Vaishnavi Patil, an alumna of the Mittal Institute’s Graduate Student Associate program, earned her Ph.D. from Harvard’s Department of History of Art and Architecture in May 2025. Her doctoral research examined female deities—particularly mother goddesses—and how religious production, patronage, and institutional development shaped their evolution across South and Southeast Asia. She has since joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as Assistant Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art. We spoke with Vaishnavi about her new role and how her time at Harvard shaped her career trajectory.

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.

This academic year, the Mittal Institute has supported 20 graduate and PhD students from across the different schools at Harvard who conduct research focused on South Asia. These Graduate Student Associates (GSAs) engage in monthly working groups to receive feedback from one another and exchange ideas.

The South Asian Studies Colloquium at Harvard brings together scholars, students, and enthusiasts to share research and ideas across disciplines. With presentations by graduate students, faculty, and visiting fellows, plus a guest lecture series, each session encourages lively dialogue and feedback. Open to the entire Harvard community, the colloquium fosters connections, sparks cross-disciplinary conversations, and explores the rich histories and cultures of South Asia. We spoke with Colloquium organizers Seton Uhlhorn, a Mittal Institute Graduate Student Associate and Ph.D candidate specializing in classical Urdu literature, and Afeef Ahmed, a Ph.D candidate who studies Early Modern South India and the Indian Ocean, to learn more about what inspired the series.

International students make up more than a quarter of Harvard’s community, and many arrive searching for a sense of belonging. To help create that connection, Thomas Elliott, Programs and Administrative Coordinator at the Mittal Institute, is launching “International Tea”—a new gathering designed to bring students together and foster community. The first tea will be held on October 22nd and is open to invited Graduate Students and Fellows from regional centers. We spoke with Thomas about how this initiative came to life and what he hopes it will offer.

Each year, the Mittal Institute welcomes Graduate Student Associates (GSAs) from across Harvard’s schools to advance research on South Asia. The program fosters interdisciplinary exchange by bringing together graduate and Ph.D. students to share ideas and strengthen their work. This year, 20 new and returning GSAs will collaborate with the Institute through monthly working group meetings, where they present and receive feedback on their research, participate in with Faculty Cabinet presentations, attend internal panel discussions, and more.

Summer is the perfect time to slow down with a good book, and our Graduate Student Associates have some great recommendations to inspire your next read. From climate displacement, to questions of identity, to stories set in 1980s Sri Lanka, their picks span a wide range of themes and perspectives. There’s something here for every reader. Happy reading!

This academic year, the Mittal Institute has supported 20 graduate and PhD students from across the different schools at Harvard who conduct research focused on South Asia. These Graduate Student Associates (GSAs) engage in monthly working groups to receive feedback from one another and exchange ideas.