The Mittal Institute is excited to co-host “Intersections 2025: Traditions and Innovations in Indian Classical Dance” on September 27–28, a national conference convening artists, scholars, presenters and community leaders to explore innovation, preservation, and progress in the Indian classical dance artforms in the U.S. Applications are open until May 25 for Original Works (performance + talk), Research Talks, Workshops (movement, pedagogy, professional development), and Poster Presentations
Harvard offers a diverse range of courses on South Asia, spanning language, history, politics, economics, religion, and beyond. Explore a selection of Fall 2025 offerings. For the latest updates, please consult the Course Catalog. We’ll continue to expand this list as new courses are announced.
This academic year, the Harvard Bangladeshi Students’ Association (HBSA) was founded as a University-wide recognized student organization to build community, amplify Bangladeshi voices, and create spaces for cultural celebration, professional development, and advocacy. The Mittal Institute spoke with president Moomtahina Fatima, vice-president Khondoker Nazmoon Nabi, and treasurer Safwan Hossain about the mission of their group, their inaugural event on February 21, and what role Harvard students from Bangladesh and other diaspora members can take in engaging on challenges that Bangladesh faces today.
Masuma Halai Khwaja joins the Mittal Institute this spring as a Visiting Artist Fellow. A visual artist, she explores textiles as a medium to weave together personal memory, diverse histories, and cultural intersections—creating narratives that transcend their origins. Working with fabrics sourced from local flea markets, she integrates embroidery to symbolize the fragmentation of traditions in the face of globalization.
The Mittal Institute is delighted to welcome Abir Abdullah to our cohort of Visiting Artist Fellows this spring. A Bangladeshi photographer and educator, Abir is renowned for his powerful visual storytelling on climate change and human resilience.
Parul Gupta, a visual artist from India, joins the Mittal Institute’s Visiting Artist Fellows program. Her work explores movement in architectural spaces as a catalyst for perceptual experiences, using parallax, geometry, and light to shape spatial interactions.
The Mittal Institute is pleased to announce its first recipients of the Faculty Climate Research Grants. These grants are designed to foster deeper scholarly engagement on climate change, catalyze the creation of new knowledge, and contribute to the development of sustainable solutions across South Asia. Projects focused on three main research categories: energy transition and energy policy; food systems, agriculture, and land use; and law and policy for climate transition and adaptation.
This academic year, 17 Harvard faculty have joined the Mittal Institute Climate Platform as new affiliates, greatly increasing the platform’s reach and expertise.
The Mittal Institute welcomes India fellow Dr. P. Arun, a postdoctoral scholar whose work explores the interplay of politics, law, and technology. Under the mentorship of Prof. Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs, Department of History, Harvard University, he will delve into the surveillance practices of late colonial India, examining how postal and telegraph systems were weaponized against colonial subjects and anti-colonial movements. In the interview, Arun shares insights into his research, his aspirations for the fellowship, and the broader significance of his work.
The Mittal Institute welcomes two new India Fellows, including Dr. Nobonita Rakshit, a postdoctoral scholar whose work explores how the participatory art form of graphic narratives serves as a powerful response to India’s anthropogenic water crisis.
The Mittal Institute’s Cambridge and India offices foster South Asian scholarship by hosting Fellows, Visiting Artist Fellows, and Graduate Student Associates. This spring 2025, we welcome seven new researchers and welcome back one previous fellow.