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Category : South Asia in the News


The Fractured Himalaya: An Interview with Nirupama Rao on the Sino-Indian War

The Fractured Himalaya: An Interview with Nirupama Rao on the Sino-Indian War

Nirupama Rao, a former Foreign Secretary of India, unknots this complex saga of the early years of the India-China relationship in her new book, The Fractured Himalaya. As a diplomat-practitioner, Rao’s telling is based not only on archival material from India, China, Britain and the United States, but also on a deep personal knowledge of China, where she served as India’s Ambassador. She shared her new book with the Mittal Institute ahead of her upcoming February 17 Borders in Modern Asia Seminar Series talk, “The Fractured Himalaya.”

Arvid Bell Previews Oct 15 Talk: Afghanistan’s Next Transition

Arvid Bell Previews Oct 15 Talk: Afghanistan’s Next Transition

On Friday, October 15, the Mittal Institute and the Negotiation Task Force present “Afghanistan’s Next Transition: How we got here, and what comes next,” a focus on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Discussants will explore the lead up to the collapse of the Afghan government, and what the new Taliban regime means for the future of the country and its people. Arvid Bell spoke with the Mittal Institute about his work, and what we can expect the panelists to cover at the October 15 event. Arvid is a scholar and entrepreneur who specializes in complex conflict analysis, negotiation strategy, and international security. He is lecturer on Government at Harvard University, Director of the Negotiation Task Force at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, and Partner at Negotiation Design & Strategy (NDS), a training, advisory, and research development group.

Afghanistan Resources: Ongoing Relief Efforts

Afghanistan Resources: Ongoing Relief Efforts

On behalf of the team at the Mittal Institute, our hearts are with the people of Afghanistan, who are reeling in the wake of new unrest. Over the past few decades, the people of Afghanistan have experienced large-scale and ongoing violence and conflict, with recent events only adding to this turmoil and resulting suffering. Our thoughts are with the Afghan people as they look to chart a new path forward – with the necessary support from their partners in the international community – to address their needs, and ensure that the rights and safety of the most vulnerable in their midst are upheld and respected. During this crisis, the Mittal Institute would like to bring attention to how our community can stay informed on what’s developing in Afghanistan, and ways that they can help.

Video: The COVID-19 Crisis in India: What is the Way Forward?

Video: The COVID-19 Crisis in India: What is the Way Forward?

On May 13, the Lancet Citizens’ Commission on Reimagining India’s Health System held a joint webinar with the Lancet COVID-19 Commission India Task Force on “The COVID-19 Crisis in India: What is the Way Forward?” The webinar, the first in a new series, engaged academics, practitioners and the public about the recent COVID-19 pandemic surge in India. The discussion focused on the short and long-term actions that are needed to address the impact

Animal Markets and Infectious Diseases: Research by the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School

Animal Markets and Infectious Diseases: Research by the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School

Three in four emerging infectious diseases are spread to humans from animals. Yet, the nature of our relationship with animals and the forces that drive this risk are only now beginning to come into focus. Our research, led by the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School, operates at the intersection of public health, conservation, and animal welfare to better understand these connections and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks.

How Does Caste Impact America?

How Does Caste Impact America?

Last week, WGBH News Senior Investigative Reporter Phillip Martin led a panel discussion in his series “Caste in America,” speaking with Mittal Institute Director Tarun Khanna, alongside Suraj Yengde, Laurence Simon, Kavita Pillay, and Swami Venkataraman, about the role of caste in the United States. Martin’s series “explores the discrimination Indian immigrants face in the United States as a result of this ancient hierarchical system of human classification,” with this particular segment evolving to encompass a study of caste in general, touching on its impact in other countries and its relationship to race.

US-Kerala Flood Relief Donation

The recent floods that hit Kerala have been the worst floods the State has faced since 1924. Many places in the state are neck-deep in water, massive landslides have laid waste to roads, houses and other infrastructure, thousands of hectares of crops are ruined and hundreds of people have lost their lives. The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University and the America India Foundation are encouraging monetary donations from people in the US.