Rachana Rao Umashankar

Dr. Rachana Rao Umashankar is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Religious Studies Department at Iona University. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2012) and a BA in Anthropology-Sociology from Knox College (2004). Her research focuses on Sufism, Islamic identity in South Asia, and the intersection of religion, history, and memory. She has conducted extensive ethnographic work in India, exploring how Sufi adherents navigate religious and national identity debates. Dr. Umashankar is committed to innovative teaching, receiving awards for her pedagogy, including the Jr. Master Teacher and Lecturer Award (2016) and the Catherine McCabe Award (2018). She actively engages with interfaith initiatives, serving as Iona's representative on the Inter-Religious Coalition of New Rochelle and contributing to academic conferences globally.

Her publications span Sufi poetry, Quranic pedagogy, and the role of sacred spaces in pluralism. Key works include analyses of Sufi shrines in India and the cultural significance of qawwali music. She frequently presents at venues such as the American Academy of Religion and Columbia University, addressing themes like secularism, religious pluralism, and the legacy of Sufi traditions.

Dr. Umashankar’s scholarly contributions bridge anthropology and religious studies, emphasizing the lived experiences of communities often marginalized in mainstream discourse. Her work highlights the dynamic interplay between faith, culture, and identity in contemporary South Asia.