Teaching Experience:

37 years of teaching and research

Area of Interest

Folk Literature, Urban Folklore and Narratology

Desmond L. Kharmawphlang is Professor of Cultural and Creative Studies. Desmond L. Kharmawphlang has published a number of books namely -Touchstone, a book of poems, Here, a book of poems, Ki Matti Byrshem (a collection of essays on Folkloristics) Narratives of North-East India I & II, Folklore in the Changing Times, Conference, Confluence: (a collection of essays), Khasi Folksongs and Tales, Orality and Beyond, Essays in Khasi Folkloristics, Folklore Imprints in Northeast India.

Has also published various scholarly articles in national and international journals numbering about forty five. Participated and presented academic papers in thirty two national and international seminars. Participated, on sponsored invitation, in literary and academic programmes in Switzerland, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Norway, the United States, Finland, Greece, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and Italy. Lectured at Western Oregon University, Oregon State University and Portland University, USA on a consultancy programme sponsored by the Institute of International Education, New York, USA. Was inducted as an Associate Member, Folk Fellows, an Association instituted by the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.

Awards: 

1. Dyason Visiting Fellow (2018), University of Melbourne, Australia.
2. Global Arts and Humanities Resident Scholar, Ohio State University, Columbus, U.S.A. (2025)

Ph. D. Awarded/Supervised: 

14 (fourteen) Ph.D. scholars guided and have been awarded degrees. At present, supervising 8 (eight) Ph.D. candidates.

Administrative responsibilities undertaken

Was Head of the department between 2005 – 2009, 2009 – 2012 and 2015 – 2019, 2022- (May) 2025

Academic affiliations:

1. Member, Committee on Endangered Languages, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore
2. Associate Member, Folk Fellows, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
3. Member, Board of Studies, Tezpur University, Tripura University and Central University of Jharkhand.
4. Visiting Professor, Universities of Portland, Western Oregon and Oregon State, USA (2002), English Department, Delhi University (2006), Ca Foscari University, Venice, University of South Wales in Cardiff (2019).
5. Special Consultant, Khasi-Welsh Cultural Dialogues – 2017-19, a project sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust, United Kingdom.
6. Member, ASEAN –India Think Tank (2018).
7. Dyason Visiting Fellow (2018), University of Melbourne, Australia.
8. Member, Academic Committee, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla
9. Member, Academic Council, Tezpur University

Publications:

More than 30 (thirty) academic papers published in national and international  journals including the Journal of Indian Folkloristics, Mysore, Folklore Research Journal, Kolkata, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangralaya, Bhopal,  Folklife, Chennai, Sahitya Akademi, Hellenic Society, Athens, Association for Asian Studies, Marg, Mumbai, Harper Collins etc.

(B) Books:

1. Touchstone, a Collection of Poetry.
2. Here, a Collection of Poetry.
3. Ki Matti Byrshem ( a Collection of essays on Folkloristics)
4. Narratives of North-East India I - Programme of Folklore Research and Archive, NEHU, Shillong.
5. Narratives of North East India II - Programme of Folklore Research and Archive, NEHU, Shillong.
6. Conference, Confluence -  Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal
7. Folklore in the Changing Times -Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal
8. Khasi Folksongs and Tales - Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
9. Orality and Beyond -Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata. 
10. Essays in Khasi Folkloristics - Khasi Book Agency, Shillong
11. Folklore Imprints in North-East - Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous India Cultures (DBCIC), Shillong

Papers presented in Conferences/Seminars:

50 (fifty) papers presented in Conferences and Seminars.

Collaboration/Consultancy: 

1. Special Consultant, Khasi-Welsh Cultural Dialogues – 2017-19, project sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust, United Kingdom.
2. Was the Reviewer for the Nomination Process for the Fellowship of the Learned Society of Wales, 2025.
3. Has been appointed as Mentor in respect of Miss Joanna Michelle Marbaniang, Ph.D. scholar in the Department of Anthropology, Duke University, U.S.A. by the  American Institute of Indian Studies, New Delhi
4. Delivered the Public Lecture as part of the UNESCO Dual Seminar at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Loughborough University, United Kingdom in July 2026.
5. Delivered the Centre for World Environmental History Public Lectures at Sussex University, United Kingdom on 16th July 2026.

Research Projects

1. Coordinator of the Khasi-Thai Cultural Exploration - 2019-22, an academic collaboration between North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong and Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.
2. Academic Supervisor for the project on Elaboration of Geo-spatial Data Analysis Tool and online Legend Motif and Type Index – 2019 21, sponsored by the European Regional Development Fund and in collaboration with the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia.
3. Special Consultant, Khasi-Welsh Cultural Dialogues – 2017-19, a project sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust, United Kingdom.
4. Principal Investigator, British Library Endangered Archive Programme- NEHU.
5. Principal Investigator, Folklore, Wildlife and Nature : A Study on Their Interrelationship, North Eastern Council, Government of India, Shillong
6. Project on Ecological Moralities and Ethics in collaboration with Professor Massimo Warglien, Centre for Environmental Humanities, Ca Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
7. Principal Investigator, on the project “Texts and Textiles: The Weaving Traditions of Northeast India” by the North Eastern Council, Govt. of India.

Publications

More than 30 (thirty) academic papers published in national and international  journals including the Journal of Indian Folkloristics, Mysore, Folklore Research Journal, Kolkata, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangralaya, Bhopal,  Folklife, Chennai, Sahitya Akademi, Hellenic Society, Athens, Association for Asian Studies, Marg, Mumbai, Harper Collins etc.

(B) Books:

1. Touchstone, a Collection of Poetry.
2. Here, a Collection of Poetry.
3. Ki Matti Byrshem ( a Collection of essays on Folkloristics)
4. Narratives of North-East India I - Programme of Folklore Research and Archive, NEHU, Shillong.
5. Narratives of North East India II - Programme of Folklore Research and Archive, NEHU, Shillong.
6. Conference, Confluence -  Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal
7. Folklore in the Changing Times -Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal
8. Khasi Folksongs and Tales - Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
9. Orality and Beyond -Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata. 
10. Essays in Khasi Folkloristics - Khasi Book Agency, Shillong
11. Folklore Imprints in North-East - Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous India Cultures (DBCIC), Shillong

Papers presented in Conferences/Seminars:

50 (fifty) papers presented in Conferences and Seminars.

Collaboration/Consultancy: 

1. Special Consultant, Khasi-Welsh Cultural Dialogues – 2017-19, project sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust, United Kingdom.
2. Was the Reviewer for the Nomination Process for the Fellowship of the Learned Society of Wales, 2025.
3. Has been appointed as Mentor in respect of Miss Joanna Michelle Marbaniang, Ph.D. scholar in the Department of Anthropology, Duke University, U.S.A. by the  American Institute of Indian Studies, New Delhi
4. Delivered the Public Lecture as part of the UNESCO Dual Seminar at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Loughborough University, United Kingdom in July 2026.
5. Delivered the Centre for World Environmental History Public Lectures at Sussex University, United Kingdom on 16th July 2026.