Deepak Sarma

Deepak Sarma is Professor of Indian Religions and Philosophy and Inaugural Distinguished Scholar in the Public Humanities at Case Western Reserve University. His scholarship spans Hindu philosophy (particularly Madhva Vedanta), comparative religion, bioethics, and postcolonial studies. As a curator and consultant for the Cleveland Museum of Art, he bridges academic scholarship with public humanities engagement.

Research interests encompass classical Indian philosophy, Hindu bioethics, museological representation of religious artifacts, consciousness studies, and psychedelics in religious contexts. Sarma's work critically examines colonial legacies in religious studies and develops Hindu perspectives in bioethical debates.

Publications include monographs on Madhva Vedanta, edited volumes on Hinduism, and articles examining intersections of religion with neuroscience, genomics, and medical ethics. Recent work from 2018-2022 shows increased attention to Jain bioethics, interreligious dialogue, and neuroethical challenges.

Sarma maintains an active curatorial practice, most notably guest-curating the Indian Kalighat Paintings exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This work applies academic expertise to public-facing humanities interpretation.