Dr Ranjan is a Sociologist specialising in responsible recruitment, migrant rights, and social policy advocacy across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf with extensive experience in human rights, migration, and labor issues. Currently, serving as the South Asia Regional Coordinator for the Institute for Human Rights and Business, focusing on the Migrant Workers Programme and the Responsible Recruitment Register. As a Country of Origin Expert, provides in-depth reports on human rights challenges in multiple countries, including Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Holds part-time roles as a Senior Research Fellow at both the International Institute for Migration and Development and the Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism, contributing to project implementation and strategic development. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, where key projects on labor migration were led. Proficient in various research methodologies and data analysis tools, with advanced skills in documentation, presentation, and video editing software. Committed to addressing complex human rights issues, including discrimination, trafficking, and safe migration practices.
recruitment, migrant rights, and social policy advocacy across
South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf. With over a decade
of experience, Dr. Ranjan excels in stakeholder management
and collaborates closely with governments, NGOs, and
international bodies to address critical issues such as fair
recruitment practices, workplace discrimination, and migrant
workers' rights.
Caste Discrimination or Persecution,
Deportees/Criminal Deportees,
Ethnic Discrimination or Persecution,
Forced Conscription,
Forced Marriage,
LGBTQ Issues,
Likelihood of destitution or homelessness,
Mental Illness,
Political Persecution,
Religious Discrimination or Persecution,
Risk of Retaliation,
Safe Internal Relocation,
Sufficiency of Protection,
Tribal Discrimination or Persecution,
Violence Against Children/Child Abuse.
SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL COORDINATOR | 2021 - NOW Institute for Human Rights and Business Point of contact for IHRB's Migrant Workers Programme in South Asia, supporting and promoting the Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment (LGRR) Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and other regional locations. Developed and currently managing the Responsible Recruitment Register, a tool that lists companies adhering to the employer pays principle.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN EXPERT | 2021 - NOW Providing country of origin expert report for Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Qatar and Singapore. Extensive expertise in addressing complex human rights issues, including caste, ethnic, and religious discrimination; gender-based and LGBTQ-related violence; political and state persecution; trafficking; healthcare access; forced marriage and conscription; land disputes; and protection challenges such as safe relocation, destitution risks, and child abuse.
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW | 2023 - NOW International Institute for Migration and Development Part-time engagement offering guidance on project implementation and providing support for publications. Assisting with strategy development and content creation to enhance project outcomes.
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW | 2012 - NOW Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism Involved with the organization since its inception. Providing comprehensive support across various initiatives. Managed numerous projects and global learning programmes, including online certificate courses and webinar series.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | 2018 - 2022 Tata Institute of Social Sciences Taught several courses on labour and migration and led the implementation of key projects, including the Bihar Migration Survey funded by the International Justice Mission, Takshila Education Society, and India Centre for Migration. Additional projects include "International Recruitment of Migrant Labourers from Bihar" and "Returnee Deported Labour Migrants from the Gulf."
Authored Book Rahman, Mizanur Md and Rakesh, Ranjan (2020). Indian Diaspora Homeland Engagement: Education and Healthcare Sector. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 9780190121341
Commentary
Ranjan, R. & Tripathy, S. (26 January 2024). Governments must consider the risks of sending migrant workers to conflict zones. IHRB Commentary. Available at https:// www.ihrb.org/latest/why-india- needs-to-reconsider-sending-workers-to-conflict-zones
Ranjan, R. (20 October 2023). Recruitment fees are holding back sustainable development - how can this practice be stopped?. IHRB Commentary. Available at https://www.ihrb.org/ latest/recruitment- fees-are-holding-back-sustainable-development-how-can-this-practicebe-stopped
Journal Articles
Ranjan, R. (2021). Remittance Matters: International Migration and Left-Behind Family in Rural India. Migration and Diaspora: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 2(2). ISSN: 2581-9437
Ranjan, R. (2021). Migrant Integration and Role of State: Development of Entrepreneurship among Malaysian Indian Plantation Workers. Journal of Migration Affairs, 3(1). ISSN- 2582-0990
Ranjan, R., & Bisht, M. (2020). Novel Coronavirus and Indian Overseas Labour Migrants: Updates from Gulf Cooperation Council Countries. Roots and Routes, 9(1-4).
Md Mizanur Rahman & Rakesh Ranjan (2020) Local migrant organizations in the periphery: providing healthcare in India, Migration and Development, 9:3, 411-427, DOI: 10.1080/21632324.2019.1706248. ISSN- 2163-2324
Rajan, S.I., Heller, A., and Ranjan, R., (2018), Kerala's Flood Disaster: Will Migration Still Act as Indemnification? Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 53, Issue No. 36, 08 September 2018. ISSN- 0012- 9976
Ranjan. Rakesh (2017), International Labour Migration, Remittances and Development: Assessing Role of Remittances in the Household Level Developmental Prospects, Manpower Journal, Vol. No. 4, ISSN- 0542-5808
Ranjan, Rakesh (2014), Social Structure among New Indian Diaspora: A study of the United States of America, published by World Focus, January 2014. ISSN- 2230-8458.
Book Chapters
Ranjan, Rakesh & Joy, Menhdi (2022). Host Land Integration beyond Dependence Visa: Being Migrants’ Children in GCC Countries. In Matsukawa, Kyoko, Watanabe, Akiko & Babar, Zohra (Eds.). Transnational Generations in the GCC Countries and Beyond. Gulf Studies Book Series, Doha: Routledge.
Hindi (Fluent)
Bangla (Basics) Nepali (Intermediate)