Prof. (Dr.) Ramesh C. Gaur is the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Media and Design at South Asian University, an international university established by the SAARC nations. A Fulbright Scholar and internationally recognised academic leader, he has over 36 years of distinguished experience in higher education, arts and culture, documentary heritage, knowledge management, digitisation, digital preservation, research governance, Indian and South Asian languages, ancient scripts, language documentation, digital heritage management, and institutional leadership.
Prior to joining South Asian University, Prof. Gaur served as Dean (Academics & Administration) and Director & Head (Kala Nidhi Division) at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture, Government of India. During his tenure, he spearheaded several nationally and internationally acclaimed initiatives, including the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme, the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar), the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design, and other major projects on documentary heritage, manuscript conservation, digital archives, indigenous knowledge systems, language preservation, and cultural resource management. He also coordinated the reorganisation of artworks and aesthetics Project at Rashtrapati Bhavan and curated the Republic Day Tableau in a record time of just 19 days on Sri Aurobindo during his 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations in 2022.
Prof. Gaur became the first Indian nominated to UNESCO's International Advisory Committee (IAC) of the Memory of the World Programme, where he contributed to global policy and evaluation of documentary heritage. He also served as Co-Chair of the UNESCO Global Task Force on Indigenous Languages, advancing international efforts to safeguard endangered and indigenous languages and contributing to the objectives of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. He has successfully led the preparation of several UNESCO nomination dossiers that resulted in the inscription of India's documentary treasures, including the Bhagavad Gītā, Nāṭyaśāstra, Ramcharitmanas, Pañcatantra, and Sahṛdayāloka-Locana, Abhinavgupta Manuscripts, Mahabharat, Rajtarangini, Arthashastra, Valmiki Ramyana and Tirukkuṟaḷ, in UNESCO's Memory of the World Registers, significantly enhancing India's global cultural profile.
As Director of the National School of Drama (NSD), Prof. Gaur revitalised academic and cultural programmes by leading the institution's first comprehensive curriculum revision in two decades and expanding the Bharat Rang Mahotsav to twelve cities across India. Under his leadership, NSD organised more than 500 Nukkad Nataks across the country, using theatre as a medium for public awareness on cybercrime, environmental conservation, blood donation, electoral participation, and the stories of India's unsung freedom fighters. He also promoted landmark productions based on the Vitasta, the Kargil War, Shakuntala and other significant episodes of Indian history. As Officer on Special Duty for establishing the Indian Institute of Heritage, he made significant contributions to its academic planning, curriculum design, and institutional development.
Prof Gaur coordinated on behalf of IGNCA in various meetings and the drafting of the final Ministerial Declaration (The Bhopal Declaration) of the BRICS Cultural Working Group 2026 under India’s Chairship 2026. He also served as a Member of the Editorial Board, UNESCO South Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, for the State of Education Report 2026 on the theme Multilingual Education. He has produced two Documentary films on behalf of IGNCA on topics related to Indian Languages.
He has represented India in 46 professional visits across more than 26 countries, fostering international collaboration in higher education, culture, heritage, languages, digital preservation, and knowledge management. His contributions continue to influence global discourse on documentary heritage, cultural diplomacy, research integrity, digital humanities, and the preservation of the world's linguistic and cultural diversity.
Prof. Gaur has served on numerous prestigious international and national bodies. His international affiliations include the Expert Consultation Committee for the International Centre on Documentary Heritage (Republic of Korea), the Consultative Committee on Digital Dunhuang (China), the International NDLTD Board of Directors (USA), and leadership positions within the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), including serving as the first Indian Chair of the IFLA Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage. In India, he has served on over 100 national committees, governing bodies, academic councils, and policy groups, including those of the UGC, Ministry of Culture, CSIR, INFLIBNET, NITI Aayog, and several universities and national institutions, making significant contributions to higher education policy, research integrity, academic governance, documentary heritage, and cultural preservation. These details are also reflected in his earlier professional profile.
A prolific scholar, institution builder, and policy expert, Prof. Gaur has authored or edited 22 books, 54 volumes of Descriptive Catalogues of Manuscripts, published over 70 research papers, delivered more than 800 invited lectures, and organised over 500 national and international conferences, seminars, and academic events.
As Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design at South Asian University, Prof. Gaur envisions building a globally engaged and interdisciplinary academic ecosystem that brings together arts, media, design, languages, literature, culture, heritage, creative industries, and emerging digital technologies. His vision is to position the faculty as a leading centre for innovation in South Asia by integrating traditional knowledge systems with contemporary scholarship, digital humanities, artificial intelligence, language technologies, cultural entrepreneurship, and inclusive education, while nurturing socially responsible and globally competent creative leaders capable of addressing the cultural, linguistic, and developmental aspirations of the South Asian region and the wider world.
Professional Experience
International Exposure
National Committees and Projects
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Legendary contributions of Prof. Gaur have been acknowledged, appreciated and honoured by over 100 National and International Institutions, Associations and professional bodies. Some of these are listed below: