Reimagining Data Collection in Indigenous Studies
About Dr Anugrah Pandi Lepcha
Dr Anugrah Pandi Lepcha is an Indigenous researcher passionate about documenting Indigenous stories through qualitative research, using design as a powerful medium of communication within communities. With specializations in Community Organization & Development and Environmental Social Work, she has a particular love for Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and techniques.
She earned her PhD from Visva-Bharati, Shantiniketan, where she was profoundly inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s philosophies. The ideals of the ‘Gurukul system’ of education and his vision for rural reconstruction have deeply influenced her approach to research, storytelling, and community engagement.
Her research has explored themes such as early childhood education and ecological conservation through Indigenous knowledge systems. Over the years, professionally, she has worked across diverse settings – as a school social worker, psychiatric social worker, and in community healthcare – while actively contributing to a range of community-based projects. She is currently working on three books that intertwine Indigenous storytelling with design.
When she’s not immersed in conversations about Indigenous communities, storytelling, or design, she’s likely lost in a book or framing the perfect flat-lay. She enjoys overthinking life’s big questions over coffee, casually philosophizing while daydreaming, or pretending she’s on a nature documentary during her walks.