Professor (Dr.) Meenakshi Gopinath is an eminent educationist, political scientist, and writer. She founded and leads the Women in Security Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), a non-governmental organization, promoting peace and socio-political leadership among the women of South Asia. She majored in Political Science at Bachelors level from the prestigious Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College for Women, University of Delhi; Masters from the University of Massachusetts, USA, and a Doctorate from the University of Delhi.  She has been a Fulbright scholar and has received several fellowships including the Australian International Education Foundation Fellowship (1996-97) and the University Grants Commission Indo-Israel Exchange Fellowship (1994-1996) among others. She was Distinguished Visiting Scholar 2015, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and Honorary Adjunct Professor, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University, Australia.

She is Chair, Board of Governors, Centre for Policy Research (CPR), and Principal Emerita of Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi where she served as Principal for 26 years from 1988-2014. She has been a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), India.

Dr. Gopinath was the first woman to serve as a member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) of India. She is a member of multi-track peace initiatives and people-to-people dialogues in South Asia. She has authored among others Pakistan in Transition, and co-authored Conflict Resolution – Trends and Prospects, Transcending Conflict: A Resource Book on Conflict Transformation and Dialogic Engagement and has contributed chapters and articles in several books and journals on Gandhi, the politics of Pakistan, the arts Conflict Resolution, Gender and Peace Building et al. Her interests include issues of human rights and gender, conflict transformation, and Buddhist and Gandhian philosophy. She also headed the Task Force of the   SAKSHAM Report of the University Grants Commission that initiated several policy reforms on Gender Equity on Higher Education Institutes in India.

Dr. Gopinath has written and lectured across the world on issues of Conflict Transformation, Peacebuilding, Women’s Leadership, Education for Peace, International Relations, and Diplomacy. She has authored ‘Pakistan in Transition’ and numerous books, monographs, and publications; the commissioning editor of the 6 volume series, ‘Revisioning and Engendering Security’ and has contributed chapters to edited volumes and several articles on issues of Gandhian thought, Security, Gender, Peacebuilding, and Indian politics.

In recognition of her contribution to the field of women’s education and empowerment, she has received several awards including the Padma Shri Award (2007) from the President of India, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in Education, Award of the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters (Honoris Causa) for significant contribution to the education of women and the commitment to fostering global peace through Conflict Resolution, La Trobe University, Australia, Distinguished Alumna Award, by Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi.