Day One of ‘Mandala 2026’ Research Writing Workshop: Experts Urge Strengthening Research Culture

Udaipur: The two-day research paper writing workshop under “Mandala 2026: Pleasantly Inclusive”, organized by the UGC Centre for Women’s Studies, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, commenced on March 9, 2026, with a dignified inaugural session at the Golden Jubilee Guest House meeting hall. The workshop is specially designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students, with a particular focus on tribal students and young researchers.

The inaugural session saw the distinguished presence of Pragya Kelaramani, IAS, Prof. Sanjay Lodha, and Manikya Lal Verma, Director of the Tribal Research & Training Institute, Udaipur. They emphasized the need to strengthen the research culture among the younger generation. The speakers highlighted the importance of making research and academic writing mandatory for students under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, integrating tribal knowledge into mainstream academic discourse, and fostering gender-just and inclusive research perspectives. Pragya Kelaramani shared administrative examples showing how quality research can make evidence-based policymaking more effective at the grassroots level. Prof. Lodha encouraged young researchers to bring real questions from tribal and marginalized communities into the academic center.

The organizers outlined that ‘Mandala 2026’ is a stepwise program. The first phase, the two-day workshop, aims to empower UG and PG students, especially those from tribal backgrounds, with fundamental understanding of research methodology and academic writing. The second phase, planned for July 2026, will feature a Young Scholars Seminar where participants present their research papers. The third phase will involve review, revision, and mentorship for potential publication, ensuring that students move beyond the workshop to complete and publish their research.

The inaugural session reinforced that structured programs like this are critical under NEP 2020, especially for students from tribal and marginalized communities, as they help equip them with research skills and provide a platform to bring their voices, experiences, and perspectives into mainstream scholarship.

Technical Sessions:

• “Introduction to Research and Basic Methodology” – Prof. Sanjay Lodha discussed research objectives, types, problem selection, hypothesis formulation, and fundamental differences between qualitative and quantitative methods in an interactive manner.

• “Types of Research and Research Hypothesis” – Dr. Neha Paliwal covered hypothesis development, sampling, validity, reliability, and challenges of field-based research.

• “Data Collection and Analysis Techniques” – Dr. Shilpa Lodha guided participants on various data collection tools, interviews, focus groups, observation, surveys, and practical aspects of data management and preliminary analysis.

Activity-Based Learning:
At the end of the day, participants were divided into groups to select a research problem, propose suitable methods, identify data collection techniques, and prepare a brief research framework. This exercise helped students understand how to integrate theory with practice, incorporating gender perspectives, tribal contexts, and local relevance in their proposed research. Students actively engaged in Q&A sessions and expressed a desire for continuous mentorship from experts.

Workshop Management:
Sessions were organized and conducted by university students Jamila, Khyati Paliwal, Payal Mali, Deepika Salvi, Ranu Vaishnav, Aman Salvi, Bhavna Goswami, Shaista Rizwana, Lalit Meghwal, Vinisha Sharma, Abhilasha Dangi, Krishna Sen, Mahesh Regar, among others.

Street Play “Problem Nahi, Periods Hai”:
As part of the workshop, MDS Hostel students performed a powerful street play challenging orthodox ideas about menstruation with the slogan “Chuppi Todenge, Soch Badlenge” (Break the Silence, Change the Mindset). Students from various departments – Sakshi Anjana, Vibha Sharma, Rajvi Soni, Mili Goyal, Kinjal, Vijayalakshmi Vaishnav, Prerna Nagda, Akshpari Chandawat, Khushbu Rathi, Vaibhavi, Nishtha Dhakad, Gunisha Makol – participated in the performance, engaging the audience and initiating dialogue on the subject.

This first day successfully combined theoretical training, practical exercises, and awareness activities, laying a strong foundation for the rest of the workshop.