Varuna Semwal | Arts and Humanities | Best Researcher Award

Posted on by Phenomenological Research

Best Researcher Award

Varuna Semwal
Gautam Buddha University, India.

Varuna Semwal
Affiliation Gautam Buddha University
Country India
Google Scholar KbIGB3IAAAAJ
Documents 18
Citations 8
h-index 1
Subject Area Arts and Humanities
Event International Phenomenological Research Awards
ORCID 0009-0008-3271-6675

Varuna Semwal is a researcher at Gautam Buddha University, India, working in the Arts and Humanities. Her scholarship focuses on Indian folk art, floor line traditions and their relevance to contemporary design. [1]. This article presents her profile in the context of the Best Researcher Award at the International Phenomenological Research Awards.

Abstract

This article summarises the scholarly profile of Varuna Semwal, whose research examines the cultural meaning, aesthetics and utility of traditional floor art in India. Her work draws on Bengal’s broto alpona, Uttarakhand’s aipan and related floor line traditions, and considers how these practices can inform inclusive and culturally grounded design [3]. Her profile is reviewed here against the criteria of a research recognition award.

Keywords

  • Folk art and floor line traditions
  • Broto alpona and aipan
  • Cultural heritage and design
  • Inclusive design and aesthetics

Introduction

Traditional ritual and decorative art carries symbolic, social and historical meaning that is often overlooked in formal design discourse. Varuna Semwal’s research addresses this gap by interpreting folk motifs as cultural records and as resources for contemporary practice. Her scholarship is affiliated with Gautam Buddha University, India, and is indexed in Scopus [1] and Google Scholar [3].

Research Profile

The researcher’s subject area is Arts and Humanities. Her Scopus record shows 18 documents, 8 citations and an h-index of 1 [1]. Her ORCID record provides a persistent identifier for her scholarly output [2]. Much of her work is co-authored with Shreejit Guha and Debkumar Chakrabarti, and her recent publications continue to develop themes of tradition, identity and design.

Research Contributions

Her contributions can be grouped into the following areas:

  • Documentation and interpretation of Bengal’s broto folk art [4].
  • Analysis of aesthetic and utility issues in floor line art for inclusive cultural design [5].
  • Study of the professionalisation of aipan within a changing socio-economic landscape.
  • Examination of floor art motifs as carriers of mythical narrative and identity.

Publications

Selected publications listed on her Google Scholar profile [3] include:

  1. Semwal, V., Guha, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2024). From tradition to transformation: exploring broto folk art of Bengal. Chitrolekha Journal on Art and Design, 8(1) [4].
  2. Semwal, V., Guha, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2025). Designing toward an inclusive culture with reference to aesthetics and utility issues of floor line art. International Conference on Research into Design, 279–291 [5].
  3. Semwal, V., & Guha, S. (2026). Recontextualizing tradition: the professionalization of Aipan in a changing socio-economic landscape. The International Journal of Design in Society.
  4. Semwal, V., & Guha, S. (2026). Floor art motifs as cultural time-capsules. Journal of Kolkata Society for Asian Studies, 1(12), 238–249.
  5. Semwal, V., Guha, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2026). Beyond ornamentation: decoding cultural meaning in Bengal’s broto alpona for contemporary design. Aesthetix Media Services, India.

Research Impact

Citation metrics indicate an emerging profile, with 8 citations and an h-index of 1 [1]. The 2024 article on broto folk art is her most cited work on Google Scholar [4]. Several works dated 2026 are recent, and their citation impact will become clearer over time.

Award Suitability

The Best Researcher Award at the International Phenomenological Research Awards recognises research quality, originality and contribution to a field. Her sustained focus on a defined theme, her publication record across journals and conferences, and her attention to cultural heritage are consistent with these aims. Her work on experiential and cultural meaning in folk art also relates naturally to phenomenological inquiry.

Conclusion

Varuna Semwal’s research contributes to the study of Indian folk art and its application in design. With a consistent thematic direction and a growing body of publications, her profile reflects a developing scholar in Arts and Humanities who merits consideration for research recognition.

References

  1. Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Varuna Semwal, Author ID 60102898600. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=60102898600
  2. ORCID. (n.d.). Varuna Semwal (ORCID iD 0009-0008-3271-6675). ORCID. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3271-6675
  3. Google. (n.d.). Varuna Semwal – Google Scholar profile. Google Scholar. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KbIGB3IAAAAJ&hl=en
  4. Semwal, V., Guha, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2024). From tradition to transformation: exploring broto folk art of Bengal. Chitrolekha Journal on Art and Design, 8(1). https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&user=KbIGB3IAAAAJ:u-x6o8ySG0sC
  5. Semwal, V., Guha, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2025). Designing toward an inclusive culture with reference to aesthetics and utility issues of floor line art. International Conference on Research into Design, 279–291. https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&user=KbIGB3IAAAAJ:IjCSPb-OGe4C