Sangeetha Menon

Sangeetha Menon joined National Institute of Advanced Studies, in January 1996, in the Indian Institute of Science campus, Bangalore (India). Her interview and appointment was led by an illustrious group of scientists like Dr Raja Ramanna (Founding Director of NIAS), Prof CV Sundaram, Prof BV Sreekantan and Prof RL Kapur. Subsequently she conceptualised and commenced the NIAS Consciousness Studies Programme along with BV Sreekantan (former Director, TIFR and Honorary Professor, NIAS). This was the first academic group that started in India to study consciousness with an interdisciplinary and a multidisciplinary mandate. Sangeetha is a philosopher with keen interest in consciousness. Her major area of research is in philosophy of psychology. Her expertise is in Indian philosophy, consciousness studies, philosophy of psychology, philosophy and psychology of self. She works with her colleagues at NIAS and collaborators across the world in creating and encouraging a first-person centered approach to understanding consciousness and cognitive capabilities that favours experiential wellbeing for all. Dr Menon's professional qualifications include degrees in biology and philosophy. She is a first rank holder and gold medalist from Maharaja's College for Women, Trivandrum for post-graduate degree in philosophy. The thesis for her doctoral degree, from University of Kerala, is on the concept of consciousness in the Bhagavad Gita which was completed with junior and senior research fellowship from University Grants Commission, India.
Research Interest:
Prof Menon's major area of research is in philosophy of psychology. Her expertise is in Indian philosophy, consciousness studies, philosophy of psychology, philosophy and psychology of self. She works with her colleagues at NIAS and collaborators across the world in creating and encouraging a first-person centered approach to understanding consciousness and cognitive capabilities that favours experiential wellbeing for all. Sangeetha Menon started her research with a comparative study of consciousness, from the East and the West, with focus on the theories of agency, emotion, freedom, self, and human wellbeing in the Bhagavad Gita. Subsequently she focused on Indian philosophical concepts criss-crossing the works of philosophers: Sankaracharya, Abhinavagupta, Narayana Guru et al. and also bringing in Indian aesthetics and dramaturgy to understand cognitive dimensions of creative expressions and personal agency. Her initial papers argue for an epistemological shift that considers the ontological primacy of self, and the importance of the experiencer that would present the 'harder problem' of consciousness. While some of her initial studies were deeply metaphysical and philosophical in approach, she moved on to engaging philosophy with biology and psychology to understand the primary issue in consciousness, which is the 'self'. She is one of the originators of the field of Indian psychology, guiding research in the area of wellbeing studies, life-sustaining values, self-transformation and artistic experience. One of her primary contributions in consciousness studies is in presenting and engaging with the concept and experience of self from the neurobiological and philosophical point of views, and theorising a 'self-challenged brain and brain-challenged self'.
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Book Chapters
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Settar, S . 2011. “Nature and culture in early Dravidian poetry”. In Nature and Culture, Nature and Culture, eds. Roddam Narasimha and Menon, Sangeetha . New Delhi: PHISPC and CSC, 249–257. http://eprints.nias.res.in/264/.
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Srinivasan, Sharada . 2011. “Nataraja and cosmic space: Nature and culture intertwinings in the early Tamil tradition”. In Nature and Culture, Nature and Culture, eds. Roddam Narasimha and Menon, Sangeetha . New Delhi: PHISPC and CSC, 271–288. http://eprints.nias.res.in/259/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2011. “A first-person approach to aesthetic emotions in 'Natyasastra'”. In Nature and Culture, Nature and Culture, eds. Roddam Narasimha and Menon, Sangeetha . New Delhi: PHISPC and CSC, 259–270. http://eprints.nias.res.in/263/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2011. “A first-person approach to aesthetic emotions in 'Natyasastra'”. In Nature and Culture, Nature and Culture, eds. Roddam Narasimha and Menon, Sangeetha . New Delhi: PHISPC and CSC, 259–270. http://eprints.nias.res.in/263/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2011. “Brain-challenged self and self-challenged brain: The central impasse in consciousness studies”. In Brain science and kokoro: Asian perspectives on science and religion, Brain science and kokoro: Asian perspectives on science and religion, ed. Paul L Swanson. Nagoya, Japan: Nanzan Institute of Religion and Culture, 79–120. http://eprints.nias.res.in/251/.
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Huffman, Michael A, and Anindya Sinha. 2011. “Nature and culture in the wild: Biological foundations of behavioural traditions in non-human primates”. In Nature and Culture, Nature and Culture, eds. Roddam Narasimha and Menon, Sangeetha . New Delhi: PHISPC and CSC, 367–389. http://eprints.nias.res.in/265/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2011. “Brain, self, and consciousness: Emerging perspectives in mental health”. In Handbook of Psychology in India, Handbook of Psychology in India, ed. Girishwar Misra. New Delhi: OUP, 36–45. http://eprints.nias.res.in/271/.
Books
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Menon, Sangeetha , Nithin Nagaraj, and Binoy V V. 2017. Self, Culture and Consciousness: Interdisciplinary Convergences on Knowing and Being. Springer. https://www.springer.com/in/book/9789811057762.
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Menon, Sangeetha , Anindya Sinha, and BV Sreekantan, eds. 2014. Interdisciplinary perspectives on consciousness and the self. New Delhi: Springer. http://eprints.nias.res.in/652/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2014. Brain self and consciousness: Explaining the conspiracy of experience. New Delhi: Springer. http://eprints.nias.res.in/653/.
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Narasimha, Roddam , and Sangeetha Menon, eds. 2011. XIV History of Science, Philosophy and Cultural in Indian Civilization / ed. by D P Chattopadhyaya Nature and Culture. New Delhi: CSC and PHISPC. http://eprints.nias.res.in/205/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2007. The beyond experience: Consciousness in Bhagavad Gita. New Delhi: Bluejay Books. http://eprints.nias.res.in/108/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2003. Dialogues: Philosopher meets seer. New Delhi: Bluejay Books. http://eprints.nias.res.in/43/.
Journal Articles
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Geetha, Anand , and Sangeetha Menon. 2017. “Body, Self and Consciousness according to Tirumūlar’s Tirumandiram: A comparative study with Kashmir Śaivism”. International Journal of Dharma Studies 5(3). http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40613-016-0045-5.
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Kumar, Meera , and Sangeetha Menon. 2016. “Desire and self-representation: A philosophical reading of the Malayalam novelette "Agnisakshi"”. Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research. http://eprints.nias.res.in/1096/.
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Rajaram, Shankar , and Sangeetha Menon. 2016. “The theory of emotions in Sanskrit poetics and its implications for psychiatric practice”. Journal of Indian Psychology 29(1-2): 34-44. http://eprints.nias.res.in/1078/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2016. “The 'Outer Self" and the 'Inner Body': Exteriorization of the self in cognitive sciences”. Journal of Human Values 22(1): 39-45. http://eprints.nias.res.in/1077/.
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Narasimha, Roddam , Sangeetha Menon, Papiya Bhattacharya, and Rajani MB. 2005. “Six months after the tsunami”. Current Science 89: 1459–1461. http://eprints.nias.res.in/106/.
Reports
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2002. R1 From shelves to digital media on digital archiving and publication. Bangalore: National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. http://eprints.nias.res.in/412/.
Special Publications
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2006. “The great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004: an overview of national disaster”. SP3. http://eprints.nias.res.in/474/.
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2006. “Consciousness, experience and ways of knowing: Perspectives from science, philosophy & the arts”. SP2. http://eprints.nias.res.in/473/.
Working Papers
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Menon, Sangeetha . 2010. “Brain-challenged self and self-changed brain: The central impasse in consciousness studies”. WP1-2010. http://eprints.nias.res.in/453/.
Current courses are available here: http://niasconsciousnesscentre.com/Courses/ncp-courses-2015.html Past courses: “Research Writing and Communication”, a Closed Discussion group (by invitation) for primarily for my Doctoral students, interns and associates, through Facebook Egroups, 2014 "Behaviour, Cognition, Consciousness", Consciousness Studies Programme Second Semester 2014, at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore Guided Writing Course on "Self, Subjectivity and its Affect” First Semester 2013, at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore Guided Writing Course on "Body and Self in Disability Studies” Second Semester 2012, at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore Guided Reading and Writing Course on "Philosophy of Psychology"- Part 2 January to April 2012, at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore Self in Indian Psychology, Foundation Course Lecture for Doctoral Students, at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, 27 October 2011.
Dept of Science & Technology, CSIR, ISRO, DAE, DST, Cognitive Science Initiative GoI, Indo-US Forum Templeton Foundation, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Interdisciplinary Institute of Paris The Mani Bhaumik Foundation 2002, 2004, 2006 - In collaboration with Philip Clayton of the PI of Science and Spiritual Quest international series organised international meetings on consciousness with support from a host of international agencies including Templeton Foundation, and brought out edited volumes. 2005 - In collaboration with Prof Roddam Narasimha and the Project on the History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture organised a national seminar on Nature and Seminar, and subsequently co-edited a volume by the same title. 2010 - In collaboration with International Society for Science and Religion Library Project, Cambridge, wrote a series of review articles published in their website.
The Ethics of Originality Lecture at the Panel Discussion on “Understanding Plagiarism in Academia” NIAS, 1st May 2015 Brain-Mind model and Consciousness-Self model: Changing Perspectives Invited Lecture on the occasion of the inauguration of "Cognitive Neuroscience Society of India", on the Yoga day at (NIMHANS) National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore Healing and Imagination: The Merge of the Self-other binary Thematic Introduction for the Evening Philosophy Chat meeting NIAS, 29 June 2015 INSIGHTS: Exploring Fundamental concepts and Foundational questions Thematic Introduction for the meeting on "Space" NIAS, 4th July, 2015 The Outer Self and the Inner Body: Exteriorisation of the Self in Cognitive sciences Invited Lecture for A Publication oriented one-day workshop, "Reasoning with Value(s):Explorations in the contemporary Milieu" Indian Institute of Management, Caluctta, 12 March 2015.