalaya, Wardha. Dr. Misra’s research is focused on social, developmental, health, and cultural psychology. He has published journal articles on these topics, many in top tier peer-reviewed journals such as American Psychologist, International Journal of Psychology, Psychology and Developing Societies, and International Journal of Behavioural Development. He has served as the President of the National Academy of Psychology (NAOP), India, and edited the journal Psychological Studies (Springer) for 16 years. He was Fulbright Senior Scholar at Swarthmore College and Michigan University, An Arbor. He is a recipient of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Award by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, National Fellowship of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Fellowship of the NAOP, India, Fulbright Nehru Fellowship and S.C. Mitra Memorial Award by Asiatic Society. His recent works include Psychosocial Interventions for Health and Well-Being (Springer, 2018) and Surveys and Explorations in Psychology (Oxford, 2019). Nilanjana Sanyal, Ph.D. served as Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata. She has 35 years of teaching experience.  She has authored a book, co-authored two books, edited two books and is a co-author of the Indian adaptation of a Test Manual. She has over 180 international and national publications including 32 book chapters to her credit till date. Her research interests include psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, clinical psychology, gerontology, spiritual and positive psychology. She is also a practicing psychoanalyst for the last 38 years.  Sonali De, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Department of Psychology,University of Calcutta, Kolkata. She has 23 years of teaching experience and has written more than 30 journal articles. Her research interests include social psychology, the psychology of gender, and media psychology.  She has contributed a review chapter to the 6th ICSSR Survey of Psychology. She is serving NAOP, India as its Secretary General.

• Introduction: Perspectives on Psychology in India.- Modern Psychology in India: Reminiscences and Reflections.- History of Psychology of Calcutta University across the Century.- Applied Psychology at the University of Calcutta: Heritage and State-of-the-art.- Eminent Teachers of the Department of Psychology at Calcutta University.- Shall Twain Ever Meet? : The Cultural Politics of Psychoanalysis in India.- History of the Development of Psychology in Bangladesh.-  Development of Psychology in North East India.- Psychology in the North India: An Overview.- Re-invisioning Psychology: A Critical History of Psychology in India.- Indian Psychology in Prospect.- Thematic and Theoretical Moves in Psychology in Modern India.- Past and Present Research Methodologies in India.

“The book is very rigorous, and well-researched. … It is recommended for all students, teachers, researchers … . This book is also a must-read for anyone in India who is trying to create a professional identity and develop a sense of community belongingness. Policymakers can use this book to translate the ideas and reflections of eminent Indian psychologists … . This book can be considered a milestone in the continuing quest for constructing the history of psychology in modern India.” (Vanita Sondhi, Psychological Studies, Vol. 67 (4), October-December, 2022)