South Asia Institute

The Harvard University South Asia Institute (SAI) engages faculty and students through interdisciplinary programs to advance and deepen the teaching and research on global issues relevant to South Asia. Founded in 2003 to further Harvard University’s engagement with South Asia, SAI is a University-wide research institute that engages faculty members, students, and in-region institutions through interdisciplinary programs to disseminate knowledge, build capacity, inform policy, and engage in advocacy on issues that are shaping South Asia today.

With two billion people facing similar challenges throughout South Asia, there is a critical need for solutions and systems to support such a significant global population. SAI programs and projects are working to actively address issues that have direct relevance to global health, including equity, sustainability, and urbanization. Through research conducted by students and faculty, to partnerships with governments and organizations, to seminars held on campus and across the world, SAI is working to improve the lives of all people throughout the region and beyond. Some examples of SAI projects that touch on global health include Mapping the Kumbh Mela, a collaborative project to study the connections between health, religion, and the phenomenon of urbanization; Adolescent Agency and Overcoming Gender Violence, which explores how underprivileged girls have managed to successfully complete high school and move on to higher education; and programs focused on emergency response and disaster management, primary care delivery, and mental health.

See also: Regional Center