Dr. Akhil Ranjan Dutta is presently Professor in the Department of Political Science at Gauhati University, Assam, India. Dr. Dutta is an academic activist and engaged with both academic research and socio-political activism concerning human rights and dignity in the region of Northeast India. Dr. Dutta attained his post-graduate (1996) and M. Phil (1999) degrees from the University of Delhi and Ph. D. (2006) from Gauhati University. A Rotary World Peace Fellow (2009), Dr. Dutta also completed a certificate course on peace and conflict studies at International Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Professor Dutta was visiting fellow at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi during March 2017. An advocate of democratic, secular and progressive politics, Dr. Dutta served as General Secretary, Gauhati University Teachers Association for three tenures (2007-08, 2010-11 & 2011-12) and as its Vice President for two consecutive terms (2012-13 & 2013-14). He is also an Executive Editor of Natun Padatik, a socio-cultural monthly published from Guwahati. A columnist in regional news papers and research contributors both in national and international journals, Dr. Dutta regularly writes on issues related to globalization, social security and peoples’ politics. Dr. Dutta is also a popular speaker and travels to different parts of the country and the region to speak on themes concerning peoples’ rights and dignity. On invitation from Chinese Embassy in India and Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi Dr. Dutta led the Indian Think Tank Delegation to China in 2017 and visited Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu from June 25 to July 4, 2017. The Delegation visited leading Universities in China and Dr. Dutta delivered lectures on issues concerning bilateral issues between India and China.

Dr. Dutta completed two research projects funded by University Grants Commission (UGC) and one by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). He is currently supervising two projects of BIRD on ‘Century of Assam Budgets’ and ‘Century of Legislative Politics in Assam’. Two research scholars have been awarded Ph. D. under his guidance and eight are presently working under his supervision.

The Honourary Chairperson of Brahmaputra Institute of Research and Development (BIRD), Guwahati, India and the Editor of its bi-annual research journal Studies in Society and Polity (SSP), Dr. Dutta is also member of South Asia Association for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE), Kathmandu, Nepal and Foundation for creative research in social sciences, India International Centre, New Delhi, India.

Select Books

• Sambhawana, Asom Bidhan Sabha Nirbachan 2016, , Rainbow Publishers, Guwahati, India
• The Conscientious Statesman: Gaurisankar Bhattacharyya in Assam Legislative Assembly (compiled and edited), 2015, Gaurisankar Bhattacharyya Memorial Committee, Guwahati, India
• Indian Politics: Issues, Institutions and Process (edited ), 2013, Arun Prakashan, Guwahati, India
• Culture, Ideology, Politics (edited), 2012, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, India
• Political Theory: Issues, Concepts and Debates (edited), 2011, Arun Prakashan, Guwahati, India
• Human Security in North East India: Issues & Policies (edited), 2009 Anwesha, Guwahati , India

Select Papers

• Assam’s Population Policy, 2017: Overstated Numbers and Underlying Agendas (2017) Economic and Political Weekly, 2 December 2017, pp 19-21 
• ‘Co-opting the Khilonjiyas BJP’s Electoral Victory in Assam, 2016’ (2017) Social Change, 47(1) ISSN 0049-0857/ISSN Online: 0976-3538, DOI: 10.1177/0049085716683114 (published from SAGE-Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC) pp 1-17. 
• ‘The Naga National Struggle, ‘Framework Agreement and the Peace Prospects’, 2015, Space and Culture, India, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20896/saci.v3i2.151, ACCB Publishing, England, Nov. 2015, ISSN 2052-8396
• ‘Forcing the Prison Doors’ : Socio-cultural Mission of Musician Dr. Bhupen Hazarika , Social Change, Vol. 43, No 3, September 2013, pp 443-60 ISSN 0049-0857/ISSN Online: 0976-3538, DOI: 10.1177/0049085713494302 (published from SAGE-Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC) 
• Jyotiprasad Agarwala: A Revolutionary Cultural Architect of 20th Century Assam Social Change, Vol 42, No 2, June 2012, pp 263-280, ISSN 0049-0857/ISSN Online: 0976-3538, DOI: 10.1177/004908571204200207 (published from SAGE-Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC) 
• Profit from Sickness: The Case of Technology-driven Healthcare, Advances in Applied Sociology (Co-authored with Suman Hazarika), Vol. 2, No 4 PP. 237-244, Pub. Date: December 13, 2012.ISSN 2165-4328 (Print), 2165-4336 (Online) DOI: 10.4236/aasoci.2012.24031, (Google Scholar) Downloads: 483 as on 18th April 2013 
• Healthcare Technology: A Domain of Inequality, Advances in Applied Sociology (Co-authored with Suman Hazarika), Vol. 3, No 2, publication date May 29, 2013, pp 85-92, ISSN 2165-4382 (Print), 2165-4336 (online), DOI: 10.4236/aasocio.2013.32011 (Google Scholar) Downloads: 111 as on 2nd August 2013