Category : India

Monetizing Air: Sai Balakrishnan on the Cost of “Free Housing” in Mumbai

Sep 4, 2025 | Announcements, Faculty, India, News

The State of Architecture in South Asia series opens its fall lineup with a talk exploring the costs of ‘free housing’ in Mumbai. Sai Balakrishnan, Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley, will examine the Adani Group’s acquisition of the contract to redevelop Dharavi, often described as “Asia’s largest slum,” and the most coveted asset in the redevelopment: air. She will be joined in conversation by Rahul Mehrotra, John T. Dunlop Professor in Housing and Urbanization, Harvard Graduate School of Design.

India’s Path to a Carbon-Free Future: A Conversation with Professor Michael B. McElroy

Sep 3, 2025 | Announcements, Climate, Faculty, India, News

How can India turn waste and clean energy into fuel to fight air pollution? The answer may lie in biomass, says Michael B. McElroy, the Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Prof. McElroy is one of the inaugural recipients of a Mittal Institute Faculty Climate Grant for his project, “Optimizing India’s Biofuel Capacity with Green Hydrogen Penetration: A Decarbonization and Emission Reduction Strategy.”

One Harvard, Young Harvard: An Evening of Connection in New Delhi

Sep 1, 2025 | Alumni, Community, India, News, Students

On July 11, the “One Harvard, Young Harvard” mixer brought an evening of dialogue and camaraderie to the Mittal Institute’s India Office, where incoming students, alumni, and University affiliates came together to strengthen the intergenerational ties at the heart of the Harvard community.

The Mittal Institute Presents the 2024–25 Year in Review and Arts Program Reports

Aug 20, 2025 | Afghanistan, Announcements, Arts Program, Associates, Bangladesh, Faculty, Fellows, In Region, India, Myanmar, Nepal, News, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Students

The Mittal Institute is excited to announce the release of the 2023–24 Year in Review and 2023–24 Arts Program reports. Like every year, the comprehensive Year in Review Report includes updates on all major faculty-led programs, lists awards and fellowships, highlights the work of students, student organizations, and scholars, and summarizes events and other achievements. The Arts Program Report highlights the incredible impact and accomplishments of the Mittal Institute’s various arts initiatives, which include fellowships, exhibitions, and events. Both reports offer valuable insights into the institute’s mission of connecting Harvard with South Asia.

A Milestone for India’s Informal Workers: HUM SAB EK (We Are One) on Display at the International Labor Organization’s Headquarters

Jun 15, 2025 | COVID-19, India, News

From May 25 to June 30, 2025, the HUM SAB EK (We Are One) exhibition is on display at the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Its presence at this location is of particular salience to members of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), whose stories of reliance and nurturance it captures, and to workers worldwide.

5 Reasons to Visit the Mittal Institute’s India Office This Summer

May 21, 2025 | Community, In Region, India, News

As the summer approaches, the Mittal Institute extends a warm invitation to Harvard’s community to visit the India office in New Delhi. Whether using the office space to conduct research, participating in scholarly discussions, or immersing oneself in the vibrant academic milieu of the region, the office offers a unique opportunity to engage with South Asia’s rich cultural heritage and scholarly legacy. The office has planned several events that will connect Harvard with India’s intellectual scene. Come and be a part of it!

HUM SAB EK (We Are One) Part of Hopkins India Conference in Washington, DC

May 15, 2025 | COVID-19, India, News

In May 2025, the HUM SAB EK (We Are One) exhibition was showcased as part of the Hopkins India Conference at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC. It marks the third stop of this traveling exhibition outside Harvard University after a visit at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City in September 2024, and The World Bank Headquarters in January 2025.

The Impact of Climate Change on Emergency Healthcare in India: Research by Prof. Caleb Dresser

May 14, 2025 | Announcements, Climate, Faculty, India, News

As climate change intensifies, extreme weather events—especially heatwaves—are placing growing pressure on India’s healthcare system. To better understand these challenges, the project “Climate Change, Health Security, and Emergency Care in India: An Exploratory Evaluation” was launched with support from a Mittal Institute grant.

The Mittal Institute’s 2025 Seed for Change Winners

May 13, 2025 | In Region, India, News, Students

Focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, the Mittal Institute’s annual Seed for Change (SFC) competition awards funding to bold, creative ideas developed by Harvard students with the potential to drive meaningful impact in India. Meet this year’s grand prize winner, The Paal, who is working to empower smallholder farmers, particularly women, to own insured, high-quality cattle by turning livestock into a retail investment asset class.

Shivangi Chopra ’25 Brings Breast Cancer Awareness to Delhi Classrooms

May 8, 2025 | In Region, India, News, Students

Shivangi Chopra, a Master in Public Administration in International Development candidate at Harvard Kennedy School, spent this past winter in New Delhi, India, designing and implementing a culturally sensitive breast cancer awareness curriculum for adolescent girls in government schools.

Climate Change and Maternal Health: A Student Grant Report from Saravanan Thangarajan

Apr 28, 2025 | Climate, India, News, Students

Saravanan Thangarajan, Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery Candidate at Harvard Medical School, traveled to Tamil Nadu this winter to explore the impact of climate change on maternal and infant health. Supported by a Mittal Institute Winter Research Grant, he interviewed mothers struggling to protect their children from heat, air pollution, and other environmental stressors. Below, Saravanan shares findings from his research and how the experience will impact his future academic path.

Teaching Through Art: How Pre-Texts is Transforming Education in India

Apr 28, 2025 | Faculty, In Region, India, News

Pre-Texts is an arts-based training program that promotes literacy, critical thinking, and citizenship by having students interpret teaching through creative expression. Developed by Harvard’s Doris Sommer, Mittal Institute steering committee member and the Ira and Jewell Williams Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, it’s now active in South Asia, aligning with India’s mandate for arts-integrated education and helping teachers put policy into practice.