Funny prof. Gets too excited and enthusiastic at times but makes the lectures interesting. Pretty lenient but too many papers in one term.

Great teacher. Funny, enthusiastic. Good about not picking on shy people. Good about not being too strict on paper deadlines. Takes off a lot of stress. Interesting course!

Dr. Kamat is a great guy. Goes outta his way to help students. The course itself is pretty stale like the other 2 ppl said already. It's my elective, but it was a real turnoff. Interesting, thought everyone in ANTH200 liked it.Lemme think who U guys R.

This guy is amazing. He goes completely out of his way to help you out. You can send him an E-mail at midnight and nine times out of ten you'll get one back in the next few minutes. If you don't understand something, He'll re-explain it until you do.

Very Helpful. Totally goes out his way to help. Great course.

Vinay is one of the best professor's i've ever had! The articles are really interesting, he encourages discussion. The only negative thing is that there were many assignments, but they were each worth so little (ie 5% etc). In general, a great course!

Vinay is a very nice guy, although I didn't expect 10% participation marks. There were too many little pointless assignments and readings that were "reccomended," (required for a decent grade). I liked the last paper, and I'm sure he'll improve.

*just for the record* it's not his first year teaching, he taught in the US. It's his first year at UBC. True, he's working on his PhD...his SECOND one, he got his first one years back. the guy knows what he's doing, sometimes student/teachers just clash

great course! very interactive and engaging. LOTS to read and write...felt like too much at times compared to other 2nd yr courses but material was so interesting and Vinay is a great prof

The workload is comparatively heavier than most other 200-level courses but the class is very interesting and insightful. The professor is very helpful, and the exams are very straight-forward. I highly recommend this course to anyone in health sciences.

I thought Vinay was the best professor I've had throught my time at U.B.C. Though he is a bit disorganized in regards to assignments and marking, he is a passionate and exuberant teacher and medical anthropologist

Dr Kamat was always very enthusiastic and really encouraged the students to participate. His assigned readings were WAY too long however. Overall, Dr Kamat is a wonderful person and a very nice professor.

I'm taking anthro 227 and I think its a great class!

Dr. Kamat is great, i dont know how anyone could not think so. he is very clear and encourages lots of participation, he assigns a lot of readings but besides that i think he is awsome, definately one of my best teachers so far

I totally agree! Dr. Kamat is very organized, clear and I also think he is (seriously) funny! :)

Best prof I've had at UBC. Readings were a little long, but even if you didn't read them you could participate in debates we had in class. Marking based on analyisis and you have to be able to think critically, not just spew back facts at him. Really makes you understand the topic inside and out.

Rad prof! I don't know why everyone's so polarized on the topic, but I saw nothing to complain about while taking this course. It's straightforward, and he's very helpful as well as passionate about anthropology.

Simply put, the best prof I've had. Yeah, lots of reading, but usually you can just skim them, he outlines the main points in class. Fair marker, gets things back quickly, and more than willing to help you out outside of class. Took a few classes to get used to the accent, but after that all clear.

My favourite teacher this semester. He's funny, extremely helpful, and really knows & loves his subject. His class had a lot of reading, but it was all well chosen and generally quite intersting. He really encourages class discussion, and he has an AWESOME East Indian accent!

A fun class for discussions and debates. There is a lot of reading, but you can get by without it. Have to analyze and form your own opinions rather than restate the facts. Participate in class early if you want to be noticed for the rest of the year - he does tend to pick favorites.

Don't know why there r so many bad comments. I think that was his first year. Vinay is AWESOME-c'mon, he gave us Belgium chocolates during our final!He's hilarious, brilliant, interesting...and very clear about exams and expectations. This class was GREEAT! And he used to want to be a rock star!!

His emails, his jokes, his availability... Vinay is an excellent professor! After the not-very-good comments from his first year teaching I must admit I was nervous- I happily surprised! Yes, there are many readings, however I found myself enjoying them a lot. Thank you for your efforts Vinay!

Vinay's really dedicated to his students; from speaking to him personally and his interaction with classmates, it's obvious that he takes teaching fairly seriously. He's extremely enthousiastic with his lectures, but they tend not to be very structured. Be prepared to do lots of reading tho!

Once again this guy is PHENOMENAL!! His enthusiasm is refreshing and contagious- the class was always interesting and the semester flew by. Be prepared for oodles of readings, however most are interesting and thought-provoking. Honestly, one of my favorite profs.

Lectures + readings great. Makes time for individual concerns. Far too easy for me: notes paragraphs to know for tests, easy marks on exam essays, but arbitrary or inanely tricky multiple choice. Easy to get an A but lacking for those who want to excel and comprehend/discuss to the highest degree. Wants everyone to do well and teaches to low level.

great teacher, very enthusiastic, realistic and informative. I was introduced to material that I would never would have had access to and brought me a new perspective on health on a global basis

Awesome guy... makes the class very easy by being ridiculously clear about what's going to be on the exam, but hey, I am not complaining. An engaging and charming man. Really, a sweetheart. Interesting readings too, and great films.

Best course I ever took! soooo interesting.

Vinay was an excellent teacher. He reaches his students and opens his door to anyone that wants to learn more. One of my fav profs! :)

Definately one of the best courses I've taken this year! Dr. Kamat is funny, dedicated and extremely intelligent.

Vinay is an awesome teacher. He really cares about his students and is patient about all three classes.

There is a reason that Vinay has won Prof of the Year. He is truly interested in his students understanding the concepts and learning. He is readily available at almost any time and responds promptly. Very clear, passionate lecturer, and ultimately a wonderful person. :-)

Great guy, good class. He cares, and he makes things interesting, and knows his stuff. A tonne of reading, but he highlites the important parts so don't go overboard.

Great prof. he creates a great learning environment, encourages class discussion and is great at responding to questions through email. He is always there for you and makes one's university experience richer. He assigns a lot of reading which is a good thing. the more you read the better off you'll be.

Pretty good prof who engages w/ students and remembers names. Likes discussion; unfortunately, it is usually the fanatics and those too stupid to realize what they say is wrong. He summarizes readings in class - no need to print off articles. M/T was easy - some MC and two short paragraphs. Overall, a good prof who I'd take another class w/ him

I love this prof!! Not only does he love discussions which makes class interesting, but for the final, he told us specifically what the final's essay questions were going to be about. the midterm was rather easy too. The only thing is that it was a class of 130 or so and he still wanted to do a group project, that was a bit annoying.

Basically go to class and listen to what he says and copy what he writes down and you'll be fine; don't waste your time with ALL those articles. Easiest mid-term I've ever written + he told us the essay topics (which were more than 60% of the exam) before hand. Class average was 74%. P.S. this is the nicest man you will ever meet....BEST PROF EVER.

I really enjoyed this prof's class. Teaches in a style where anyone with half a brain can learn. Really knows his stuff and is passionate about his field of study and teaching. Recommend this prof to anyone wanting to learn about Africa.

Dr. Kamat was a great prof for anth 400. Vinay's teaching makes theory accessible, interesting and fun. He won the Best Professor of the Year in the department again this year (2010)- he is clear in his explanations, extremely knowledgeable and above all, cares about student's success. I highly recommend this course & prof.

Took ANTH227/303/429 & learned A LOT - exceptional professor/mentor; natural teacher; very knowledgeable; inspirational; organized; respects students; encourages them to think critically; values students' opinion; always available for help/advice; passionate; supportive; enjoyable lectures; no wonder he won the Best Professor of the Year award 2x

GREAT guy! Taken a few of his courses. Majoring in Anthropology (hey, I like to party, OK?) but I do really like the subject matter and Vinay's approach to the topics he's taught has been right on point. He's very engaging, honest, and extremely smart (2 PHDs I believe). Highly recommend him!

BEST professor I've ever had! He makes the material interesting and delivers lectures in an engaging manner - impossible to be bored in this class! Great sense of humour too. He does overload on readings, but always talks about them in lectures, so you don't feel like they are 'useless'. If you go to class and work hard, you'll enjoy it.

Greatest most legit prof in the entire department. Very intelligent man, probably the smartest prof I've had teach me. You will learn so much from his class, he sets you up for success and loves in class discussions. Very insightful.

Vinay is Awesome!!! he teches his courses by handcrafting his readings so we are never reading boring material!!! he is very insightful and is a very intelligent prof

Fantastic teacher. He is one of the few people that I have encountered that can get everyone in the room to contribute to class discussions. He inspires you to ask questions, think critically, and is never afraid to play devil's advocate.

Vinay is a real gem. Be sure to take ANTH 400 from him. It was a required course that I was dreading but he made it a pleasure. An old skool lecturer NO POWERPOINT, yay! He is so funny, such a good speaker and disarmingly engaging. Take ANY course he teaches! Thanks, Vinay! This man is SCARY smart!!

Great prof. Engaging discussions and likes to be challenged. Would highly recommend this class.

One of the best professors I have encountered- passionate and amazingly willing to help all students. Really open to classroom discussion and debate, to different points of view, lots of readings but he clarifies everything in lecture with a good sense of humour. Highly recommend.

Vinay is brilliant. He is fairly flexible in his assignments and readings and will really listen to you. He makes his lectures fun and does it old-style without powerpoints. Some of his exam questions are a bit random but he'll usually tell you exactly what will be on the exam.

Very, very nice guy. A bit hard to understand but his main objective was to have everyone pass the course.

Vinay is the best prof ever. He is very, very kind and understanding and will help you in any way possible. Responds emails in under 5min. Very relaxed. Definitely recommend him.

I really enjoyed Vinay's Ethonography of the Swahili Coast Course. He has a "not interested, don't read it" policy that is nice, and is a good lecturer. The midterm was based largely on East African history, because many people in the class came into it without any background. In any case, he's great. Really friendly and was a fair grader.

He is very kind, nice and helpful. He is so far my most favourite professor in UBC. I learn so so so much from his class.

EXTREMELY knowledgeable, passionate and BRILLIANT professor. I LOVED Ethnography of East Africa and the Swahili Coast. Highly recommended.

LOVE VINAY! He is very kind and will do everything in his power to make sure his students do well. He is super helpful and very relaxed. If you're late with something, couldn't get all the readings done, etc. he will understand. He teaches in a traditional style without powerpoints, going through readings and asking opinions. Definitely recommended

Great readings. Decent lectures and a straight forward structure to the course. I found this class quite a challenge for a first year course but survived it.

Vinay is one of the best profs that I've ever had. He has a fantastic personality, great sense of humor, and he's extremely passionate about his work. I would take classes with him again in a heartbeat. He has lots of reading material and expects a lot from his students but he makes the class interesting and makes you want to do well! LOVE VINAY

VINAY ROCKS! I'm not even in Arts and I was dreading having to take Anthro because it was the only class available at the time as well as sociology. So glad I took this! He's super funny, and I would highly recommend getting to know him because he really wants you to do well. No textbook, just readings, and he makes everything clear in the lecture.

LOVED the class but my TA was a very strict marker (much more than Vinay). It made the class very frustrating. I recommend getting into Vinay's discussion if possible.

FANTASTIC course taught by an AMAZING professor! Vinay's knowledge of medical anthropology is encyclopedic!

Great class and great lecturer! Professor Kamat reminds me of an uncle, he's very friendly and approachable, open to any questions and will even reschedule due dates if you request so. He gave out the exam questions ahead of time and also specifies which readings to go over for the exams. Very helpful prof and I would take another class with him!

Vinay was an amazing prof! One of the best at UBC! He cares a great deal about every students opinion and genuinely wants them to do well. Lots of reading, but he is very specific as to what you should focus on. He is very kind, supportive, and knowledgeable of his subject. I would definitely take another course with him!

Vinay is an amazing prof! His lectures are very clear, and although his methods are old-school he has extensive anthropology knowledge. Classes are funny and engaging, focus on more big picture ideas than small details. Would recommend!

Tells dad jokes. Engaging, amazing Lectures. Extremely helpful simplifies everything so its easy to understand. helpful feedback on the papers he marks. My TA sucked so i got all my midterms remarked by him and got a better grade on all of them.

He is very clear about what he expects from students. He gives the exam questions out ahead of time, tells you exactly what to study and read, and genuinely wants you to do well. However, this class is NOT an easy GPA boost. If you put in effort and do the readings you will receive a good grade, but if you fall behind your grade will reflect that.

Really enjoyed his class. Makes a lot of jokes to keep you engaged, and shows real passion for the material. He's very clear with what he wants (even gave us the essay questions for the final to prepare for) and gives everyone an opportunity to do well. Interesting course material, although a tad disorganized. Overall would definitely recommend!

Vinay was hands down the best prof I've had. He's hilarious and kind, and a great lecturer. He's knowledgeable in his field and loves giving out readings. Seriously, you'll read. But don't let that scare you. If you listen to what he's looking for, ask questions in class, and pay attention, you'll do great. Took both ANTH 429 & 403 with him.

Vinay is so great! His courses are reading-heavy so don't take it unless you have time to do all of them. He relies heavily on readings for midterm & final and expects you to know the content as well as the author. That being said, he provides exact questions from which 2 will be used for short essays (MT & final). Recommend if you have the time!

Wonderful lectures, coupled with extremely clear grading criteria. For the papers, he marks like any Anth prof - you have to work for an A, but on the midterm he is quite lenient. The questions are straightforward and provided in advance for essays. There is a huge volume of reading but the reading - if you are into global health - is fascinating.

Vinay is an expert in his field and truly cares about his students! His courses require alot of reading and essay writing, but the readings are generally interesting. He makes you work for the grade he knows you are capable of getting. My absolute favorite professor at UBC!

LOVE Vinay! Took 227, 429, 403 with him. He's an AMAZING professor who really knows his stuff inside out, and genuinely cares for his students. He'll make you read and write till your eyes and hands hurt, but he's a fair marker. Don't miss classes, if you want an A or A+.

Great course, great prof. But don't take it unless you are prepared to read, write and participate in class discussions a lot!

Fantastic professor who is very passionate about students, and about what he is teaching. Is a bit disorganized, and I do wish he had higher standards (it's quite easy to get an A), but overall, he is a great teacher.

All hail Vinay! He's my favourite prof at UBC -- his lectures are engaging and thought-provoking, he's empathetic towards students, and he's got a great sense of humour to boot. As a person who doesn't like to do readings, ANTH 227 was the only class that I did all of them to completion. I would highly recommend taking one of his courses.

In my first year at UBC, he gave me the strength to be open and honest. TO speak from the heart and to stay on top of things. Mr. Kamat one of the reason that UBC is a GREAT university

Vinay is a God. He is by far the most caring and considerate professor I have ever met, and has been more than understanding about accommodations during covid. He really goes above and beyond, and he genuinely cares about his students. The course itself was also very interesting. He doesn't use slides so be prepared to take lots of notes, though.

Professor Kamat is the most engaging professor I've had at UBC so far. He really cares about what he teaches, and his enthusiasm makes the lectures super interesting. A lot of reading, like with any anthropology course, but interesting readings. He makes it really clear what things to focus on, and wants his students to do well.

Vinay is a great lecturer, and his fieldwork experience made lectures very engaging. The assigned readings were all very interesting, and he cuts straight to the point by assigning specific paragraphs and pages in otherwise lengthy papers. Assignments are essay-based, so get ready to write.

Kamat is very supportive. To help with stress during COVID he checked in & adjusted deadlines as needed. Canvas materials were helpful (e.g. passages to focus on & old essay examples). Disclaimer: Took 1.5 mo summer version, it'll only be 3 mo version from now on. Warning for 308: If you're sensitive to graphic stuff this'll be very distressing.

Vinay is a homie. I was scared at first because his course is super reading heavy, but he is more than a fair marker. His lectures can get a little off topic and sometimes it isn't clear what to take away, but this is a theory course so that is expected. He is very kind and will allow extensions and is always is more than happy to help out students

This was the class I was most scared to do this last term, but Vinay is so easy-going and an absolute g when it comes to knowledge of anthro theory/history that it made the course a joy to take! Would often ask for feedback to make sure the content was making sense and was always open to questions outside of class. There's a reason he's tenured.

My man brought a YOP to drink every class. Different flavour each time.

The traditional lecture style and his perspectives are somewhat triggering. Still, he grades fairly and wants people to do well. The lectures themselves are a bit dry and uninteresting, but he makes attendance mandatory, accounting for 20% of the 30% participation grade. Despite the dated teaching style, I would be open to taking his class again.

Really great prof. He teaches very well, makes concepts easily understandable for people who may never have come across something. Goes out of his way to make things easier for students. Quirky man but amazing if you attend and show interest in the class. By his own admission he is not this easygoing in theory classes like ANTH 300 or 400.

Vinay is a passionate and engaging professor. The course has a lot of writing, but Vinay makes the material interesting and provides helpful resources. unstuck AI was a great study tool alongside the course materials.

I really enjoyed the course content and how it was taught. To do well, you have to attend class and participate because participation and attendance are a huge portion of your grade. Vinay is very caring and explains test/homework expectations clearly so that we can all do well. As long as you go over the materials, you will be prepared for Final.

He is super knowledgeable about medical anthropology and explains things well. I had something personal come up and was unable to turn something in on time. He was very patient and understanding about it. Participation and attendance are super important.

This is supposed to be a "writing intensive" course, four short reaction papers, one small paper, and one final paper. Actually, not that much work. Attendance is also a huge portion of the grade. However, he mentioned that due to ai, future sessions will include more tests and stuff. Overall, its not hard to do well.