Asia Region

URI Korea Website | URI Pakistan Website | URI India Blog | URI International Peace Research Institute (IPRI)

URI Asia is our network’s fastest growing region. With Cooperation Circles in India, Pakistan and Korea, URI Asia connects interfaith organizations and helps mobilize thousands of local civilians to address large issues of poverty, the rights of women and children, violence, infanticide and caste discrimination.

Current initiatives include empowering the role of women in both India and Pakistan, economic justice for indigenous populations, and youth programs in Pakistan, South Korea, and India. URI Asia has formed an Executive Committee and legal entity, called URI Asia Trust, to formalize their work together as a team.

• James Channan, OP, Coordinator for Pakistan - Fr. James is the head of the Dominican Order in Pakistan. At present, he serves as Director of the Pastoral Institute, a Catholic establishment and also works with the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with Islam.
• Biswadeb Chakraborty, Coordinator for East Zone, India - Mr. Chakraborty is an accomplished musician and community organizer. He leads Ektaan, a URI Cooperation Circle that focuses on using music to counter caste discrimination. Recently, he has been organizing Cooperation Circles in the Tribal lands of West Bengal.
• Hira Paul Gangnegi, Ph.D, Coordinator for North Zone, India - Dr. Gangnegi was born in a remote tribal village, Kanam, on the border of Tibet. He is the first educated member of his family. Currently, he is a senior lecturer and teaches the Tibetan language and Tibetan Buddhism at the University of Delhi.
• Abraham Karickam, Ph.D, Coordinator for South Zone, India - Dr. Karickam holds a PhD in English and Inter-religious Studies. He is the retired Director of Comparative Literature at Mar Thoma College in Kerala. He is the author of 15 books including, most recently: Concept of Salvation in the Upanishads, the Bible and the Qur’an; and Intertextuality of the Holy Books.
• Qutub Kidwai, Coordinator for India, West Zone - University educated, Ms. Kidwai is an advocate for the advancement of women, particularly in the rural areas outside of Mumbai where girl infanticide is still widely practiced.
• Jinwol Young Lee, PhD., Coordinator for South Korea - Dr. Jinwol Lee is a Buddhist Monk and Zen Master, who teaches Buddhist meditation and culture at Dongguk University.