Sananda Mukherjee at IAMCR2024
Sananda Mukherjee, from the KIIT School of Mass Communication, KIIT DU, Bhubaneswar, India, was awarded a travel grant to present two papers: “Decolonizing Health Practices in the Santhal Tribe of West Bengal: Understanding the Incorporation of Reiki Healing through Media Narratives”, to the Health Communication Working Group, and "Traditional Medicine, Climate Change, and Sustainability: A Human Ecology Approach in Assam, India” to the Environment, Science, and Risk Communication Working Group.
This is how she describes the experience:
“I am profoundly grateful to IAMCR for awarding me the travel grant to attend the 2024 Annual Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand. Since becoming a member in 2022, I have been an avid reader of the experiences shared by previous grant recipients on the IAMCR website. These accounts fueled my aspiration to secure such an honor, and the reality of this achievement still feels surreal. The morning of March 28th, when I received the confirmation email, was a moment of profound joy—I had to pinch myself to believe that my dream had finally come true.
As an early career researcher and Assistant Professor, the travel grant was crucial for careful planning and enabling my participation in the IAMCR conference for the second time. Beyond the academic benefits, the chance to visit the breathtaking country of New Zealand was a profound joy and created lasting, cherished memories that would otherwise have remained a distant dream.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Nico Carpentier, then IAMCR President, and Elske van de Fliert, then Treasurer, for their prompt responses and efficient management of the fund transfer. I hope IAMCR will continue to support early career scholars from low-income economies, allowing many more to benefit from the enriching academic experiences offered at IAMCR conferences."
Thank you, IAMCR!”
Sananda Mukherjee
Assistant Professor, KIIT School of Mass Communication
KIIT DU, Bhubaneswar, India