Yousuf (he/him) has a bachelor's in History from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University and a master's in Mass Communication from AJK Mass Communication Research Centre (AJK MCRC), Jamia Millia Islamia. Specialising in video editing and cinematography, he works at the intersection of video and art. He works with MAP Academy’s Online Courses, on motion graphics design, animations, and video production.

Austin (he/him) holds a master’s in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and a bachelor's in History & Political Science from Hislop College, Nagpur. His research interests include Millenarianism, sacred kingship & sovereignty in the early modern Persianate world and pre-Modern art & architecture. In addition to this, he has a strong interest in built heritage and conservation, and often leads heritage walks. He splits his time between New Delhi and Nagpur.

Akshay (he/him) holds a bachelor’s in Mass Media from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. In the past, he has been part of the editorial departments of print and digital publications in India. He is based in Delhi.

Varun Nayar (he/him) is a writer, editor, and the director of the MAP Academy, where he was also part of the founding team. He has a background in magazine journalism and art publishing, with a particular interest in the histories of photography. His work has appeared in Aperture, ArtReview, FOAM, Words Without Borders, Himal Southasian, and National Geographic, among other publications. He lives between Delhi and Singapore.

Tulika (she/her) has a master’s degree in Religion in Global Politics from SOAS, University of London and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Gender Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a writer and textile artist. At the MAP Academy, she is an editor for the Encyclopedia of Art and Tangents. She is based in Chennai.

Shivani (she/her) has a master’s degree in Art History and Aesthetics from the Faculty of Fine Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, and a bachelor’s degree in Art Management from Indiana University, Bloomington. Her research interest lies in Islamic art and architecture, and Partition Studies. At present she manages partnerships and outreach, and oversees community engagement and audience growth, with a focus on building MAP Academy's visibility. She is based in New Delhi.

Aishani (she/her) holds a PhD in History from SUNY Stony Brook, and master’s degrees in History and English. Her research interests include South Asian religions, art and architecture, the British empire, and colonial and postcolonial urban spaces. She has previously taught at the university level and worked at the JC Bose Museum, and is also the recipient of Charles Wallace India Trust Grant and Royal Historical Society’s Research Support Award for her research in the UK. At the MAP Academy, Aishani collaborates with the outreach, research, and editorial teams on a range of research, writing, and marketing projects. She is based in Kolkata.

Jahnavi (she/her) holds a master's degree in History of Art from the Indian Institute of Heritage (National Museum Institute), Noida, and a bachelor's degree in History and Indian Classical Music from University of Delhi. Her research interest lies in temple architecture and iconographic studies. She has previously worked with the Archaeological Survey of India and the Ministry of Culture in various projects and is interested in the antiquities and built heritage of India. She is part of the Outreach team at the MAP Academy and is based in Delhi.

Shahim (he/him) has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi, and a master’s in English Literature from the University of Hyderabad. His interests span cultural studies, art history, photography and cinema. At the MAP Academy, he edits articles for the Encyclopedia of Art. He is based in Kolkata.

Malini (she/they) has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, Pune, a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad and a master’s degree in General English from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Her fields of interest include semiotics, literary and cultural studies, gender and sexuality, calligraphy, music, film and theatre. At the MAP Academy, she edits the Encyclopedia of Art. She is based in Hyderabad.

Milad (he/him) has a bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Calicut and a Master’s in Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, where he specialised in Animation Film Design. His areas of interest include the history of film and video games. At the MAP Academy, he works closely with the research team at the Online Courses project to conceptualise and create animated, illustrated and video content. He is based between Alleppey and Kochi.

Aditya (he/him) holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from IGNOU, New Delhi, and has also studied art and design at Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology, Bengaluru. He has worked as a writer and editor for various academic and literary publications, as well as being an illustrator, designer and teacher. His research interests include visual art, history, poetry, language, somatic movement and the processes of art and craft. At the MAP Academy, he leads the editorial team. He is based in Auroville.

Sara (she/her) holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from Ashoka University, Sonipat. Her research interests include popular and visual culture, postcolonial studies and material culture. She is based out of Bengaluru.

Shrey (she/her) holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, and a master’s in Visual Art from Ambedkar University, Delhi. She also holds a diploma in South Asian Painting from Jnanapravaha, Mumbai. Her research interests include miniature painting, handloom textiles, botanical painting from the Company School, as well as jewellery, perfume and cultures of adornment in the Indian subcontinent. Shrey helped set up the MAP Academy’s Encyclopedia of Art, and is responsible for the research and editorial direction of the organisation’s various projects.

Krishna P Unny (she/her) holds a bachelor’s in History from Stella Maris College, Chennai. She received the Young India Fellowship and her master’s in Liberal Studies from Ashoka University. Her research interests include performance, cities, and cultural histories of South Asia. Krishna is currently based in Palakkad, Kerala.

Amitha (she/her) holds a bachelor’s in Combined Humanities from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, where she studied literature, history and philosophy. Her research interests include the interactions between memory, photography and the digital age. Amitha primarily works with visual research, licensing and the production of MAP Academy’s Online Courses. She is based in Bengaluru.

Rachna (she/her) holds a bachelor’s in Mass Media from the University of Mumbai and a post-graduate diploma in Museology and Conservation from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. She is interested in folk and performing arts, as well as sports and popular culture. Rachna primarily researches and writes across projects. She is based in Mumbai.

Sarthak (he/him) has a bachelor’s in History from the University of Delhi. His research interests include but are not limited to Bhakti in medieval India, Sanskrit Kavya poetry and Braj poetry. He helps with image research and writing for the Online Courses at MAP Academy. He is currently based in Delhi.

Shruti (she/her) holds a bachelor's degree in Fashion Communication from the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Her research interests include Indian textiles and craft, and she has worked on several communication projects for craft clusters in India. She is based in Mumbai.

Karishma (she/her) holds a master’s degree in Publishing Studies from the University of Stirling, Scotland, and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. She has worked as an editor with the Caravan Magazine and Aleph Book Company. Her research interests include literary and publishing practices in South Asia; the social and cultural history of fashion; and arts-led regeneration in communities. At MAP Academy, she edits the Encyclopedia of Art and writes for Tangents. She is based in New Delhi.

Archi (she/her) has a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London (UAL), and a bachelor’s degree in Design from National Institute of Fashion Technology. She was awarded the MEAD fellowship by UAL to study the impact of Partition on the handicraft cultures of Bengal and has curated an exhibition on the topic. Her research interest lies in craft and textiles heritage and living traditions. At the MAP Academy, she works on on visual research, licensing and the production for two projects — the Encyclopedia of Art and Timeline of Art History.

Arif holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics & Instrumentation from KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. He worked in the field of data science before pivoting to marketing. He has previously worked with SaaS, mobile gaming, and education startups. He is interested in photography and videography, and hopes to record the lives of creative individuals. At the MAP Academy, Arif leads marketing efforts and enhances digital experiences. Arif lives between various places.

Over the last three years, the MAP Academy team has seen valuable contributions from many research associates and editors who have since joined other organisations and institutions. These include — Alolika De, Amorette Lyngwa, Anahita Ganjoo, Anirudh Kanisetti, Ankan Kazi, Annika Taneja, Arif Parrey, Arundhati Chauhan, Aswathy Gopinath, Bharathy Singaravel, Debaleena Bagchi, Diya Shah, Gaurika Kumar, Gayatri Chitale, Harleen Kaur Bagga, Krittika Kumari, Khushmi Mehta, Larissa Guimaraes, Mandara Vishwanath, Margot Gorfinkle, Monalisa Behera, Namrata Arjun, Nathaniel Gaskell, Niyati Dave, Pallavi Surana, Pooja Savansukha, Preeti Kathuria, Pramati Anand, Radhika Saraf, Sadaf Bandeali, Shivani Kasumra, Siddharth Gandotra, Simran Agarwal, Sukanya Baskar, Sunaina Bose, Subhadeep Chowdhury, Swathi Gopalakrishnan, and Tanya Singh.