Indrani Lahiri

Dr. Indrani Lahiri is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of Leicester Media School at De Montfort University, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media. She is a digital anthropologist with a strong commitment to community resilience, mental health, and education for sustainable development. Her interdisciplinary research bridges digital media, public relations, and social policy.

Education:

• PhD
• PGCertHE
• MA
• BA
• PGDip.MC
• SFHEA, MCIPR, FRSA

Her research interests include digital anthropology, community resilience, digital society, public relations, media pedagogy, and mental health. She emphasizes research-led teaching and co-creation with students. Her recent publications explore topics such as suicide awareness training for media students, the metaverse, and digital media during the pandemic, reflecting a consistent focus on societal impact and digital well-being.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Certificate of Recognition, High Sheriff’s Award (Education), 2022
• Charles Wallace Trust Award, 2013
• International Student Mentoring Award, 2013–2015
• World Happiness Day Award for community resilience work
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Associate Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London

Dr. Lahiri actively supervises postgraduate research and has successfully guided PhD candidates. She leads externally funded projects such as the ESRC/AHRC/GCRF-funded Mental Health Literacy in India and the Research England-funded Building Resilience in Children. She is the founder of Manav Utsav and Children Stories in Times of Corona, and serves as Communications Director for the Germ’s Journey project. She is also an Academic Consultant in public relations and advises multiple research initiatives.

Labs and Research Groups:

• Leicester Media School
• DARCI (Digital Media, AI, Responsible Innovation, Ethics and Cyber Security)
• Media and Communications Research Centre