Texas Southern University and the Foundation for India Studies announced the establishment of an India Studies program for the TSU Graduate School. This partnership promotes the study of India in the United States, particularly in the Houston region.

On Wednesday, the Foundation for India Studies presented the TSU Foundation with a $10,000 gift. TSU will develop and implement India-focused programs at the University in cooperation with the foundation. Programming 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.

“Part of TSU’s mission is to prepare our students to become global citizens and to have an understanding of the complexity of societies around the globe,” said TSU Graduate School Dean Dr. Gregory Maddox. “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.”

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.

“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.”

The program will be run by a committee of TSU faculty, with the Foundation for India Studies serving in an advisory capacity. The Graduate School plans to host the first symposium during the Fall 2022 semester.