On Saturday, September 21, Harvard University will be ripe with South Asian culture as it hosts the first-ever South Asian Convocation. All South Asian students, affiliates, and faculty are invited to attend the festivities, which are co-sponsored by the Mittal Institute and the South Asian Association.
The evening will begin at 5:00 pm with class pictures in front of Widener Library, continue with speeches and performances at 6:00 pm at Epworth Church, and conclude with a reception from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. RSVP is required.
We spoke with student organizers Nurayn Khan ‘26 and Aditi Kona ‘26 for a look at how they planned this affinity Convocation and what they hope attendees can glean from the evening.
Mittal Institute: What an exciting event, Nurayn and Aditi! Can you talk us through the evolution of this idea – how did you first come up with it?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: I think for us, South Asian Convocation was a natural evolution of celebrating the South Asian community. Coming in as freshman in 2022, we were drawn to spaces of belonging, whether the Pakistani Students Association’s semesterly Biryani Bash or the Bengali Association Students’ Mela. However, we noticed that finding pockets of community can be overwhelming as freshmen, and pan-South Asian spaces are not as prevalent as they should be. South Asian Convocation at its core is a space of belonging and community for every South Asian student.
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona.
Mittal Institute: What did the planning process look like?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: Starting from scratch was definitely a challenge. We wanted South Asian Convocation to resemble the Harvard College Convocation in some capacity, yet have its own defining features unique to the South Asian community. The first step in the planning process was a lot of brainstorming: We talked with our Board for hours about what we wanted the event to look like, where we should host it, what the program should look like, etc. Next, we worked with the Mittal Institute to sort out logistics and understand what would be the most practical for hosting such a large event.
It was important to us to ensure all areas of the diverse South Asian community were represented in this process. We spoke to leaders from Harvard College Pakistani Students Association, Harvard Bengali Association of Students at Harvard, Harvard College South Asian Women’s Collective, Harvard Ghungroo, and many other South Asian organizations to develop a collaborative vision for the South Asian Convocation. South Asian Convocation could not happen without the support of these leaders. The Harvard South Asian community is also blessed with amazing artistic talent, which we knew would be an amazing feature of Convocation. We worked with three student groups—Harvard Undergraduate Bhangra, Harvard South Asian Music Association, and Harvard Undergraduate Deepam—to create a beautiful representation of culture.
Mittal Institute: Why is it so important that Harvard host its first-ever South Asian Convocation?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: The South Asian community is one of the biggest and most diverse affinity groups at Harvard. It’s important not only for members of this community to find belonging, but also for us as South Asians to celebrate our identities and cultures. South Asian Convocation is a beautiful blend of representation, celebration, and a great way to bring everyone together at the start of the year. It’s also important to recognize that within the South Asian community, there is a great diversity of culture and identity, and we hope to represent as many aspects of that as possible.
The South Asian community is one of the biggest and most diverse affinity groups at Harvard. It’s important not only for members of this community to find belonging, but also for us as South Asians to celebrate our identities and cultures.
Mittal Institute: What aspect of the evening are you most looking forward to?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: We’re looking forward to the program because of its fast-paced, engaging, and beautiful nature. In one short hour, we’ll be hearing from the Mittal Institute, who has been so instrumental in making South Asian Convocation come to life; enjoying performances from our talented peers; and also hearing from South Asian student leaders across campus. I think this part of the night will be the culmination of everything South Asian Convocation hopes to achieve.
Mittal Institute: As the new semester begins, what advice do you have for students who hope to become involved with the South Asian community at Harvard?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: Our biggest advice is to go to community events! There are endless ways to meet people, enjoy delicious food, and find a sense of belonging among the South Asian community here at Harvard. I would say between the dozens of South Asian groups across campus, there is probably a social, educational, or informational South Asian event happening at least once a week. Go out there even if you’re not sure if you’ll know anyone, learn how you can get involved, and meet people!
Mittal Institute: For you, what has been the most rewarding aspect of connecting with this community?
Nurayn Khan and Aditi Kona: The most rewarding aspect of being a part of this community is the bonds we’ve made. We’ve found some of our closest friends, mentors, and inspirations through this community, and we could not be more thankful for every one of them. It’s the people who make the South Asian community so welcoming and belonging.