Dear Respected Prof. Neeraj Kaushik Sir, Esteemed Professors, Researchers, and Fellow Research Scholars,
Warm Greetings to everyone.
This email is not intended to seek congratulations, but rather to express my heartfelt gratitude and respect to all my teachers, mentors, and every member of this wonderful research community who, knowingly or unknowingly, contributed to my Ph.D. journey.
With immense happiness, I would like to share that I successfully defended my Ph.D. thesis on 04 July 2026.
Thesis Title: Community-Based Tourism: A Key of Economic Upliftment in Uttarakhand
Discipline: Tourism and Hotel Management (Management & Social Sciences)
Looking back, As a novice researcher, I had many doubts regarding research methodology, questionnaire design, sampling, reliability and validity testing, hypothesis development, statistical analysis, interpretation of findings, publication ethics, and academic writing. Many of these concepts became clear only because of the continuous learning opportunities provided through this group.
I have been fortunate to attend almost all of Prof. Neeraj Kaushik Sir's offline/online workshops between 2021 and 2024, including the memorable several advanced workshops on Research Methodology, Data Analysis, SPSS, R Programming, Structural Equation Modelling, Research Publications, and Academic Writing.
Every workshop strengthened my understanding and gradually shaped the quality of my doctoral research, culminating in my success at qualifying the UGC NET JRF. One of Sir's messages that always stayed with me was:
" Attend at least two research workshops every year if you genuinely wish to become a good researcher—not merely to obtain a Ph.D. And always ask questions"
I sincerely believe this advice changed my approach towards research forever.
The knowledge gained through these workshops was not limited to my own thesis. Inspired by the learning received from this group, I had the opportunity to share the same understanding with fellow research scholars and colleagues at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra, thereby extending the reach of quality research practices within our academic community. This has been one of the most satisfying outcomes of my learning journey.
Throughout these years, I silently observed how Prof. Neeraj Kaushik Sir and senior researchers patiently answered thousands of queries from scholars across the country. Their willingness to help without expecting anything in return reflects the true spirit of a teacher and researcher..
During my Open Viva-Voce examination, the external examiner appreciated the hard work on overall research design, methodology, and analytical framework. Some of the major questions included:
What motivated you to select Community-Based Tourism as your research topic?
How does your research contribute towards reducing youth migration from Uttarakhand through tourism-led economic development?
What is the novelty of your study compared to existing research in Community-Based Tourism?
How does your research propose solutions for challenges arising from mass tourism in pilgrimage destinations such as Kedarnath and Badrinath?
Despite immense tourism potential, why is Uttarakhand lagging behind Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and other Himalayan states?
Explain the interconnection between your research objectives, research questions, hypotheses, and literature review.
Which parameters guided the selection of your research design?
Why did you adopt a mixed-method research design instead of relying exclusively on quantitative methods?
Why were SPSS and R selected for data analysis instead of depending primarily on AI-based analytical tools?
How did you establish the reliability, validity, and consistency of your findings before claiming contribution to knowledge?
Were all research objectives achieved and research questions satisfactorily answered?
If given an opportunity for post-doctoral research, how would you extend this work?
How can the Government of Uttarakhand utilize your research findings for sustainable tourism planning and policy formulation?
What are the major challenges, limitations, future scope, and possible strategies to address them?
The confidence to answer these questions did not emerge overnight. It was built gradually through continuous learning from workshops, research discussions, publications, and the valuable guidance shared by members of this group over the past several years.
Today, as I complete this important milestone, I sincerely acknowledge that every workshop attended, every discussion read, every doubt clarified, and every shared experience contributed in some way to this achievement.
My deepest gratitude goes to:
Prof. Neeraj Kaushik Sir, whose tireless efforts in strengthening research methodology and statistical understanding among scholars are truly inspirational.
All distinguished professors, resource persons, senior researchers, and administrators who continuously guide research scholars with remarkable patience and generosity.
Every member of this Google Group who actively shares knowledge, answers queries, discusses research problems, and motivates fellow scholars.
I shall always remain indebted to all of you for your guidance, encouragement, and selfless service towards nurturing quality research in India.
With deepest respect and heartfelt gratitude,
Dr. Tarun Rana,
Research Area: Cultural & Heritage Management, Marketing, Tourism Management, Hospitality
"Knowledge grows when it is shared. Research flourishes when mentors dedicate themselves to nurturing future scholars."
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः।
गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
