Vishal Gaikwad

Vishal is a Doctor of Juridical Science Candidate at the UArizona College of Law Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program (IPLP) and the Director of Marketing and Communications for the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP) José Francisco Calí Tzay. Through IPLP, Vishal assists UNSRRIP in Web Development, Multimedia, and Communications.

For the Senior Vice President's Office of Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement, Assistant Vice Provost's Native American Initiatives, and Research, Innovation, & Impact's Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office, Vishal developed the UArizona's Native American Advancement, Initiatives, and Research (NAAIR) web portal, an accessible go-to hub for information about the University of Arizona's rich array of Native and Indigenous research, education programs, outreach, community resources, and engagement opportunities.

Born in a small village in Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra and raised in Mumbai, Vishal is a first-generation college graduate and a member of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (formerly treated as Untouchables or Outcastes) community in India. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com.), a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Mumbai University, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Brooklyn Law School, NY.