iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Texas Southern University(TSU) has partnered with Foundation for India Studies to start an India Studies program for the varsity Graduate School.
The program hopes to promote the study of India in the United States, especially in the state of Houston.
The program will include a series of public and academic symposia, conferences, and guest speakers that emphasize the connection between the struggle for liberation in India and the African American struggle for equality in the United States, stated a TSU press release.
The program will be run by a committee of TSU faculty, with the Foundation for India Studies serving in an advisory capacity.
“To understand the importance of Indian civilization to global history, especially through the lens of the historic linkage between Mahatma Gandhi’s and Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to non-violence in pursuit of liberation and social change, helps us accomplish that,” said TSU Graduate School Dean Dr Gregory Maddox.
Another objective of the partnership is to promote knowledge about India and Indian Americans in the University community and promote links with India and Indian universities to facilitate student and faculty exchanges, the press release further added.
“With this partnership, we want to perpetuate a legacy for future generations so that there is a greater understanding from the mainstream community of the contributions that Indians have made,” said Krishna Vavilala, Founder and Chairman of the Foundation for India Studies.
“When I first came to Houston, the Indian population was just 20,000; it has grown incredibly since then, enriching the city economically and culturally. We are here to support Texas Southern University in its efforts to incorporate India into the academy and advance the program year after year,” added Vavilala.
The Graduate School plans to host the first symposium during the Fall 2022 semester.
The Foundation for India Studies was launched in 2005. It is a non-profit organization that aims to promote knowledge about India’s contribution to the world in the field of language, literature, arts, sciences, engineering, politics, economics and spirituality.
The Foundation’s first successful project was the India Studies program at the University of Houston instituted in 2006.
The program which initially began with Hindi language courses and classes in Hinduism and Jainism has been expanded to 12 courses and is now funded by the university itself.
The foundation has now embarked on a history project called the “Indo-American Oral History Project” which will record the life stories of first-generation Indian immigrants to Houston.
The project is being done in partnership with Houston Public Library (HPL) and Houston Community College (HCC).
