ICSSR Awards Major Research Grant to Central University of Odisha

ICSSR Grants Major Research Project to CUO Anthropologist on Elderly Caregiving in Odisha

Koraput / Odisha :
The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) has awarded a Multidisciplinary Major Research Project to Dr. B. K. Srinivas, Senior Assistant Professor and Head (In-Charge), Department of Anthropology, Central University of Odisha (CUO). The prestigious grant was sanctioned in December 2025 under the national research call on “Family and Family Systems in India (2025–26)”.

The Vice-Chancellor (I/c.) of CUO, Prof. N. C. Panda, congratulated Dr. Srinivas and extended his best wishes for the successful implementation of the project.

Titled “Family Caregiving and Support Systems for the Elderly in Odisha: An Intersectional Study,” the two-year research project falls under the theme “Family, Society, and Institutions.” It focuses on understanding family-based elder care practices, with special attention to the geriatric population in Odisha.

The project will be led by Dr. B. K. Srinivas as Project Director, along with Co-Project Directors:

• Dr. Meera Swain, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Gangadhar Meher University, Sambalpur
• Dr. Aliva Mohanty, Professor, P.G. Department of Gender Studies, Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar
• Dr. Jharana Swain, Principal Counsellor, Family Court, Bhubaneswar

The study aims to examine the intersectional dynamics of family caregiving, analysing how socioeconomic conditions, cultural norms, migration patterns, and institutional frameworks shape caregiving experiences of elderly persons. It will explore three key cross-cutting dimensions—caste and class, migration, and access to and adaptability of technology.

Moving beyond conventional welfare- or demography-based approaches, the research adopts a multilayered analytical framework that goes beyond gender alone to offer a holistic understanding of caregiving practices. Fieldwork will be conducted across Western, Eastern, and Southern Odisha, capturing regional variations influenced by livelihoods, kinship systems, and social structures.

The project also seeks to bridge the gap between policy frameworks and lived realities. While existing programmes promote active ageing and senior citizen participation, the critical role of family caregivers—often unpaid and invisible—remains underrepresented in policy discourse. By identifying institutional gaps, the study aims to recommend inclusive, socio-culturally responsive, and gender-sensitive policy interventions.

Highlighting the growing impact of migration on elder care, the study notes that caregiving responsibilities continue to fall disproportionately on women due to entrenched gender norms. Migration-related family restructuring often creates emotional, financial, and psychological pressures, which the research intends to document and address through policy-relevant insights.