Important Notice:
Due to the ongoing Corona pandemic the 20th IALS conference – scheduled for 2021 in Heidelberg/Germany – has to be postponed until 2022. The venue will remain the same.
More details will follow in due time.

The International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS)

Ladakh, located in the north western part of India, has only been readily accessible for study since the early 1970s. In that short time it has been the focus of interest for many students, senior scholars and independent researcher from across many disciplines.

They are attracted by Ladakh’s physical condition as a high altitude desert in the rain-shadow of the geologically active Himalaya and Karakorum. They are interested in the skilful agricultural adaptations to these rough environment by its farmers and pastoralists. It is Ladakh’s unique sociology, history and cultural tradition at the crossroads of Central and East Asia and its rich and diverse religious heritage that makes the field interesting for people from all over the world. Most recently the problems encountered with modern development and conservation have become a focus of research.

We formed our community of students and researchers from within South Asian and beyond to share our research via conferences, small workshops and publications.