Avni Chag

Avni Chag is an Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities in the Religious History and Heritage department. She focuses on South Asian religious practices, manuscript studies, and material culture. Chag holds a PhD in South Asian Studies from SOAS University of London (2020), an MA in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford (2013), and a BA in Religion (2011).

Her research explores Hindu manuscripts, colonial-era religious texts, and the intersection of visual/material culture with religious practices. Current projects include analyzing the Svāminārāyaṇa Śikṣāpattrī manuscript and curating South Asian Sanskrit manuscripts at SOAS. She co-convenes the Spalding Symposium on Indian Religions (since 2020) and serves on the editorial board of Manuscript Studies (2024–2028).

Chag's 4 peer-reviewed publications (2018–2024) address topics ranging from Swaminarayan Hinduism to colonial-era religious scholarship. She teaches courses on Hinduism and contributes to academic networks like the American Academy of Religion's steering committee (2025–2029).