Dr. Indrani Rampersad is a fourth-generation Person of Indian Origin (PIO) born in Trinidad, West Indies. She is grounded in Vedic/Sanatana Dharma and is a life-long learner and seeker of Truth. She has completed her tertiary education in India – BA Hon at the Banaras Hindu University, Masters and PhD in Communication and Journalism at the University of Pune. She is an educator, journalist, and women’s advocate, who has lived and worked in Trinidad and New York. Dr. Indrani is Trinidad’s first state-certified pandita. In 2013, she received the Gov’t of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Award (GOLD) for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Women in the category of Religion and Community.
Dr. Indrani Rampersad has travelled extensively in India and the indentured Indian or jahajee diaspora. Her research focuses on Hindu culture and Ramayana Traditions in the indentured diaspora, particularly the LILA style or open-air/maidani Ram Lila of performing the Ramcharitmanas in North India, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, and Mauritius. She was the Senior Research Fellow in Ram Lila/Ramdilla Studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago and has published in encyclopedias, journals, and books. As a member of the Research/Education Committee of the Ayodhya Research Institute (India), she has initiated and collaborated on several global training workshops in Ram Lila related skills.