Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (IRISH) is the educational and research centre of Nirmalagiri Educational Society for Social Sciences and Humanities located in Nirmalagiri College (autonomous), Kannur. The institute was founded by the reputed historian of Indian maritime history, Dr K.S. Mathew in 2002, as the research wing of Malabar Educational Society for Human Resource Development and Research. In 2025, the Malabar Educational Society transferred the institute to the Nirmalagiri Educational Society to ensure its continued academic activities.

IRISH was inaugurated on 14 January 2002 by Dr. P.K. Rajan, the then Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University. The institute received formal recognition from Kannur University as its research centre for History, Economics, and Malayalam in 2004.

The institute has been set up to bring together scholars on a common platform to share the results of their research through seminars, workshops, webinars, and the publication of monographs, research journals, and occasional papers. It endeavours to promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research in social sciences and humanities.