2014–18: PhD in Linguistics, University of Cambridge, UK (degree awarded 2019)
2010–12: MA in Medieval German Literature, University of Bremen & Palermo
2007–09: MA in German Linguistics, University of Bern, Switzerland (magna cum laude)
Teaching qualifications
2025: Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, UK
2023: Refresher course in Curriculum and Pedagogy, Tezpur University (A+)
2021: Faculty Induction Programme, HRDC, JNU (A+)
2019: Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, UK
My specialisation is in sociolinguistics and historical linguistics. My current research is on language policy. Within language policy, I aim to develop a theory of power and a theoretical framework rooted in essentialising binaries that I term 'Categories of Differentiation' (see my monograph published in 2022). The areas my research intersects with include CDA and Critical Theory. My work within German Studies is also focused on language policies. In 2025, I organised a workshop on 'Language, politics and power in German-speaking countries' at Cambridge. My teaching includes German linguistics, sociolinguistics and historical linguistics. At Cambridge, I taught and supervised on the History of the German language, Translation from German into English and the lexicographical work of Brothers Grimm and Konrad Duden.
2025– : Assistant Professor in German (specialisation Linguistics), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
2022–25: Teaching Associate in German Linguistics, University of Cambridge
2019–22: Assistant Professor in German (specialisation Linguistics), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
2017–19: Teaching and supervision, Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge
2015–16: Supervisor (undergrad tutor), Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge
2011: Research Assistant, Colonial Linguistics Project, University of Bremen (3 months)
2008: Teaching Assistant for German as a Foreign Language, University of Bern
In April 2025, I gave the first-ever Kapuscinski Development Lecture in Central Asia. Kapuscinski Lectures are a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the European Commission for promoting educational excellence. The lecture series commemorates the late Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński. You can watch my talk here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31aGz8UkKK4
In March 2025, my article on India's language policies for deaf and hard-of-hearing people featured on Cambridge University research news and in the global press. See coverage here:
In the global press: https://www.mmll.cam.ac.uk/news/dr-abhimanyu-sharma-featured-global-press
Fellowships and academic residencies
2022: Visiting Residency, Doon University, Dehradun
2021: Faberllull Academic Residency (Language and Human Rights), Olot
2020: Visiting Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania (not claimed due to COVID-19)
2019: Visiting Fellowship, Charles University Prague, Funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, Czech Republic
Long-term scholarships and grants
2014-17: Cambridge International Scholarship
2010-12: Erasmus Mundus Master Scholarship
2007-09: Bundesstipendiat, Switzerland (now known as Swiss Excellence Scholarship)
2014: Doctoral Scholarship, City University of Hong Kong (not claimed)
2014: Theodor Schenk Fonds Scholarship, Bern
2011: Junior Research Fellowship, University Grants Commission, India (not claimed)
2010: Research Grant, Josephine de Karman Foundation, Bern
Short-term scholarships
2014: Walter Benjamin Kolleg Winter School Scholarship, ‘Cultural Transfer – Culture as Transfer’, Schloss Muenchewiler, Bern
2013: DAAD Summer Course Scholarship, Summer School ‘Sprache und Kolonialismus’ (Language and Colonialism), University of Bremen
2005: DAAD Summer Course Scholarship (1st Prize DAAD Essay Writing Competition), Summer School ‘Deutsche Sprache und Kultur’ (German Language and Culture), Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg
2021 – Mentor, Jesus Connect, Jesus College, University of Cambridge
2020 – Communications Secretary, Language Policy Unit, British Association for Applied Linguistics
2019 – Founder, Cambridge Sociolinguistics Circle
2019 – Outreach work associated the UK’s first museum of languages (as part of the project ‘Multilingualism: Empowering Individuals, Transforming Societies’ or MEITS, University of Cambridge)
Journal articles (peer-reviewed)
1) Sharma, A. (2025). India's language policy for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Language Policy. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10993-025-09729-7
2) Sharma, A. (2023). DaF, COVID-19 and newer technologies: Experiences from an Indian University. Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tger.12241
3) Sarangi, A. & Sharma, A. (2022). Language Policy and Federalism in Independent India. Forum of Federations, Occasional Paper Series No. 58. https://forumfed.org/document/language-policy-and-federalism-in-independent-india/
4) Sharma, A. (2021). Whither the Irish Language Act? Language policies in Northern Ireland. Current Issues in Language Planning, 22(3): 308–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2020.1846902
5) Sharma, A. (2020). English as a Facilitator of Social Mobility in India. English Today. The International Review of the English Language (Cambridge Core). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078420000164
Sharma, A. (2022). Reconceptualising Power in Language Policy. Evidence from Comparative Cases. Springer (Language Policy Series 30). ISBN 978-3-031-09460-6. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-09461-3
Reviewed by:
DC Johnson (2025) for Language Problems & Language Planning. Link
Hess-Lüttich (2024) for Kodikas/Code. Link
Sarangi (2024) for Journal of Mulltingual and Multicultural Development. Link
Costea (2023) for Language Policy. Link
Wang (2023) for Language in Society. Link