The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh was delighted to host the Consul General of India, Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty, on March 28th and 29th 2018. The Consul General was invited to by the University of Pittsburgh for a major conference “Rethinking South-South Cooperation: India and Brazil in the 21st Century,†organized under the auspices of the University Center for International Studies.
Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty facilitates Pitt’s Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg with a traditional Indian scarf. Extreme left is Vice Provost of Global Affairs Ariel Armony,
In conjunction with this, the Consul General of India participated in a series of events focused on the development of Indian Studies, toured the Indian Nationality Room in the Cathedral of Learning and met with a group of students representing a tremendous cross-section of interests in Indian Studies in particular and South Asia more broadly. Mr. Chakravorty and his staff have been extremely helpful in working with senior leadership at the University of Pittsburgh, and with Ms. Riva Ganguly Das, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, to establish the ICCR Chair in Indian Studies.
Over the course of the next five years, this important initiative will bring leading scholars from universities in India to the University of Pittsburgh to teach courses that focus on Indian society and culture in the humanities and social sciences.
The ICCR Chair in Indian Studies will serve to anchor and help to develop an important initiative. Recognizing the growth and development of South Asia, the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh is committed to expanding faculty research and teaching expertise on the global significance of this significant region of the world.
Beyond the academic significance of the “India Initiative†at the University of Pittsburgh, the establishment of the ICCR Indian Studies Chair will serve as an important bridge to the community.
In conjunction with this goal, Consul General Chakravorty was able to meet representatives of Pittsburgh’s community who have contributed to Indian studies over the years, most especially those who have played a vital role in building and supporting the Indian Nationality Room  ♣