FACULTY
Learning from some of the best minds in education and in the industry
Prof. Melody Kshetrimayum
Assistant Professor - Sociology
Email: melody.kshetrimayum@flame.edu.in
PhD in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; MPhil in Social Work Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; MA in Social Work from
CSRD-ISWR, Ahmednagar; BSc in Zoology from Manipur University, Manipur.
BIO
Melody Kshetrimayum specializes in historical, social and cultural locations of Women, Gender, Feminism. Her work also investigates Culture, Health, Informal Credit Institutions, Indigenous Social Work, Microfinance, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) using multidisciplinary approaches. She has published widely in leading outlets. She has conducted research projects on sexual violence, menstruation, death rituals and doctoral theses.
Prior to joining FLAME University, she has worked at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai for six years. She has led digitalisation of The Indian Journal of Social Work, the first social work journal in India, publishing since 1940. Dr. Kshetrimayum has been a recipient of the Young Woman Researcher Award in Women and Gender Studies in 2024 by Venus International Foundation. In 2021, she has worked as an Expert Committee Member of the National CSR Awards, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, India and evaluated companies on their impact, innovation and sustainability. She has also co-edited a special issue of The British Journal of Social Work in the same year which explores social work’s engagement in policymaking across countries. In 2010, she has received a Special Mention Award at the SCHOLL Research Challenge for her paper on microfinance and poverty alleviation. She has been a recipient of the UGC NET-Junior and Senior Fellowship in Social Work. Currently, she serves as a member of the Board of Managers of Social Development Issues journal (University of Michigan) of the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD).
Dr. Kshetrimayum is passionate about teaching and research using multidisciplinary approach, and open to collaborate with colleagues and students from all disciplines. Her current work focuses on women’s health and women from different social locations.
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
Journals
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2023). Marup promoting Social and Economic Development: Implications for Feminist Social Work with Groups. Social Work with Groups (Taylor and Francis Online), 46 (2), 129-139.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2022). Review of Indigenous Social Work Around the World: Concepts, Debates, and Challenges. International Social Work (Sage Journals), 66(5), 1369-1382 (co-authored).
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2021). Social Work and the Changing Context: Engagement in Policy Making. The British Journal of Social Work (Oxford Journals), 50 (8), 2253–2260 (co-authored).
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2018) Politics of Dominance in Meitei Society. Economic and Political Weekly, 53(4), 26-28.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2017) Tracing the Evolution of Marup in Manipur Valley. Sociological Bulletin (Sage Journals), 66 (3), 1-14.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2016). Rotating Savings and Credit Associations: An important Space for Social Work Practice. The Indian Journal of Social Work, 77 (3), 311-322.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2015). Social Work Research and its Methodological Vicissitudes in Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Social Work Journal, 6 (1), 6-21 (co-authored).
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2015). Women Towards Achieving 3rd MDG: Role of Marup in Empowering Women in Manipur Valley, Social Work Review, 51 (1): 92-106.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2013). Marup (Meitei Rotating Credit Institution): A Livelihood Strategy of Meitei Women, The Indian Journal of Social Work. 74 (3/4): 433-441.
Book Chapters
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2025). Trends and Scope in Social Work Research: Transforming and Strengthening Practice in India. In Alex Akhup, Biswaranjan Tripura, and Bipin Jojo (Eds), Social Work Research-Methodologies in Fields of Practice, Singapore: Springer Nature.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2022). 'Formation of a new identity after death: Abandoning differences and inequalities in India'. In Joris V.P, Eva V & Christian V.K (Eds.), Death and belonging - Local variations on a universal theme. Antwerpen, Belgium: Garant Uitgevers.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2018). Scope of Social Work Profession: Challenges Ahead, In S. M. Sajid and Rashmi Jain (Eds): Reflections on Social Work Profession, New Delhi: Bloomsbury.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2018). Doctoral Social Work Research: Emerging Themes. In G.S. Gawali (Ed.), Status of Social Science Research in India: Critical Engagement and Future Direction, Delhi: Manak Publications Pvt Limited.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2016) Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation: Analysis of clients’ perspectives and changes in their lives in the state of Manipur, India, In Jayadev M. and Diatha Krishna Sundar (Eds): Changing Contours of Microfinance in India. Oxon: Routledge (Taylor and Francis).
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2016). Ethical Issues in Community Practice: Case of an Informal Credit Practice in Manipur and Dedication Practice in Karnataka, In Suresh Pathare, Sanjai Bhatt, and Jaimon Varghese (Eds): Social Justice and Social Work Profession in India- Challenging Responses and Responding Challenges. Jaipur: Manas Publishers and Distributors.
Research Projects
- Society, Euphemisms, and Menstrual Practices funded by FLAME University (2024-25).
- ‘Impact Assessment of Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (PPPSV) Program of KEM Hospital Research Centre’, Pune, Maharashtra funded by Bayers Foundation India, Thane (2020-21).
- ‘Death and Bereavement Practices: A Study of Death Rituals in India’ funded by Formidable Remains Pvt Ltd (2017-18).
Media Talks
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2025). Doing and Writing Qualitative Research. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hECiZDELB_M
- It discusses the philosophical foundation and approaches to qualitative research.
Working Paper
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2022) Doctoral Works in Tata Institute of Social Sciences: A Contextual Analysis of Social Work Theses from 1967 to 2014. https://tiss.ac.in/uploads/files/12-Surinder_Jaswal_and_Melody_Khetrimayum-online_version_11_compressed1.pdf
Book Review
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2025). Anjoo Upadhyaya, Ashild Kolas and Eileen Connolly (Eds.), Women’s Empowerment in India: From Rights to Agency. Oxon: Routledge The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 7(1), 104-106.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2024). Linda C. McClain and Aziza Ahmed (Eds), The Routledge Companion to Gender and COVID-19. The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 6(4), 470-472.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2017). Ethics in Social Work Education and Practice in India, by Indrajit Goswami, 2011, Mangalore: Mangala Publications. The Indian Journal of Social Work, 78 (4): 723-726.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2016). Alcoholism, Family and Social Work Practice by C.P. Singh, 2015, Jaipur: Rawat Publications, The Indian Journal of Social Work, Vol. 77(1): 107-108, 2016.
- Kshetrimayum, M. (2010). Microfinance India: State of the sector report — 2010 by N. Srinivasan, Sociological Bulletin, 61(1): 174-175.
Associations
- Editorial Board Member, Perspectives in Social Work (Journal) published by College of Social Work, Nirmalaniketan, Mumbai, India from June 2021 to August 2023.
- Expert Committee Member of the National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) 2020 India.
- Member of Board of Managers, Social Development Issues, International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) published by University of Michigan.
Opinions and Web Reviews
- Why menstrual health can't be ignored, UN Today (official magazine of the UN), October 2025.
- Ethics of Abortion: The Pro-Choice and Pro-Life Quandary, Imphal Review of Arts and Politics, 2025.
- Construction of Gender from Symbolic Interactionism Lens, Doing Sociology, June 2025.
- Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025: Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld in India, India TodayNE, May 2025.
- Review recognised as critics’ reviews on Routledge Book Website, January 2025,
- "The Routledge Companion to Gender and Covid is a timely volume which helps readers to reflect on government responses and recovery initiatives. It discusses the possibilities and challenges of policies and responses that serve as a resource for dealing with future pandemics. It is a must-read for policymakers and researchers who are working on gender, health and reproductive health, law and diseases."
- Melody Kshetrimayum, FLAME University, Pune, India
- Women and children living with armed conflict in Manipur, November 2024, India Today NE.
- Battle between Women Empowerment Concept and Indicators?, April, 2024, IndiaToday NE.
- Review of: A Deeper Look at the Origin and Evolution of the Social Work Profession, Feb, 2024, Qeios.
- Why celebrate Women and Nupilan of Manipur?, Dec, 2023, India Today NE.
- Meira Paibis: Manipuri women caught between violence and narratives, Oct, 2023, India Today NE.
- Rebuttal on the report of fact-finding mission on media’s reportage of the ethnic violence in Manipur, Editors Guild of India. https://editorsguild.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Rebuttal-Editors-Guild-of-India.pdf , The Editors Guild of India.
- Meiteis, the Majority who are neither Dominant nor Privileged in Manipur, The Sangai Express.
- Living with Conflict in Manipur, Regional Cooperation Newsletter- South Asia, International Council on Social Welfare, 2017.