Dr. Varsha Shirgaonkar is a scholar of national and international repute. Her specialization area is eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Maharashtra and Bengal cultural history. After teaching in the colleges at the University of Mumbai Dr. Shirgaonkar retired as Professor and Head, Department of History at S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Mumbai. Her prestigious appointments include Nominee of President of India on 2 Central Universities (2019-2022), member of the Indian Historical Records Committee, New Delhi for 5 years (2017-2022), City Historian-Consultant on the Heritage Review Committee, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (Nov. 2013- February 2019) and UGC Advisory Member for 5 years, from January 2016, SAP-DRS two Universities in India. She was also an advisory member of the Centre for Museology and Conservation, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. She contributed as Convener to Skill Sector ‘Culture’, AICTE, MHRD, New Delhi, and 49 courses for 7 specialisations under Skill Sector ‘Culture’ were designed under her Convenorship. Out of her seven books till now four have found a place in renowned libraries around the world. Besides, she has sixty-seven research articles to her credit so far. She was invited for over a hundred presentations at State, National, and International levels, including Keynote Speaker, Sectional President, and Resource Person for Refresher Courses. Her four completed research projects include one granted by the Royal Numismatic Society, The British Museum, London (2003) and another granted by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Heritage Conservation Society, Mumbai (MMR HCS) (2005-07). She is on many statutory bodies of the Universities and autonomous colleges in Maharashtra, and the bodies of various professional organisations.
