Vishal Gaikwad

Vishal holds the position of Professor of Practice - Legal Technologist at the Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program (IPLP) within the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Marketing and Communications for José Francisco Calí Tzay, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP). Through his role at IPLP, Vishal assists both UNSRRIP and the IPLP Initiative on Indigenous Peoples Affected by Protected Areas & Other Conservation Measures in web development, multimedia, and communications.

At the Pascua Yaqui Tribe - University of Arizona Microcampus, Vishal’s work focuses on integrating technology to promote digital inclusion for tribal communities, fostering greater access to digital tools and resources. He also directs the IPLP Tribal Web Development initiative, which aims to create and manage University of Arizona websites that serve and amplify the voices of Indigenous and Native American communities. Additionally, Vishal teaches Tribal Web Development: Law & Training, a course designed to provide tribal community members with essential web development and digital literacy skills. This course emphasizes a practical and legal framework around the Native Sovereign Nations (NSN.Gov) Domain Program, focusing on the rules and regulations for registering and maintaining these domains.

Vishal played a pivotal role in developing the Native American Advancement, Initiatives, and Research (NAAIR) web portal, a centralized hub for Native and Indigenous research, education programs, outreach initiatives, community resources, and engagement opportunities at the University of Arizona. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Vishal was honored with the James E. Rogers College of Law Ralph E. Long Memorial Award 2023.

Vishal originates from a rural village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India, and spent his formative years in Mumbai. As a first-generation college graduate, he holds a significant place within the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes community in India, previously referred to as Untouchables or Outcastes. Vishal's academic achievements include a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com.) and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from Mumbai University, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Brooklyn Law School, New York, and a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degree from IPLP. His S.J.D. dissertation, “Indigenous Websites: Embedding Indigenous People's Human Rights on the Internet,” serves as a guide for grassroots indigenous communities worldwide to promote human rights through online platforms.

Publication:

• From Colonial Bots to IndigiAI: The Complex Role of AI in Indigenous Advocacy (Full Article)