Shraddha Bhatawadekar

Dr. Shraddha Bhatawadekar is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the interdisciplinary Research and Fellowship Program 4A Laboratory: Art Histories, Archaeologies, Anthropologies, Aesthetics at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max Planck Institute. Her current research project "Decolonising Museum Narratives: A Comparative Study" is developed in cooperation with the DFG Research Training Group 1913 "Cultural and Technological Significance of Historic Buildings" at the Brandenburg University of Technology.

Dr. Bhatawadekar holds a master's degree in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology from the Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune. She completed her Ph.D. dissertation titled "A Place of Hybrid Encounters: Heritage Biography of a Railway Station" with the DFG Research Training Group 1913.

Her research focuses on decolonizing museum practices and narratives rooted in colonialism, with particular interest in how Indian artifacts are presented in museums today. She conducts comparative research between the Museum für Asiatische Kunst at the Humboldt Forum, Berlin, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. Her work critically investigates power asymmetries, notions of othering, and cultural stereotypes embedded in museum narratives. Dr. Bhatawadekar's broader research interests include heritage conservation, railway heritage, industrial heritage, world heritage, cultural significance, people-centered approaches, impact assessment, and site management plans.

Dr. Bhatawadekar is a recipient of prestigious fellowships including the Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship (USA, 2015-16) and the Alexander von Humboldt German Chancellor Fellowship (Germany, 2016-17).

With over a decade of experience in the field of heritage conservation, management, and education, Dr. Bhatawadekar has facilitated various courses and trainings and conducted heritage walks in Mumbai for diverse audiences. She has published articles in various journals and newspapers on cultural heritage topics and takes special interest in education and outreach.

As part of the 4A_Lab research program, Dr. Bhatawadekar contributes to the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz's mission of conducting art historical research in a transcultural and global perspective, with focus on Italy, Europe and the Mediterranean.