Faculty Archives • The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute

The Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program Is Back — Apply for 2021!

Jan 15, 2021 | Announcements, Faculty, In Region, News, Students

Last year, the Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program received 6,093 total applications from 115 countries spanning the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, South Asia, and US students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Selected students joined the Crossroads Virtual Program via Zoom to attend an interdisciplinary seminar series uniquely designed for them, curated to encourage their individual professional and academic aspirations. The Crossroads Virtual Program featured 13 fascinating and insightful lessons given by senior Harvard faculty across a range of disciplines.

A Balancing Act: The Art and Science of Heritage Conservation in South Asia

Jan 14, 2021 | Announcements, Arts at SAI, Faculty, News

The Mittal Institute’s Program for Conservation of Culture (PCC) promotes a climate for cultural conservation in South Asia. It aims to bring the global values of conservation practices in conversation with local needs and the existing know-how of materials, resources, climate, legal parameters, and history to build a stronger foundation for present and future safekeeping and conservation of South Asia’s heritage. As a part of the PCC, the Mittal Institute hosted two recent panel discussions on recent developments in science and the impact of these developments on the field of art conservation globally and in South Asia

How (and Why) to Create an Interdisciplinary Classroom

Nov 19, 2020 | Announcements, Community, Faculty, News

For many years, a group of faculty members at Harvard — Tarun Khanna (HBS), Satchit Balsari (HMS), Rahul Mehrotra (GSD), Krzysztof Gajos (SEAS), and Doris Sommer (FAS) — have taught a GenEd course, entitled “Contemporary Developing Countries: Entrepreneurial Solutions to Intractable Problems.” The course, initially created by Professor Khanna with the support of the Mittal Institute, covers case studies from emerging markets across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Each year, about 100 students enroll in the course from a variety of backgrounds, including undergraduate and graduate students — from sophomores at Harvard College to budding surgeons at Harvard Medical School.

Evaluating the Prevalence of COVID-19 in India

Nov 19, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, India, News

Recently, a discussion moderated by Richard Cash, Senior Lecturer on Global Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, brought together Satchit Balsari, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Manoj Mohanan, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Economics, and Global Health at Duke University, to discuss “A Class Apart: COVID-19 Seroprevalence in India.” Together, they explored the findings and implications of a recent seroprevalence survey (the number of individuals in a population who test positive for a specific disease based on serology specimens) conducted by Professor Mohanan’s team in India.

How Has COVID-19 Impacted Mental Health in India, China, and the US?

Nov 12, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, News

This past week, a panel of experts came together to explore the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and how India, China, and the United States are responding to it. The discussion was moderated by Arthur Kleinman, Professor of Medical Anthropology at Harvard Medical School, and hosted by Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies.

Vikram Patel: India’s Mental Health, Before and During COVID-19

Oct 21, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, India, News

We spoke with Vikram Patel, the Pershing Square Professor of Global Health in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, to learn more about the status of mental health in India and South Asia at large, both before and during the pandemic.

Videos: Extreme Urbanism in Afghanistan Series

Oct 21, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, In Region, News

Through a seminar series called “Extreme Urbanism: A View on Afghanistan,” organized by the Mittal Institute, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, experts address Afghanistan’s architectural, urban, and territorial features. This cycle of talks aims to create a platform where varied topics, ranging from vernacular architecture and building traditions to infrastructure and cultural specificities, are discussed in conjunction with issues related to historic settlements and contemporary planning in Afghanistan.

Rahul Mehrotra: Extreme Urbanism Along the Border of Afghanistan

Oct 13, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, In Region, News

We spoke with the Chair of the Extreme Urbanism seminar series, Rahul Mehrotra, Professor of Urban Design and Planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), to learn more about his Option Studio at the GSD this semester, the seminar series, and the challenges and future of urban development in Afghanistan.

Apply for the Mittal Institute’s 2020 Faculty Research Grants

Oct 8, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, News

Each year, the Mittal Institute supports faculty research projects with grants ranging from $15,000–$30,000. Faculty members at Harvard are eligible for two types of grants that bring together faculty from different fields and regions whose scholarship relates to South Asia. Traditionally, the Mittal Institute has prioritized interdisciplinary research, and research that catalyzes connectivity between scholars at Harvard and those in South Asia. Up to five grants will be awarded each year. Full-time Harvard faculty members, preferably at the junior levels, are encouraged to apply.

Video: Khusrau’s River of Love: Cosmopolitanism and Inclusion in South Asian Traditions

Oct 8, 2020 | Announcements, Community, Faculty, In Region, News

During 24 Hours of Harvard, part of Harvard University’s Worldwide Week, the Mittal Institute hosted performances by musician and writer, Ali Sethi, and Dastango (story-teller), journalist, and writer, Himanshu Bajpai, with commentaries by Harvard Professor Ali Asani. The performance highlighted this cosmopolitan ethic of South Asia and its shared cultural history by showcasing Khusrau’s work and legacy.

Video Preview: Khusrau’s River of Love at Harvard Worldwide Week

Oct 1, 2020 | Announcements, Community, Faculty, In Region, News

The Mittal Institute is excited to announce its participation in 24 Hours of Harvard (24hH), organized by the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs (OVPIA) at Harvard University during the Worldwide Week at Harvard 2020. As part of this event, the Mittal Institute will be hosting an online session entitled, “Khusrau’s River of Love: Cosmopolitanism and Inclusion in South Asian Traditions,” which will include performances by noted artists from South Asia, Ali Sethi and Himanshu Bajpai. The performances will be interspersed with analysis and commentary by Ali Asani, Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures at Harvard University, who will also moderate a live Q&A session with Ali Sethi and Himanshu Bajpai following the performances.

Rediscovering Partition from New Perspectives

Sep 10, 2020 | Announcements, Faculty, In Region, News, Partition

The impact of the 1947 Partition still ripples throughout South Asia, 73 years later. However, our knowledge of this historic event is constantly being reevaluated by academics and researchers who have continued to illuminate the details of what occurred. Moderated by Jennifer Leaning, Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, this panel explores how new research efforts help us understand the full depth of the history and legacy of Partition.

Category : Faculty