Chandani Lokuge

Chandani Lokuge is an Associate Professor affiliated with the School of Literature, Languages & Linguistics at the Australian National University (ANU). Previously, she held a similar position at Monash University (2001–2020), where she served as Deputy Associate Dean International (2014–2015) and founded the Centre for Postcolonial Writing (2002–2012) and the South Asian International Research Network (2015–2020). Her research focuses on postcolonial studies, transculturality, migration, and diaspora, with a particular emphasis on creative and critical approaches to South Asian literature.

Education: BA (Hons), MA, PhD. She has secured funding from institutions such as the Australia Council Literature Board and the Myer Foundation, and held prestigious visiting positions at universities in Berlin, France, and Frankfurt. An award-winning novelist, her works include If the moon smiled (shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Award) and Softly, as I leave you (recipient of the Godage National Literary Award). Her recent publications explore diasporic writers, Sri Lankan-Australian narratives, and Asian Australian literature.

Research interests span postcolonial aesthetics, transcultural exchanges, and the intersection of creative writing with critical analysis. Her edited volumes include Mediating Literary Borders: Asian Australian Writing and Creative Lives: Interviews with South Asian Diaspora Writers. She is also Editor of the Oxford Classics Reissues series, focusing on pioneering Indian women’s writing.

Key achievements include the Writer’s Grant from the Australia Council and international residencies, including at the Château de Lavigny in Switzerland. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, and she actively engages with literary festivals and media, such as ABC Radio’s Subcontinental Book Club.

Advising and Grants: Lokuge has directed Monash’s Higher Degree Research (Creative Writing) program and secured grants from the Australia-India Council and Arts Victoria. Her edited special journal issues include contributions to Journal of Postcolonial Writing and Meanjin. She co-founded academic networks that bridge South Asian and Australian literary studies.

Labs/Teams: Her academic leadership includes founding research centers that foster postcolonial writing and South Asian studies, creating interdisciplinary platforms for global literary exchange.