Prof Sudha Pai born on 9th November 1950 is a well known political scientist who completed her graduation and post-graduation from the University of Delhi and her M/Phil and PhD from JNU. Professor Pai taught at Gargi College for Women, Delhi University from 1972 to 1975 and then pursued her M/Phil and PhD from JNU. She joined JNU as Assistant Professor at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences in 1980. Since joining the Centre she has taught Courses and guided research in the field of Indian Politics and Comparative Politics. Her research interests include Dalit Politics, State Politics in India, Agrarian Politics, Globalization and Legislative Governance.

Professor Pai is on the Board of many Research Institutes and has been member of many Research Projects including SIDA (Sweden) and the UNRISD. She was awarded the Faculty Research Fellowship from the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Canada in 1996 and was Senior Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti, New Delhi from 2006 to 2009. She has travelled widely and attended various National and International Seminars and Conferences. Well known for her research on various aspects of Indian Politics, she has authored 5 books, 4 edited volumes and 20 twenty chapters in books apart from articles in reputed national and international journals. She is also well known for her articles in leading national newspapers.