Aruna Kharod

Aruna Kharod is an ethnomusicologist who researches transnational histories and artisanship cultures of Indian performing arts. Trained in Hindustani music (sitar) and Bharatanatyam dance, she directs Bowdoin’s South Asian Ensemble.

Dr. Kharod’s current book project examines how processes of curation, politics, and connoisseurship shaped sitar making and music from the late 1700s onwards. This work synthesizes multilingual ethnographic and archival research from across India, the US, and Europe.

As a public humanities scholar, Dr. Kharod leads and advocates for equity-oriented arts programming, grantmaking, and education. Previously, she worked as an arts educator, artist-in-residence, researcher, and consultant in museum and non-profit settings. 

Dr. Kharod’s research, public humanities, and artistic work has been supported by institutions including the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Fulbright Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Presser Foundation, and Texas Folklife. Her research on transnational sitar making was awarded UT Austin’s prestigious Donald D. Harrington Dissertation Fellowship.

Dr. Kharod’s research is published and forthcoming in journals including the International Journal of Traditional Arts (2022) and Journal of Musicological Research (2026). [Link to published works]