Category : Students

From Chile to Kerala: Exploring Fragmented Citizenship

Sep 22, 2026 | India, News, Students

As a Mittal Institute student grant recipient, Tara Hein, a PhD student at Harvard, spent summer 2026 in Kerala, India, conducting research for her project, “Seeing like a Citizen: Fragmented Citizenship in Santiago, Chile and Kerala, India.” Her research explores how people’s experiences with the state—particularly when government services and institutions are highly visible but unevenly delivered—shape how they understand and engage with citizenship. Building on interviews conducted in Santiago, Chile, she traveled to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to further develop her research through interviews with residents in Kerala. She shares more about her summer in her grant report.

Prof. Rahul Mehrotra’s Work on View in Mumbai and Kabul

Sep 20, 2026 | Afghanistan, India, News, Students

From Mumbai to Kabul, Rahul Mehrotra, Mittal Institute steering committee member and the John T. Dunlop Professor in Housing and Urbanization at Harvard GSD, showcased two sides of his work this summer. “Contextures” at TARQ in Mumbai explores the work of RMA Architects, while “The Architectures of Transition” in Kabul highlights 41 emerging architecture practices across South Asia and asks how architecture can respond to a region in transition.

Accountability Before Measurement: My Year at Harvard

Sep 14, 2026 | Community, News, Students

During his 2025-26 year as a Mittal Family Climate Postdoctoral Fellow, Sachin Kumar explored how artificial intelligence can strengthen climate action and accountability, with a particular focus on the needs and perspectives of the Global South. In this reflection, he considers how conversations with Harvard faculty, researchers, and practitioners reshaped his approach to the intersection of AI, climate, policy, and governance. From the classroom to seminars and conversations across the University, his time at Harvard expanded both the questions he is asking and the scope of his research. Here, he reflects on what he arrived with, what changed, and the ideas he will carry forward.

Mittal Institute’s Welcome Back Mixer Connects Harvard’s South Asian Community

Sep 9, 2026 | Community, News, Students

Our annual Welcome Back Mixer brought together 150 students, 15 faculty, 9 South Asia-focused student organizations from across Harvard along with the Mittal Institute team to kick off the new academic year. Over a South Asian dinner, attendees had the opportunity to...

Dr. Thiyagaraj Gurunathan, Bajaj Fellow, on Exploring Caste, Contagion, and Medicine in India

Sep 3, 2026 | Fellows, India, News, Students

Dr. Thiyagaraj Gurunathan is the Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj Fellow for Fall 2026, working with Prof. David Jones, A. Bernard Ackerman Professor of the Culture of Medicine and Chair of the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University. An early-career researcher at the intersection of health humanities and cultural studies, his work examines the cultural meanings of contagion in South Asia, particularly in India, with a focus on caste, disease, and outbreak narratives. During his fellowship at Harvard, he is drawing on his background in literature and cultural studies to advance his research toward the history of medicine. We spoke with Dr. Gurunathan about his research and his hopes for his fellowship.

Presenting the Mittal Institute Fellows + Graduate Student Associates

Sep 2, 2026 | Graduate Student Associates, News, Students

The Mittal Institute’s Cambridge Office fosters South Asian scholarship by hosting Fellows, Visiting Artist Fellows, and Graduate Student Associates. Fellows are scholars and practitioners who come to Harvard to utilize the university’s resources to contribute to self-driven, independent research. Graduate Student Associates (GSAs) are graduate and Ph.D. students from across the different schools at Harvard who conduct research focused on South Asia. This Academic Year 2026-27, we welcome 4 new Fellows and 22 new and returning GSAs.

Mittal Institute Message: Catastrophic Flooding in Nepal

Sep 1, 2026 | Announcements, Community, In Region, Nepal, News, South Asia in the News, Students

We join the Harvard Undergraduate Nepali Student Association (HUNSA) in expressing our solidarity with the communities affected by the devastating floods and landslides across Nepal. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods, as well as the first responders and local volunteers working on the ground.

One Harvard, Young Harvard: Celebrating Community, Connection, and the Harvard Journey

Aug 19, 2026 | Alumni, Community, India, News, Students

On July 25, the “One Harvard, Young Harvard” Mixer brought together incoming and returning students, alumni, faculty, and University affiliates for an evening of conversation and camaraderie, celebrating the connections that sustain Harvard’s community in India.

Courses on South Asia at Harvard: Fall 2026

Aug 18, 2026 | Announcements, News, Students

Harvard offers a diverse range of courses on South Asia, spanning language, history, politics, economics, religion, and beyond. Explore a selection of Fall 2026 offerings. For the latest updates, please consult the Course Catalog. We’ll continue to expand this list as new courses are announced.

The Mittal Institute’s 2026 Seed for Change Winners

Jun 22, 2026 | 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 winners.

The Mittal Institute’s Summer 2026 Student Grant Recipients

Jun 8, 2026 | Announcements, In Region, News, Students

Each semester, the Mittal Institute offers grants to Harvard students to further their research, language study, or internship opportunities. For summer 2026, 12 students received funding to pursue projects across five countries. Their work spans a wide range of topics, from examining postnatal care in India, to studying food and chronic disease in Nepal, to immersing themselves in the languages of Sanskrit and Tibetan.

Commencement 2026: Celebrating Harvard’s South Asian Community

May 21, 2026 | Community, In Region, News, Students

From advancing conversations on the future of the Arctic to reimagining how design and grassroots advocacy can shape more sustainable communities, South Asian members of Harvard’s Class of 2026 are bringing bold ideas and global perspectives. As they graduate and begin the next chapter of their journeys, these students carry with them a commitment to scholarship, innovation, and meaningful impact. While this selection of profiles is far from comprehensive, these profiles offer a glimpse into the many ways Harvard students are preparing to engage with and contribute to the world. Congratulations to the Harvard University Class of 2026!