Soma Keerthi Chandana

Keerthi is an Indigenous person from the Thoti tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) known for its rich oral traditions and tattoo art. A first-generation learner from a village, she recently graduated from the Central University of Kerala with a master’s degree. She aspires to pursue a Ph.D. focusing on her community’s oral histories, livelihood transformations, and women’s cultural practices, especially tattooing. Keerthi envisions a career in academia as a researcher and educator dedicated to preserving indigenous knowledge, mentoring marginalized students, and fostering inclusive spaces for critical inquiry and self-representation.