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The Mittal Institute’s Highlights of 2021

The Mittal Institute’s Highlights of 2021

This year was marked by change – on a global scale, the world is learning to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and on a University scale, the Mittal Institute bid a fond farewell to devoted staff, and welcomed new leadership (read more about our new Executive Director Hitesh Hathi). Our operations shifted to both virtual and in-person formats, and we continued hosting events, offering funding opportunities, and providing programming for students and faculty. This year also marked the inauguration of our Delhi office, further deepening our in-country footprint.

In Service of Truths and Facts: Pranav Dixit, a 2022 Nieman Fellow, on technology and the future of journalism

In Service of Truths and Facts: Pranav Dixit, a 2022 Nieman Fellow, on technology and the future of journalism

Pranav Dixit, a technology reporter for BuzzFeed News in India, recently traveled to Harvard to begin his yearlong position as a Nieman Fellow. Back home in New Delhi, Pranav’s work covers the intersection of technology and culture in India. He focuses on the impact that technology has on more than a billion Indians. His articles have sparked global conversations about the impact of American technology companies on the Global South. In 2019, he won Syracuse University’s Mirror Award for Excellence in Media Industry Reporting. The Mittal Institute sat down with Pranav to discuss his journalism career and his own Harvard project, which explores the American tech press and what lessons it offers for the global media.  

Student Group Spotlight: Harvard College Pakistani Students Association

Student Group Spotlight: Harvard College Pakistani Students Association

For the past decade, the Harvard College Pakistani Students Association (HCPSA) has shared the vibrant history and culture of Pakistan with the campus community. HCPSA is dedicated to creating inclusive, social spaces for Pakistanis and advancing meaningful discourse about prominent Pakistani issues, events, and politics. Each year, they host academic programming that celebrates Pakistani heritage; organize events like Cultural Night and moving screenings; and educates Harvard students about Pakistan’s culture. The Mittal Institute sat down with co-presidents Iqra Noor ‘23 and Hamaad Mehal ‘24 to learn more about mission of the HCPSA.

Event Recap: Research Agenda of Harvard Art Museums’ Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

Event Recap: Research Agenda of Harvard Art Museums’ Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

In the “Research Agenda of Harvard Art Museums’ Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies” conversation, panelists discussed how short and longstanding research projects related to technical art history at Harvard Art Museums are generated, take shape and benefit from a deeply collaborative approach between Conservators, Scientists and Curators.

LMSAI Delhi Office: A Hub of Activity Once Again

LMSAI Delhi Office: A Hub of Activity Once Again
Dr. Ajay K. Singh, Senior Associate Dean at Harvard Medical School, presented an October talk at the LMSAI Delhi office on “COVID-19 Clinical Education Series: Clarifying Evidence Based Information.” As we soon turn the page on 2021 and look ahead to 2022,...

VAF Spotlight: Bunu Dhungana on Gender Norms in Art and Artistic Expression

VAF Spotlight: Bunu Dhungana on Gender Norms in Art and Artistic Expression

Last week, the Harvard community had the opportunity to virtually meet the Mittal Institute’s two newest VAF artists – Bunu Dhungana and Pragati Jain – through their Art Exhibition: Women in South Asia: Expectations, Burdens and Obligations. Both artists shared their motivations, their craft, and their creations in moving, personal reflections (the full event video is above). As VAFs, these two mid-career artists from South Asia are spending the semester at Harvard, engaging with faculty and students, participating in art exhibitions, and completing research projects. The Mittal Institute checked in with Bunu Dhungana to learn more about her artistic motivations. 

The Mittal Institute Appoints Hitesh Hathi as Executive Director

The Mittal Institute Appoints Hitesh Hathi as Executive Director

The Mittal Institute’s Faculty Director, Prof. Tarun Khanna, announced the appointment of Hitesh Hathi as Executive Director. He will join the Institute on Dec. 7, 2021. In his new role, Hathi will lead the Mittal Institute’s efforts to strengthen connections between Harvard and South Asia, providing new and innovative ways for faculty, students, and in-region scholars to deepen knowledge, understanding, and debate around the region’s most critical issues. He will lead teams in both Cambridge and Delhi and will be instrumental in continuing to cultivate signature interdisciplinary research at the Institute. He will also work closely with donors, partner organizations, and senior management at Harvard.

Visiting Artist Fellow Pragati Jain Reflects on Being a Practicing Artist and Woman in India Today

Visiting Artist Fellow Pragati Jain Reflects on Being a Practicing Artist and Woman in India Today

Last week, the Harvard community had the opportunity to virtually meet the Mittal Institute’s two newest VAF artists – Bunu Dhungana and Pragati Jain – through their Art Exhibition: Women in South Asia: Expectations, Burdens and Obligations. Both artists shared their motivations, their craft, and their creations in moving, personal reflections (the full event video is above). As VAFs, these two mid-career artists from South Asia are spending the semester at Harvard, engaging with faculty and students, participating in art exhibitions, and completing research projects. The Mittal Institute checked in with Pragati, to learn how her experience at Harvard is transpiring and what projects she is working on. An interview with Bunu will be forthcoming in December.