Photo: Cornelia Mallebrein
Cornelia Mallebrein studied Indology, Indian Art History and Ethnology at the Universities of Munich, Göttingen and Tübingen where she graduated in 1994 with a doctorate. Several DFG research projects followed: 1995 - 1997 the study 'Comparative Studies on the Cult and Iconography of House, Family, Clan and Ancestor Deities in Central India', followed by a six-year DFG project on rural and tribal religious traditions in Odisha from 1999 - 2005. From 2009 - 2011 she did research at the University of Konstanz on the topic of conversion efforts in India and their consequences.
Her research focuses on rural and tribal India with emphasis on religious and artistic traditions and cultural change through conversion. The regional focus is on Central India and Odisha. As part of her academic activities, she has undertaken several research trips to India each year since the beginning of her studies. As a guest curator, she has presented her results to a broad audience in numerous exhibitions, especially in Germany, Switzerland, and in numerous cities in India and the USA. In 2012 she was awarded with the Federal Cross of Merit in recognition of her many years of social commitment and the promotion of intercultural exchange between Germany and India.
