Jishnu Shankar is the Flagship’s Senior Lecturer in Hindi. Shankar arrived at UT in 2007 after serving as an instructor of South Asian Languages and Literatures at Syracuse University. He holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University  and an M.A. from Delhi School of Economics (1986), a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (1984), and a B.A. from Delhi University (1983). Shankar is a pioneer in web-based Hindi-Urdu instruction. His earlier work with online Hindi Urdu lessons has served as the basis for many current web-based Hindi-Urdu projects. He is an ACTFL certified Oral Proficiency Interview tester for Hindi. Aside from Hindi pedagogy, Shankar’s current research centers on the Kinaram Tradition. He has field work experience in India and his major publications include The Book of Aghor WisdomBhagwanramleelamrit (a narrative biography in Hindi of Aghoreshwar Mahaprabhu Bhagwan Ram Ji), and Aghor Vachan Shastra.