People at ISS

Professor Balveer Arora serves as the Founder-Chairman of the Centre for Multilevel Federalism (CMF)  at the Institute of Social Sciences, in an honorary capacity.

The CMF was established in 2010 during the Institute's silver jubilee year. It is a member of the International Association of Centres for Federal Studies (IACFS) since 2012. Prior to this, Professor Arora held the position of Professor of Political Science at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he also served as Rector and Pro-Vice Chancellor from 2002 to 2005. He currently chairs the CSDS Board of Governors and holds the title of President Emeritus of the Board of Water for People India. He is a former Chairman of the Governing Body of the Blind Relief Association College for Special Education and serves as the Convenor of the Federal Democracy Programme at the India International Centre.

Professor Arora earned his Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Paris Pantheon-Sorbonne, following his academic journey at St Stephen's College in Delhi and Sciences Po Paris. He has held visiting professorships at Sciences Po Paris, as well as at renowned universities in Japan (Waseda), China (CNU), and the United States (University of Pennsylvania). He is the former President of the Alliance Française de Delhi and the Founder-President of the Sciences Po Alumni Association in India. He also chaired the Governance and Nomination Committee of Plan International India's Board from 2008 to 2017. His extensive scholarly work spans five decades, focusing on India’s federal democracy, its political institutions, and processes.

Professor Arora has contributed significantly to academic and scientific communities, serving on the Scientific Councils of the French Network of Institutes of Advanced Studies (RFIEA) and the House of Human Sciences (FMSH) in Paris. He is currently Vice-President of the Institut International Transcultura in Paris and sits on the Scientific Advisory Council for the journal *Communications*. Recognized for his achievements, he was made a Knight in the Legion of Honour—the highest civilian honor of the French Republic—in July 2011 and was previously appointed Officer in the National Order of Academic Laurels in 2002.