The Year of India

Brown University dedicated the academic year of 2009-2010 as the Year of India, with an exciting program of major public lectures, cultural events, academic conferences, multimedia, and other explorations of India and its dramatic rise on the world stage. The Year of India aimed to advance the understanding of India's people, culture, economy, and politics - and their growing impact around the world. It also served as a catalyst for the future, deepening India's enduring presence at Brown - and Brown's in India - through increased scholarship and collaboration.

This website provides a virtual tour of the Year of India. It is no longer an operational site, but rather an archive of the events of 2009-2010.



Building from its base at the Watson Institute for International Studies, the Year of India engaged students and faculty across campus, as well as alumni and other friends of Brown across the world. Some 70 film screenings, research presentations, panel discussions, performances, and lectures regularly filled Brown auditoriums. The Year of India also extended far beyond these halls, most notably during University President Ruth J. Simmons' visit to Delhi and Mumbai.

The initiative was neither the beginning nor the end of Brown's relationship with India. Over the years, the University has been augmenting its India-related research and teaching capacity, growing its cohort of Indian students, and increasing ties to institutions in India. The Year of India lent new purpose and momentum to these activities and ensured that India is integral to Brown's ambitious international agenda.

New partnerships and programs were established, including a Brown Advisory Council on India, an expanded agreement with St. Stephen's College in Delhi, a memorandum of understanding with the Confederation of Indian Industry, a doctoral program on inequality in the Global South, and another in Sanskrit - with more plans under development.

Spearheading the initiative was Dean of Faculty Rajiv Vohra. Political Science Professor Ashutosh Varshney was chair of the Year of India Committee. Anthropology Professor Lina Fruzzetti was chair of the Subcommittee on Culture and the Arts. Anastasia Aguiar '09 was the Year of India coordinator. Support for the Year of India was provided in part by the Brown India Fund.

For a summary of Year of India highlights, please view our final report. Explore this website for a more detailed account. Ongoing India-related information at Brown can be found at www.brown.edu and www.watsoninstitute.org. Inquiries can be addressed to [email protected].