• School systems and schooling processes in challenging locations
• Implementation of educational policies and governance systems in armed conflict zones
• Role of civil society organisations and humanitarian aids in violence prone zones
• Nature of Human Rights in armed conflict zones

Vikas has a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Lucknow and a Master’s degree in Education (MA in Education) from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. He is a keen student of Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj— total philosophy of life and social order based on universal principles of life. 

He is deeply interested in dialogues around violence and Gandhian nonviolence to mark sufferings, the resistance of grassroots and reconciling ​‘self-image’ of communities within a larger identity, and protection and nurturing of that identity into its extended national and global identity.

Before joining the role of field practice coordinator, he worked on a research project at Azim Premji University titled ​‘Importance of geography as a discipline and nature of Geography as a school subject in India: An exploratory study’. 

Prior to this, for six years, he worked on peacebuilding processes — restoration and resettlement of public welfare systems and communities in the armed conflict zone of central India, in different capacities. He has worked extensively with communities of the region, school systems, welfare systems and was part of various advisories and consulting bodies for government and administrative establishments. 

His academic research interests lie in understanding the interrelation between curriculum and educational policies, processes of governance in conflict zones, role of justice and human rights in humanitarian interventions in violence-prone zones.