RESEARCH TEAM*
Zoé E. HEADLEY, Social Anthropologist
Zoe Headley initiated the STARS project. She is CNRS Research Fellow. She was the principal coordinator in the constitution of the STARS archive (EAP 737, EAP946).
© STARS Archive
K. Ramesh KUMAR, Photographer
Mr. K. Ramesh Kumar, joined the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) in 1997 as a photographer. He is presently the head of the IFP Photo Archive and co-coordinated the constitution of the STARS archive (EAP 737, EAP 946).
© STARS Archive
Alexandra De HEERING, Historian
Alexandra de Heering is a postdoctoral researcher (FNRS, Belgium) and research associate at the French Institute of Pondicherry, India. She co-coordinated EAP 946.
© STARS Archive
Vanessa CARU, Historian
Vanessa Caru is CNRS Research Fellow in contemporary social history at French Institute of Pondicherry. Her research within the STARS project focuses on the emergence of the studio photographers as a professional group.
© STARS Archive
ARCHIVE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT TEAM*
Anand, Arun, Noel, Mehala and Vinnoli were involved in many aspects of the ‘data mining’ of the STARS studio survey and digitization, funded by the EAP (2016-2019) as well as the development and management of both the physical and digital STARS Archive (IFP).
J. ANANDHAJOTHI
Anand holds a Master of Arts in Tamil literature, is certified in photography and video graph. He has worked on several South Indian village projects including: South Indian Folklore Project in Madurai (2003 to 2006), DATAH project funded by the Endangered Archive Programme hosted by the French Institute of Pondicherry (2014 to 2016). His interests are – documenting photos and research oriented field work.
© STARS Archive
M. ARUN
Arun is a ĀRUN is a self-taught, freelance photographer with a particular interest in archival photographic processes and is a specialist in printing processes. His personal work focuses on the contemporary forces of development on India’s traditional culture and natural environment.
© STARS Archive
S. MEHALA
Mehala is currently pursuing a PhD in the department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University on the issues of identity, stigma and coping strategies among leprosy sufferers. She received a Junior Research Fellowship from UGC (India). In 2011 she passed the national eligibility test for lectureship (NET) and was a DAAD Fellow at Cologne University, Germany. One of her interests focuses on Visual Anthropology dealing with photography and its interpretation.
© STARS Archive
K. VINNOLI
A creative person with a zest for life, Vinnoli is a journalism graduate from Madras Christian College, Chennai. Defined as an adaptable thinker, nature lover, friendly and down to earth individual, she completed her final semester research on the impact of television on the Narikuravar tribe in Avadi, Chennai and interned at Auroville Radio recording, interviewing and editing soundscapes. She worked in advertising assisting image post production, casting and interviews.
© STARS Archive
ASSOCIATED MEMBERS
Arya Aditya, Photographer, founder of the India Photo Archive Foundation, Delhi, India
Anne-Julie Etter, Historian, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, France
Madhavan Pillai, Founder and director of the Asia Photography Archive, Ooty, India
Yann Potin, Historian, Archives Nationales, France.
Bertrand Sainte-Marthe, Conservator, Archives Nationales, France
Kasha Vande, President, EXPOSURE, France
Denis Vidal, Social anthropologist, IRD, France
*Research Team photos are edited versions of original studio portraits from the STARS Archive.