This spring, the Mittal Institute offered a variety of programming, from a reflection on the Mittal Institute’s 15-year journey connecting Harvard with South Asia, to critical conversations on building climate resilience, to a captivating presentation of the work of artist Naiza Khan. Below is a list of some not-to-be-missed event recordings – please visit our YouTube page for more.
Harish C. Mahindra: The Mittal Institute’s 15-Year Journey to Increase Harvard’s Presence in Asia
To kick off the Mittal Institute Annual Symposium 2025, the Mittal Institute hosted a special Harish C. Mahindra evening on April 17, featuring Tarun Khanna, Mittal Institute Faculty Director; William C. Kirby, former Fairbank Center Director; and Arthur Kleinman, former Asia Center director. In conversation with each other, they discussed the Mittal Institute’s 15-year journey to increase Harvard’s presence in Asia, the extraordinary leadership of Tarun Khanna, and the differences between the Mittal Institute and other international centers at Harvard.
Public Lecture by Naiza Khan, Distinguished Artist Fellow at the Mittal Institute
Naiza Khan, an internationally renowned visual artist from Pakistan, was in residence in April 2025 as the Mittal Institute’s second Distinguished Artist Fellow. In a lecture on campus—co-hosted by the MFA Boston—Khan presented her powerful work that weaves together themes of land, body, and memory through drawing, sculpture, archival material, and film. After her presentation, she was in conversation with Sonal Khullar, Hilles Bush Fellow 2024–25 at Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and Jinah Kim, George P. Bickford Professor of Indian and South Asian Art and Professor of South Asian Studies, Harvard University.
India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future
From March 19-22, 2025, more than 180 scholars and experts from Harvard and around the world gathered in New Delhi, India, for one of the largest events Harvard has ever hosted outside the United States. Leading experts in climate science, public health, medicine, labor, business, agriculture, and urban planning convened for “India 2047 – Building a Climate-Resilient Future,” a series of interdisciplinary dialogues on advancing climate resilience. The four-day convening addressed the effects of extreme climatic events such as extreme heat intensifying across the Global South—particularly in India—with far-reaching impacts on the environment, economy, and society, demanding urgent, evidence-based responses.
HUM SAB EK (We Are One) Panel at The World Bank in Washington, DC
The traveling exhibition HUM SAB EK (We Are One), co-sponsored by the Mittal Institute, was on display at The World Bank in Washington, DC, in January 2025. The exhibition highlights the experiences and response strategies of women in India’s informal sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. An opening panel discussion addressed themes ranging from the role of researchers working with communities, women’s empowerment, and overcoming poverty by shifting decision-making to the poor. The discussion featured Fatema Z. Sumar, Harvard Center for International Development; Rina Agarwala, The Johns Hopkins University; Caleb Shreve, Global Fairness Initiative; and Satchit Balsari, Harvard Medical School. It was moderated by Mamta Murthi, Vice President, Human Development, The World Bank, with closing remarks by Martin Raiser, Vice President, South Asia Region, The World Bank.
Rethinking the Bengal School of Art through the Life and Art of Ardhendu Prasad Banerjee
What can art from private archives held by the family of an overlooked Bengal School artist tell us today? In February 2025, Mittal Institute Bajaj Fellow Prof. Nilanjana Mukherjee discussed the life and art of her maternal grandfather, the late Ardhendu Prasad Banerjee. She investigated her grandfather’s story and possesses a family archive of his paintings. Her presentation was moderated by Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University. The event was co-sponsored by the Asia Center at Harvard University and a workshop on “Indian Ocean Worlds” held at Harvard Griffin GSAS.
Caste and Inequality in Heat Stress Exposure in India
Arpit Shah, Mittal Institute Raghunathan Fellow 2024–25, shared his findings in February 2025 on how caste can influence heat stress exposure in India. Firstly, high-resolution evidence on residential segregation based on 16,000 neighborhoods in Bengaluru shows that individuals from marginalized caste groups tend to live in locations that are exposed to higher temperatures and are farther from cooling amenities such as green spaces. Secondly, analysis of nationally representative labor force surveys and time use data finds that individuals from marginalized caste groups spend more time working outdoors in stressful heat conditions. The findings imply that policies that tackle heat stress need to take structural inequalities into account. The presentation was moderated by SV Subramanian, Professor of Population Health and Geography, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.