Category : Announcements

Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program Becomes Aspire Institute

Jul 29, 2021 | Announcements, Community, Faculty, News, Students

Since its inauguration in 2017, the Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program (CELP) has been devoted to engendering a transformation in the lives of first-in-family college students globally. By providing an array of educational resources, direct connections to Harvard faculty, mentorship opportunities, and affinity networks, CELP identifies and supports young people around the world in reimagining their academic and professional futures, fostering “success” through locally-grown, aspirational narratives, and in the process, building cohorts of next-generation leaders. This past month marked the conclusion of the fourth iteration—and second virtual iteration – of the program.

Video: Political Determinants of Health System Improvements – Comparative Perspectives

Jul 29, 2021 | Announcements, In Region, News

The third monthly webinar by the Lancet Citizens’ Commission featured eminent personalities from Governments in Mexico & Thailand, leaders from global non-profits & research institutions. The panel explored cross-national variations in levels of public health investment and political prioritisation of health system improvements. With insights from those involved in the reforms or who have studied the motivations for reforms, this panel brought together global comparative insights into when, why, and what consequences political leaders have invested more in health.

Visiting Artist Fellowship Applications Now Open

Jul 29, 2021 | Announcements, Arts Program, Community, News

Art is a lifeblood of society, and its place at the Mittal Institute is stewarded through an Arts Program that offers such programming as the annual Visiting Artist Fellowship (VAF). This eight-week research fellowship at Harvard connects artists from South Asia with Harvard’s intellectual resources. The Fellowship provides a platform for four mid-career artists to conduct independent research that explores critical issues in South Asia through the lens of art and design. Interested applicants can now apply to join the Spring 2022 cohort – applications are due on Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

Videos: COVID-19 in South Asia – A Practitioner’s Workshop

Jul 22, 2021 | Announcements, COVID-19, News

The Mittal Institute, with the support of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Lancet Citizens’ Commission on Reimagining India’s Health System, organized a series of panel discussions by leading scientists and frontline clinicians on the latest evidence-based updates for COVID-19 care. Our goal through these talks is to assist with the management of COVID-19 and improvement of health outcomes in South Asia.

Bennett Comerford, Mittal Institute Graduate Associate, Studies South Asian Religions

Jul 22, 2021 | Announcements, Bangladesh, Graduate Student Associates, In Region, India, News

Bennett Comerford, a second year Graduate Student Associate with the Mittal Institute, is a doctoral candidate in the Committee on the Study of Religion at Harvard University. His work focuses on the intersections of religion, literature, race and coloniality in nineteenth-century Bengal. He is a past recipient of language and research fellowships in Bangladesh and India. The Mittal Institute sat down to learn more about Bennett and his research.

Sahayak: Using Data to Connect Industries with Labor in India’s Rural Regions

Jul 22, 2021 | Alumni, Announcements, COVID-19, In Region, India, News

Each year, the Mittal Institute’s Seed for Change competition encourages Harvard students to develop a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India and Pakistan. Grant prizes are awarded to interdisciplinary student projects that positively impact societal, economic, and environmental issues in India and Pakistan. One Winter 2020 recipient was “Sahayak,” the brainchild of Ambika Malhortra ’20, Aeshna Prasad ’21, Harvard Graduate School of Design alumnae who both earned a Master of Architecture in Urban Design.

Soft Robotic Toolkit Concludes Pilot; Students Present Designs

Jul 8, 2021 | Announcements, In Region, India, News

During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools globally have wrestled with the challenges of delivering hands-on learning projects. Enter the Soft Robotic Toolkit, part of the Mittal Institute’s Multidisciplinary Approach to Innovative Social Enterprises, supported by Tata Trusts. This program, as detailed in a MI November interview, uses active, hands-on pedagogy to provide cutting edge, high-quality STEM learning. The project provides students with kits, each of which contain the parts and instructions to create a soft robot, teaching students everything from the creation of silicone materials to the assembly of pieces.

Tina Liu, Mittal Institute Graduate Student Associate, studies the impacts of forest fires on air quality and public health

Jul 8, 2021 | Announcements, Graduate Student Associates, News

Tianjia (Tina) Liu, who newly joins the Mittal Institute as a Graduate Student Associate for academic year 2021-2022, is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. She is a NSF Graduate Research Fellow and affiliated with the Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group. Her research focuses on using satellite data and atmospheric modeling to quantify the impacts of fires on air quality and public health in India, Indonesia, and globally. Prior to attending Harvard, Tina received her B.A. in Environmental Science at Columbia University. The Mittal Institute interviewed Tina about her interdisciplinary research, in a Q&A that follows.

Video: The COVID-19 Crisis in India: Voices from the Frontline

Jul 8, 2021 | Announcements, COVID-19, In Region, India, News

In the second webinar by the Lancet Citizens’ Commission, Srinivasan Jain from NDTV India moderated a timely and important discussion with panelists who have either been directly involved in activities relating to the containment of COVID-19 pandemic or its related care in India over the past few months. The panelists, which included Mirai Chatterjee from SEWA Bharat; Dr Ajay Nair from Swasth Organisation; Sunita Rani, an ASHA Worker; and Dr Priyadarsh from YuMetta Foundation, addressed issues such as COVID-19 preparedness, saving lives, impact on healthcare workers, and protecting mental health.

The Mittal Institute’s 2020-2021 Year in Review

Jun 24, 2021 | Announcements, In Region, News

Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mittal Institute forged ahead, furthering scholarship and partnerships on South Asia’s arts, sciences, humanities, and more. Read more about MI’s latest research and programs in our 2020-2021 Year In Review, now available digitally, by clicking here. For a preview, read the report’s opening “Letter From the Director” by Tarun Khanna, Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School and Director of the Mittal Institute.

In Conversation: Meena Sonea Hewett, Mittal Institute Executive Director

Jun 24, 2021 | Announcements, Community, News

Meena Sonea Hewett, Executive Director of the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard (MI) has spent the past decade growing and cultivating the work of the Institute both at Harvard and across South Asia. Now, as she departs the University, we spoke with Meena about her past 10 years of service, and her most important achievements.

Op-Ed: Creating a Lasting Legacy of Collaboration Across South Asia

Jun 16, 2021 | Announcements, Bangladesh, COVID-19, Faculty, In Region, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan

The following Op-Ed appeared in numerous dailies across Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The article speaks to the commonality of societal structures across the region and the need for trans-border knowledge exchange to combat COVID-19 in the region. By...