Dipankar Datta
Biographic Data
| ID | 246615 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dipankar Datta |
| GIVEN NAMES | Dipankar |
| FAMILY NAME | Datta |
| SIGNATURE | DATTA D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Jadavpur University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3996-8783 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 17 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1970 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Transforming social norms
This paper examines a decade of community-driven efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Somalia, highlighting Norwegian Church Aid’s integrated approach combining community dialogue, survivor support, faith-based engagement, and policy advocacy. Despite measurable reductions in severe forms like Pharaonic cutting, new trends such as the medicalisation and growing preference for Sunna circumcision reveal how harmful practices …
Reclaiming the frontline in international non-governmental organizations (Ingos)
Over the past three decades, the decision-making autonomy of field-based leaders in international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) has declined significantly due to increasing centralization, bureaucratic controls, risk-averse cultures, and donor-imposed compliance demands. Drawing on the author’s 30 years of humanitarian experience across multiple regions, this commentary critically reflects on the historical trajectory of decision-making …
Development of an assessment framework of criteria and indicators towards sustaining urban and peri-urban agriculture in the global south
Integrated assessment of ecological sustainability of urban and peri-urban agricultural practices in Kolkata Metropolitan Area, India using Analytic Hierarchy Process
Education in Conflict-Affected Regions
This paper examines the effectiveness of a three-decade-old education program established by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) during the conflict in Somalia's Gedo region. It draws from insights and historical accounts gathered from program reports and discussions with NCA staff, teachers, students, authorities, and other stakeholders. The NCA's ongoing efforts to unite people through education and to establish schools as community institutions serving…
Vegetation, Soil, and Livelihoods
This study, conducted in fire‐prone dry deciduous forests of Ajodhya and Susunia hills, aims to assess the diverse impacts of forest fire events on vegetation health, soil nutrient balance, and availability of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) that conjointly modulate the livelihoods of local communities. Vegetation health and soil nutrient pool were assessed through transect sampling at both fire‐affected (FA) and fire‐unaffected (FU) forest plo…
The elephant in the room
Violations of the responsibility of humanitarian and development organizations to do no harm are a serious concern. Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, commonly referred to as PSEA, is a widely used acronym that highlights the need to safeguard vulnerable women, children, and men from acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by humanitarian aid and development workers. PSEA safeguarding denotes the responsibilities incumbent upon or…
Characterising topophilic behaviour in the wake of river decay and pollution through structural equation modelling
Quest for identity
Ethnic groups involved in separatist movements have often been engaged in violence, rather than electoral politics, in order to fulfil their demands. The present paper analyses the dynamics of the sovereignty movements of the Koch-Rajbanshi community of northeastern India, an indigenous group that has used active and suppressed violence for accomplishing their demands along with electoral contests. Nuanced analyses of literature, electoral inform…
Evaluating sustainability of community endeavours in an I ndian floodplain wetland using multi‐criteria decision analysis
The floodplain wetlands of G anga‐ I chamati interfluves in I ndia have become severely degraded due to incessant, unsustainable utilization practices and lack of community awareness. In spite of the wetlands being the prime source of livelihood for millions, no comprehensive management strategy to accommodate the diverse aspirations and priorities of different users has been implemented for the wetlands to date. In this paper, the authors applie…
Poverty and Vulnerability Amid Plenty
The dichotomy of poverty amid plenty paints a complex governance and policy framework from which to develop an inclusive growth agenda and avoid proven tensions between lagging regions and growth centers. Such tensions are often manifested in conflicts and masked poverty, which are camouflaged by macroindices of economic growth. Spatial disparity is evident in Odisha’s highland forested region despite special federal policies and programs, prompt…
Assessment of community-based initiatives in sustainable management of Indian dry deciduous forests
The introduction of the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme in India as a part of community forestry initiatives from the late 1980s was an internationally recognised successful effort in forest restoration. Its achievements were most pronounced in the Sal (Shorea robusta)-dominated tropical dry deciduous forests of eastern and south-eastern states of India. However, these forests, and consequently the marginal people dependent on them for th…
Addressing challenges of social assistance schemes
The present article documents the programme strategy that has been used to address the challenges of social assistance schemes in Orissa, India. Key aspects of the strategy are: community mobilisation; use of mobile technology, web and media for community-led evidence-based advocacy at the local level; and graduating this effort to address structural issues at the state level. Key challenges in the process were to minimise tension among different…
Food security in HIV/Aids response
This paper examines the viability and effectiveness of a pilot farming initiative in reversing impacts of HIV/AIDS on the most affected households in Homa Bay, Kenya. The paper argues that once patients are stable, they can effectively be engaged in farming with minimal financial and technical support, resulting in enhanced food security of the affected households. More importantly, it helps to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and improve the indiv…
Microcredit for people affected by HIV and Aids
Consequences of HIV and AIDS are exponential in Kenya, touching not only the health of those infected, but also depleting socioeconomic resources of entire families. Access to financial services is one of the important ways to protect and build economic resources. Unfortunately, the norm of financial viability discourages microfinance institutions from targeting people severely impacted by HIV and AIDS. Thus, HIV and AIDS service NGOs have been i…
Community-managed rice banks
Rice banks are increasingly used in South-East Asia as a means of addressing seasonal food crises facing poor communities. Despite general agreement about the effectiveness of community-managed rice banks in improving food security, there has been almost no research into their effectiveness in reaching the poorest, or the prospects of sustainability linked to regular repayments of rice. Concern Laos sought to answer these questions through commun…
Jinnah and the Making of a Nation
Microcredit for people affected by HIV and Aids
Consequences of HIV and AIDS are exponential in Kenya, touching not only the health of those infected, but also depleting socioeconomic resources of entire families. Access to financial services is one of the important ways to protect and build economic resources. Unfortunately, the norm of financial viability discourages microfinance institutions from targeting people severely impacted by HIV and AIDS. Thus, HIV and AIDS service NGOs have been i…
Community-managed rice banks
Rice banks are increasingly used in South-East Asia as a means of addressing seasonal food crises facing poor communities. Despite general agreement about the effectiveness of community-managed rice banks in improving food security, there has been almost no research into their effectiveness in reaching the poorest, or the prospects of sustainability linked to regular repayments of rice. Concern Laos sought to answer these questions through commun…
Jinnah and the Making of a Nation
Community-managed rice banks
Rice banks are increasingly used in South-East Asia as a means of addressing seasonal food crises facing poor communities. Despite general agreement about the effectiveness of community-managed rice banks in improving food security, there has been almost no research into their effectiveness in reaching the poorest, or the prospects of sustainability linked to regular repayments of rice. Concern Laos sought to answer these questions through commun…
Microcredit for people affected by HIV and Aids
Consequences of HIV and AIDS are exponential in Kenya, touching not only the health of those infected, but also depleting socioeconomic resources of entire families. Access to financial services is one of the important ways to protect and build economic resources. Unfortunately, the norm of financial viability discourages microfinance institutions from targeting people severely impacted by HIV and AIDS. Thus, HIV and AIDS service NGOs have been i…
Food security in HIV/Aids response
This paper examines the viability and effectiveness of a pilot farming initiative in reversing impacts of HIV/AIDS on the most affected households in Homa Bay, Kenya. The paper argues that once patients are stable, they can effectively be engaged in farming with minimal financial and technical support, resulting in enhanced food security of the affected households. More importantly, it helps to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and improve the indiv…
Assessment of community-based initiatives in sustainable management of Indian dry deciduous forests
The introduction of the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme in India as a part of community forestry initiatives from the late 1980s was an internationally recognised successful effort in forest restoration. Its achievements were most pronounced in the Sal (Shorea robusta)-dominated tropical dry deciduous forests of eastern and south-eastern states of India. However, these forests, and consequently the marginal people dependent on them for th…
Addressing challenges of social assistance schemes
The present article documents the programme strategy that has been used to address the challenges of social assistance schemes in Orissa, India. Key aspects of the strategy are: community mobilisation; use of mobile technology, web and media for community-led evidence-based advocacy at the local level; and graduating this effort to address structural issues at the state level. Key challenges in the process were to minimise tension among different…
Poverty and Vulnerability Amid Plenty
The dichotomy of poverty amid plenty paints a complex governance and policy framework from which to develop an inclusive growth agenda and avoid proven tensions between lagging regions and growth centers. Such tensions are often manifested in conflicts and masked poverty, which are camouflaged by macroindices of economic growth. Spatial disparity is evident in Odisha’s highland forested region despite special federal policies and programs, prompt…
Evaluating sustainability of community endeavours in an I ndian floodplain wetland using multi‐criteria decision analysis
The floodplain wetlands of G anga‐ I chamati interfluves in I ndia have become severely degraded due to incessant, unsustainable utilization practices and lack of community awareness. In spite of the wetlands being the prime source of livelihood for millions, no comprehensive management strategy to accommodate the diverse aspirations and priorities of different users has been implemented for the wetlands to date. In this paper, the authors applie…
Quest for identity
Ethnic groups involved in separatist movements have often been engaged in violence, rather than electoral politics, in order to fulfil their demands. The present paper analyses the dynamics of the sovereignty movements of the Koch-Rajbanshi community of northeastern India, an indigenous group that has used active and suppressed violence for accomplishing their demands along with electoral contests. Nuanced analyses of literature, electoral inform…
The elephant in the room
Violations of the responsibility of humanitarian and development organizations to do no harm are a serious concern. Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, commonly referred to as PSEA, is a widely used acronym that highlights the need to safeguard vulnerable women, children, and men from acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by humanitarian aid and development workers. PSEA safeguarding denotes the responsibilities incumbent upon or…
Characterising topophilic behaviour in the wake of river decay and pollution through structural equation modelling
Vegetation, Soil, and Livelihoods
This study, conducted in fire‐prone dry deciduous forests of Ajodhya and Susunia hills, aims to assess the diverse impacts of forest fire events on vegetation health, soil nutrient balance, and availability of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) that conjointly modulate the livelihoods of local communities. Vegetation health and soil nutrient pool were assessed through transect sampling at both fire‐affected (FA) and fire‐unaffected (FU) forest plo…
Reclaiming the frontline in international non-governmental organizations (Ingos)
Over the past three decades, the decision-making autonomy of field-based leaders in international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) has declined significantly due to increasing centralization, bureaucratic controls, risk-averse cultures, and donor-imposed compliance demands. Drawing on the author’s 30 years of humanitarian experience across multiple regions, this commentary critically reflects on the historical trajectory of decision-making …
Development of an assessment framework of criteria and indicators towards sustaining urban and peri-urban agriculture in the global south
Integrated assessment of ecological sustainability of urban and peri-urban agricultural practices in Kolkata Metropolitan Area, India using Analytic Hierarchy Process
Education in Conflict-Affected Regions
This paper examines the effectiveness of a three-decade-old education program established by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) during the conflict in Somalia's Gedo region. It draws from insights and historical accounts gathered from program reports and discussions with NCA staff, teachers, students, authorities, and other stakeholders. The NCA's ongoing efforts to unite people through education and to establish schools as community institutions serving…
Transforming social norms
This paper examines a decade of community-driven efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Somalia, highlighting Norwegian Church Aid’s integrated approach combining community dialogue, survivor support, faith-based engagement, and policy advocacy. Despite measurable reductions in severe forms like Pharaonic cutting, new trends such as the medicalisation and growing preference for Sunna circumcision reveal how harmful practices …
Geography (9 works) · Political science (8 works) · Agriculture (7 works) · Business (7 works) · Economics (6 works) · Economic growth (5 works) · Environmental Science (5 works) · Sustainability (5 works) · Development economics (4 works) · Ecology (4 works)