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

Dec 8, 2021 | Announcements, Community, News

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

Dec 8, 2021 | Announcements, Community, News, Pakistan, Students

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.

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

Dec 1, 2021 | Announcements, Arts Program, Community, Faculty, News

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. 

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

Nov 17, 2021 | Announcements, Arts Program, Community, Faculty, News

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. 

Winds of Change: Journey the Silk Road with Hasna Moudud, Mittal Institute Affiliate

Nov 10, 2021 | Announcements, Community, In Region, News

Winds of Change: Journey the Silk Road with Hasna Moudud, Mittal Institute Affiliate

The Silk Road – an ancient network of international trade routes, home to diverse culture and traditions – has long been the subject of interest for LMSAI Affiliate Hasna Moudud. Over the past several years, she has journeyed on and researched the Silk Road’s connections to South Asia. In an upcoming Mittal Institute seminar, “Winds of Change: The Silk Road to South Asia,” on Wednesday, November 17 at 10:00am, Hasna will present findings from years of excursions and studies on the Southern Silk Road and the need to preserve this important part of the region’s heritage.

CoSTAR Module 1: Creating Community and Collaboration Among Art and Science Professionals in South Asia; Advancing Towards Module 2

Nov 10, 2021 | Announcements, Arts Program, Community

CoSTAR Module 1: Creating Community and Collaboration Among Art and Science Professionals in South Asia; Advancing Towards Module 2

Conservation Science Research and Training Program, CoSTAR, aims to build up a temper of scientific studies for the conservation of art objects in India in conjunction with art historical studies. The three-year program is a collaboration between the Mittal Institute, Harvard University, Harvard Art Museums, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. Launched in December 2020, CoSTAR is envisioned as a series of theory and practical modules covering various topics in Conservation Science.

Data-driven Decision-making: A focus on the India Policy Insights Program

Nov 10, 2021 | Announcements, Community, In Region, India, News

Data-driven Decision-making: A focus on the India Policy Insights Program

The Mittal Institute’s Delhi Office has long been focused on fostering collaborations – both in-country and beyond. They recently had a visit from S.V. Subramanian, a Professor of Population Health and Geography at Harvard University, and chair of the Faculty Advisory Group for the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University. He is also the Principal Investigator of the India Policy Insights program, based out of the Geographic Insights lab at Harvard. This interdisciplinary research lab uses fine-grained data to bring important insights and accountability to policy actions. Professor Subramanian is based at the LMSAI Delhi office while he works on the program, where he is building collaborations with stakeholders, including the government of India.

Celebrating Diversity of Culture: A Spotlight on the Harvard South Asian Association

Oct 27, 2021 | Announcements, Community, News, Students

Celebrating Diversity of Culture: A Spotlight on the Harvard South Asian Association

Founded in 1986, the Harvard South Asian Association (SAA) is one of the largest and most active student groups on campus. The focus of their 300 members – who span myriad ethnicities, religions, and interests – is to bring the Harvard community closer to South Asia through academic, political, social, outreach and cultural initiatives. They host more than 100 different events each year to celebrate and foster awareness of South Asia. The Mittal Institute sat down with two of their Board members, Varshini Odayar and Siona Prasad, the co-presidents to learn more about the Harvard SAA and their own place in the student group.

Studying How People Form Beliefs: Explore the Research of Akshay Dixit, Mittal Institute Graduate Student Associate

Oct 27, 2021 | Announcements, Community, Graduate Student Associates, India, News, Students

Studying How People Form Beliefs: Explore the Research of Akshay Dixit, Mittal Institute Graduate Student Associate

Akshay Dixit, a Mittal Institute Graduate Student Associate, is a Ph.D. student of Political Economy & Government at Harvard University. He is a James M. and Cathleen D. Stone PhD Scholar in Inequality and Wealth Concentration, and a recipient of the Amartya Sen Fellowship for Students from India. He is interested in studying how people form beliefs about fairness and inequality, and how that shapes their support for redistributive policies. In ongoing research with Rachel Brulé, he is examining the effect of climate change-induced weather shocks on women’s collective political engagement in Bangladesh. In the past, Akshay has done research on youth civic engagement and accountability in public services, as a Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, and prior to that at Save the Children. He spent two years in Bangladesh as a Research Associate at Innovations for Poverty Action. The Mittal Institute sat down with Akshay to learn more about his research and future aspirations.

Introducing the Inaugural India Fellowship: New Opportunity for Postdoctoral Researchers to be Based at the Mittal Institute’s New Delhi Office

Oct 27, 2021 | Announcements, Community, Fellows, In Region, India, News

Introducing the Inaugural India Fellowship: New Opportunity for Postdoctoral Researchers to be Based at the Mittal Institute’s New Delhi Office

Last week, the Mittal Institute announced the launch of an inaugural India Fellowship. The Fellowship will commence on March 15, 2022, and aims to support research projects that focus on the advancement of public benefit in India. This unique Fellowship offers two (2) postdoctoral researchers in New Delhi the opportunity to work with Harvard Faculty remotely and have remote access to all Harvard libraries. It prioritizes scholars who have never received any opportunities or access to Harvard resources and those whom have primarily been educated at institutions in India. The Mittal Institute sat down with Sanjay Kumar, India Country Director at the Mittal Institute, to learn more about this exciting new opportunity.