How has COVID-19 impacted South Asia? Throughout the spring and summer, the Mittal Institute is bringing together Harvard faculty and in-region experts in numerous webinars to discuss the interdisciplinary issues that have arisen in South Asia amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. From the science of the virus to changes in education, you can learn how COVID-19 has impacted South Asia.
Suhasini Kejriwal, a mixed media artist from India, joined the Mittal Institute earlier this Spring in our latest group of Visiting Artist Fellows. Through photography, paintings, embroidery, and more, Suhasini’s practice acts as witness to the lived experiences of those whom she observes, living out their lives in the busy streets of India’s urban landscapes.
This past winter break, with the support of the Mittal Institute, my classmate Jay and I ventured on a three-week journey through India. We hopped on a 16-hour flight from JFK to Mumbai the night after our last final, excited to hit the ground running. I couldn’t have imagined how enriching and fun our adventure would turn out to be. We were traveling to South Asia to meet with engineers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs to discuss medical technology innovation.
Last week, the Mittal Institute held a panel webinar, “The Response to COVID-19 in South Asia,” moderated by Dr. Vikram Patel, Pershing Square Professor of Global Health at Harvard Medical School. Together, the panelists discussed the impact of the policy response to COVID-19 on the ground in South Asia, considering whether or not the policies are proportionate and appropriate — and what consequences they might have.
Recently, Dr. Tarun Khanna, Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School and the Director of the Mittal Institute, addressed an online audience of more than 15,000 youth at the South Asia Youth Resilience Summit organized by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC).
Imtiaz ul Haq is a Financial Sector Consultant at the World Bank and a Research Affiliate at the Mittal Institute, formerly a Fellow at both the Mittal Institute and the Gui2de Initiative at Georgetown University. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Manchester. In this article, ul Haq delves into a new, unconventional method to measure economic performance in South Asia.
The Mittal Institute team is excited to announce our upcoming Spring Webinar Series! Through webinars that can be accessed around the world via Zoom, we’ll be bringing Harvard faculty and in-region experts into your homes to speak about the latest developments and potential impacts of COVID-19 in South Asia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire globe, requiring quick action from governments and the populace to stem the flow of transmission. With many in quarantine or lockdown, the pandemic has changed the daily way of life for many around the world. This week, we spoke with members of the Mittal Institute team in India, Nepal, and Pakistan to get a firsthand look into the situation on the ground in South Asia, from recent governmental guidance and regulations to the response of the population and how it will impact society.
Led by Caroline Buckee (Center for Communicable Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan), Satchit Balsari (HMS and HSPH), and Andrew Schroeder (Direct Relief), the COVID-19 Mobility Data Network aims to “provide daily updates to decision-makers at the state and local levels on how well social distancing interventions are working.” The team is made up of a network of infectious disease epidemiologists located at universities around the world.
Numair Abbasi, a mixed media artist from Pakistan, recently joined the Mittal Institute in the latest group of Visiting Artist Fellows. Numair’s practice draws on popular culture, anecdotes, and colloquialisms to stage personal and social narratives in attempts to challenge the politics behind how gender is socially constructed and performed.
Last week, Muhammad Musa, Executive Director of BRAC International, visited the Mittal Institute to speak with Tarun Khanna, Director of the Mittal Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School. Together, they uncovered the effort it takes for BRAC to continue expanding on its role as the world’s largest NGO.
For my dissertation project, I hope to trace the stories of Tamil drama artists, as they traveled, performed, and lived between 20th century Madras Presidency, Ceylon, and British Malaya. This winter, I went on a research trip to Madurai and Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to understand the infrastructures that supported these artists’ travels, as well as the kinds of performances they held abroad.