The Centre has envisaged mainly two kinds of research programmes under its auspices
(i) in-house research activities, and
(ii) inter-departmental collaborative research programmes, besides national and international networking.

1.(i) Under the in-house research activities, the Centre has been undertaking research studies covering socio-economic status, trade and investment patterns, gender equity and demographic profile of the South Asian region. In this direction, the Centre brought out ten books, five monographs and about 80 research papers, besides a few reports and book reviews.

Books:     

• T.Nirmala Devi (ed.2007), India and Bay of Bengal Community: The BIMSTEC Experiment, New Delhi: Gyan Books Pvt. Ltd.
  
  
• A.Subramanyam Raju (ed., 2007), Reconstructing South Asia: An Agenda, New Delhi: Gyan Books Pvt. Ltd.


• A.Subramanyam Raju (ed.2007), India-Sri Lanka Partnership in the 21^st Century, New Delhi: Kalpaz Publishers.


• K.C.Reddy and T. Nirmala Devi (eds., 2006), WTO and Implications for South Asia, New Delhi: Serials Publications.


• K.C.Reddy (ed, 2004), Indian Economic Reforms: An Assessment, New Delhi: Sterling Publications Pvt., Ltd.


• K.C.Reddy and T. Nirmala Devi (eds., 2002), Regional Cooperation in South Asia: New Dimensions, New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers’ Distributors.
  
  
• K.C.Reddy (ed., 2000), Economic and Public Policy, Bombay: Himalaya Publishing House.
  

• T. Nirmala Devi (1996), Population and Development in SAARC, New Delhi: South Asian Publishers Pvt. Ltd.



• T. Nirmala Devi (1994), Socio-Economic Profile of SAARC Countries, New Delhi: South Asian Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
  
  
• T. Nirmala Devi (1989), Regional Economic Cooperation in South Asia, Allahabad: Chugh Publications.

Monographs:

• T. Nirmala Devi (1998), Trade Cooperation in SAARC: Potentials and Constraints
  
  
• T. Nirmala Devi (1993), Nepal: A Survey of Geo-Political Issues
  
  
• T. Nirmala Devi (1991) , SAARC :Towards Economic Cooperation
  


• T.Nirmala Devi, (1991), South Asian Regional Co-operation: Obstacles & Opportunities
  
  
• T. Nirmala Devi (1990), Sri Lanka: A Study of Ethnic and Socio-Economic Affairs

(ii) Another feature of the in-house research activity is the organization of Seminars by the Centre. It has been organizing Seminars/ Conferences/Symposia, relevant to the current topical issues on South Asia. So far, the Centre has organized four international and five national seminars and two symposia. The recent seminar on "Envisioning a New South Asia" organized by the Centre, during March 29-31, 2007 was well received. This Seminar was sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. Scholars from different parts of South Asia, viz. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal participated and presented papers, besides eminent scholars from India. The seminar was inaugurated by Amb.Sumith Nakandala, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Nepal and the Keynote address was delivered by Amb.I.P.Khosla, former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. The seminar proceedings are being published in the form of a volume.

Prof. L.Venugopal Reddy, Vice-Chancellor speaking at the International Seminar  

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(iii) The other programme of the in-house research activity is introducing M.Phil/ Ph.D programme in the Centre. This programme has been approved and is likely to be implemented from the next academic year. The Centre conducted two Advisory Committee meetings in 2005 and 2007during the current phase and most of the recommendations have been fulfilled.

2. (i) The Centre is promoting inter-departmental collaborative research programmes on SAARC studies with the objective of utilizing the expertise available within the University. Accordingly a Working Group Committee has been constituted with the faculty from the social science departments to work on the thrust areas, identified by the Expert Review Committee.

In view of the importance of research collaboration with the outside Institutions/ Centres working on South Asian studies, the Centre is planning to have meaningful academic interaction with like minded institutions/ similar Area Studies Centres of the UGC, working on South and Southeast Asia.

The Centre is planning to bring out shortly a bi-annual journal entitled Journal of South Asian Affairs to highlight the issues, related to the SAARC region.

(ii) The Centre is attempting to establish national and international networking. In this direction, the Centre is opening its own Website shortly for establishing links with the Area Studies Centres and other institutions working on South Asian studies in India and abroad.

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