Our Team – The India Center

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Yogesh Joshi

Director, The India Center

Yogesh Joshi, Ph.D. is the Indian Community Endowed Assistant Professor and Director of The India Center. His research focuses on military technological diffusion among rising powers, conventional military and nuclear strategy, and alliance politics with an empirical focus on India, South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
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Leila Chacko

Director of Public Affairs

Leila Chacko is the Director of Public Affairs for The India Center at UCF. Her responsibilities include overseeing and developing programming for The India Center to broaden the awareness and understanding of contemporary India.
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Arjun Sherugar

Student Office Assistant

Arjun Sherugar is the Student Office Assistant for The India Center at UCF. He is pursuing his undergraduate degree at UCF, majoring in Computer Science. His responsibilities are to assist with daily office operations. Additionally, he prepares for campus events and assists professional staff with reports and special projects as needed.

Monica Singhania

Non-Resident Fellow

Monica Singhania, Ph.D. is a Non-Resident Fellow with The UCF India Center. She earned her Ph.D. in finance from the University of Delhi in 2006. She is a Professor at the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

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Nirmala Puppala

Summer 2025 media intern

Nirmala Puppala is an international student from India, currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Information Technology. Before coming to UCF, she completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Andhra University in India. At The India Center, Nirmala assist with daily office tasks and events. In her free time, she enjoys painting, listening to music, and cooking.

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Ryan Granger

Summer 2025 Research Intern

Ryan is a Political Science BA major with an emphasis on American Politics, but he has a passion for International Politics. His research background includes researching election integrity not only in the United States, but in countries such as Mexico, Italy, and India. Ryan is also interested in the historical background of the India-Pakistan relationship, shaped by events dating back to their independence.

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Shivram Sundar

Summer 2025 Research Intern

Shivram Sundar is a Research Intern at the UCF India Center, where he applies his knowledge as double major in Computer Science and Political Science to global research initiatives. With a keen interest in international affairs, he previously interned with UCF’s Global Perspectives & International Initiatives, conducting in-depth research on major global powers. Currently, Shivram is completing his Honors Undergraduate Thesis in collaboration with the UCF DRACO Lab and the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, supported by funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research. His research integrates political analysis with technological insights, reflecting his diverse academic background. Looking ahead, Shivram plans to attend law school, with a focus on patent law, aiming to bridge innovation and legal expertise in his future career.