Antonio Rigopoulos

Antonio Rigopoulos is a Full Professor at the Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, where he has been a faculty member since 1999. He serves as Coordinator of the Editorial Committee of Edizioni Ca' Foscari - Venice University Press and is Scientific Director of the journal Annali di Ca' Foscari - Oriental Series. His research and teaching focus on Indian religions and philosophies, particularly devotional (bhakti) and ascetic (yoga) traditions in medieval and modern India, with a regional specialization in Maharashtra.

His educational background includes a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara (1994), an MA from the same institution (1989), and a Laurea in History from Ca' Foscari (1987). He is fluent in Sanskrit, Pali, English, French, Hindi, and Italian, and has conducted extensive fieldwork in India.

Rigopoulos's research interests span Indology, Tibetology, Hindu philosophy, metaphysics, and Oriental philology. His scholarly work emphasizes the guru tradition, bhakti movements, and the cultural-religious dynamics of Maharashtra. He has contributed significantly to the study of Dattatreya, the Bhagavad Gita, and the concept of Maya in Hindu thought.

His recent publications (2023–2024) reflect a sustained engagement with core Hindu texts and concepts, particularly focusing on Krishna’s theology, divine illusion, compassion, and exegetical methods. These works demonstrate a thematic continuity in interpreting classical Indian philosophy through contemporary academic lenses.

• Gerald J. Larson Dissertation Award (1995)
• Annual Departmental Research Funding (ADiR/FRA) since 2000

He has supervised doctoral seminars and contributed to PhD programs in Oriental Studies at Ca' Foscari. He has also participated in national and international research projects (PRIN), served on editorial boards of prestigious journals such as Asiatica Venetiana and Filologie medievali e moderne, and delivered lectures at institutions like Venice International University and the Pontifical University Antonianum. His academic service includes roles in curriculum development, doctoral faculty committees, and research governance within his department.

Rigopoulos leads editorial and research initiatives centered on South Asian studies, particularly through the Venice-based academic networks and the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. He is actively involved in promoting Indological scholarship through publications, conferences, and interdisciplinary collaborations.