Dr. Pankaj Kumar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Mizoram University (A Central University), Aizawl, India, and one of the founding members of the department since its establishment in 2019. An accomplished academician and researcher, his expertise spans sustainable and rural tourism development, community-based tourism (CBT), responsible tourism, nature-based tourism, and tourism and hospitality business.

Dr. Kumar earned his Ph.D. in Tourism from H.N.B. Garhwal University (A Central University), Uttarakhand, with a doctoral focus on travel and tourism business, policy and development. His academic credentials include an M.A. in Tourism Management from prestigious Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, B.A. in Public Administration, and a Certificate course in Rural Development. He has qualified UGC-NET in Tourism Administration & Management. He successfully attended three three-month Faculty Development Programme in Strategy & Sustainable Enterprises from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore.

Significantly, Dr. Kumar’s academic career includes distinguished overseas service. Selected by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Ethiopia, Africa, he served as an Assistant Professor at Arba Minch University, a leading public university in Ethiopia, Africa from 2016 to 2018. In this role, he contributed to curriculum development, international academic collaborations, and research initiatives, enriching his pedagogical and cross-cultural competencies.

In India, Dr. Kumar has held faculty positions at Amity University, Noida, and Himgiri ZEE University, Dehradun, before joining Mizoram University. He has also undertaken key administrative responsibilities, including Head-in-Charge of the department, IQAC-NAAC Coordinator, and membership in several Boards of Studies, School Boards and Research Committees within and outside the university.

His research portfolio includes two funded projects one under the UGC-STRIDE Project (NITI Aayog, Government of India) and another on bamboo-based eco-friendly tourist accommodation funded by Mizoram University. He has published 9 edited books, 20 book chapters, and 22 research papers in reputed peer-reviewed journals., and holds 3 patents (2 granted).

Recipient of the Best Vocational Education Award (2019) by GISR Foundation, Dr. Kumar continues to actively engage in scholarly publishing, invited lectures, and consultancy, with a vision of integrating tourism development, sustainability, and community empowerment.