An Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) PhD student has co-edited a groundbreaking new book, marked as the first comprehensive anthology of its kind dedicated to Indian animation.
Anitha Balachandran, a postgraduate researcher at AUB’s prestigious Bournemouth Film School, is the co-editor of India Animated. Published by Palgrave Macmillan, in their Palgrave Animation series, the volume represents a historic milestone in animation scholarship, shifting the global spotlight onto the unique history, independent voices and cultural evolution of animation in India.
While India is frequently recognised as a major hub for commercial animation outsourcing, India Animated purposefully explores the nation's distinct aesthetic movements, independent creators and historical pioneers.
“Co-editing this anthology has been a true labour of love, and I am thrilled to share it with the global animation community,” says Anitha. “This book aims to give Indian animation the critical, scholarly focus it has long deserved. I am incredibly grateful for the platform provided by the Palgrave Animation series and for the enthusiastic support from my supervisors at AUB throughout this journey.”
The achievement is a testament to Anitha's long-standing dedication to the discipline. Her academic journey has come full circle at AUB; nearly 20 years ago, her potential was spotted by Professor Paul Ward, who served as the external supervisor for her MA Animation dissertation at the Royal College of Art (RCA).
Years later, when AUB expanded its doctoral programme to welcome remote international researchers, Paul actively recruited her to join the University.
Now making excellent progress on her PhD under the supervision of Paul and AUB's BA (Hons) Animation Production course leader Dr Tom Walsh, Anitha’s extensive research outside her doctoral studies has culminated in this major publication. The volume, co-edited with US-based academic Dr Tim Jones, has already garnered international praise, recently featuring prominently at the Society for Animation Studies (SAS) annual conference in the United States.
Paul, who also co-edits the wider Palgrave Animation book series in which this volume appears, expressed his pride in Anitha's achievement:
“I have known Anitha for many years, and it is incredibly rewarding to see this important volume cross the finish line. Her work is a major achievement for global animation studies, filling a significant scholarly gap in our understanding of India's rich animation history. We are immensely proud to have her leading this research at AUB.”
