HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Nov 28: Dr Udoy Saikia, a distinguished Assamese academic and professor at Flinders University, Australia, has brought immense pride to Assam by receiving the Award for Excellence in Research Leadership for 2024 from Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia.
This prestigious award is one of the highest honours in any Australian university, celebrating exceptional contributions to research and leadership.
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Originally from Jorhat, Assam, Dr Saikia has been teaching in Australia for the past 23 years.
Dr Saikia’s groundbreaking work focuses on translating research into actionable policies that drive meaningful social change. One of his notable achievements is the Human Wellbeing Index (HWI), a pioneering tool that goes beyond income-based metrics to provide a holistic measure of development.
His leadership in developing the HWI earned international recognition, including its first inclusion in the United Nations Human Development Report for Timor-Leste in 2018, marking a historic shift in global development measurement.
His research has since expanded to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Kiribati.
Moreover, Dr Saikia’s expertise has also been recognised by the International Science Council (ISC), where he served as a global expert on sustainable development. He was one of three Australian experts appointed to the International Review Committee for evaluating the United Nations Global Report on Sustainable Development in 2019 and 2022.
In addition to his research, Dr Saikia has made significant contributions as an educator and mentor, supervising 25 PhD students from 15 countries. His recent collaborative research in South India, focusing on empowering marginalised women in remote villages, was published in the book Empowering Marginalised Women in Remote Indian Villages.
Dr Saikia’s illustrious career includes numerous accolades, such as the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2011 and the Australian Government Teaching Award in 2012.
His academic journey began with postgraduate studies at prestigious institutions like the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (India) and the London School of Economics (UK).
Dr Saikia’s achievements carry forward the legacy of his father, the late Dr Padma Dhar Saikia, a renowned Assamese economist and former Director of the Agro-Economic Research Centre for Northeast India.
Through his exceptional contributions to research, teaching, and policy development, Professor Udoy Saikia continues to inspire both the Assamese and global academic communities.
