Mid-year progress report
Recap July-December 2013
In line with the mission of continuity, collaboration and community, HISG programming has reached new heights in its third year. Here is a snapshot of HISG events from Summer and Fall 2013, helped tremendously by support from members and sponsors. We look forward to your continued support in the years ahead!
One Harvard, Young Harvard: August 2013
Welcome events were held in Delhi and Mumbai to provide a platform for incoming Harvard students from India to network amongst themselves and with alumni. The two events saw a combined attendance of over 150 people. The Delhi event was hosted in collaboration with the Harvard Club of India and the South Asia Institute, and the Mumbai event was co-hosted by the Harvard Club of Mumbai.
Mixers: September-October 2013
To develop a stronger sense of community among HISG members and others interested in India, various mixers were held throughout the semester. HISG hosted the Welcome Back Mixer in September 2013. This was followed by the MIT-Harvard India Mixer in October 2013, jointly organized with MIT-Sangam. In addition, HISG partnered with the South Asian Students' Organization of the Harvard School of Public Health to organize the India-Mexico mixer in October 2013.
Academic lectures: October 2013
HISG collaborated with the Program on Legal Profession at the Harvard Law School to organize a talk on India's Public Interest Litigation (PIL) model by Pravin Parekh, the President of Harvard Club of India and senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India.
This was followed later in the month by a talk by noted innovator and change-maker Dr. Anil Gupta, Professor at IIM-Ahmedabad, who focused on inclusive innovations in India.
HISG also partnered with the South Asia Institute to organize an exclusive coffee chat with renowned photographer Raghu Rai, where students had the opportunity to discuss the photographer's life and work.
Volunteering at Boston Children's Museum: October 2013
HISG members collaborated with Hindu Yuva- Boston to volunteer at the Diwali celebrations of the Boston Children's Museum, explaining the festival of lights to children through arts and crafts.
Harvard-wide Diwali night: November 2013
The Harvard-wide Diwali night was the first ever university-wide celebration of the festival of lights, with an attendance of over 400 students from across schools. Programming for the evening included an elaborate Indian dinner followed by an hour-long cultural performance featuring Indian dance and music by students from Harvard as well as Berklee College of Music. The event, which was hosted in the spacious atrium of the Northwest Building, concluded with a Bollywood dance party.
The event was organized jointly with the South Asia Caucus at Harvard Kennedy School, the South Asian Students Organization at Harvard School of Public Health, India GSD at the Graduate School of Design, and the South Asia Business Association at Harvard Business School.
HISG is grateful to all the sponsors for the event:
South Asia Institute
Asia Center
Graduate Commons Program
Harvard Graduate Council
Kennedy School Student Government/South Asia Caucus at HKS
South Asia Business Association at HBS
South Asian Students Organization at HSPH
India GSD
