Global IndianstoryIndian-Origin Academic Leaders: Key faculty appointments at top U.S. institutions in 2024

Indian-Origin Academic Leaders: Key faculty appointments at top U.S. institutions in 2024

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

(September 16, 2024) Recent data indicates that Indian-origin academicians are a significant part of the academic workforce in the United States. BCG estimated that around 2.6 percent of higher-ed faculty members, approximately 22,000, were Indian Americans in 2021. A review of the top 50 colleges in the US revealed that 35 have an Indian American in their leadership ranks, including roles like deans, chancellors, provosts, and directors of colleges.

This representation highlights the important role Indian-origin academics play in American higher education, contributing to wide-ranging perspectives and innovative research. Global Indian puts a spotlight on some recent appointments of Indian-origin academic leaders in the United States’ top institutions:

Vivek Sarkar

Appointed as Dean of Georgia Tech’s College of Computing

Indian American professor Vivek Sarkar has been appointed Dean of Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, effective June 1. He also serves as a professor in the School of Computer Science. He previously served as the chair of the School of Computer Science and held the Stephen Fleming Chair for Telecommunications at Georgia Tech. Sarkar’s work has significantly advanced the academic understanding of high-performance computing systems and has influenced the development of technologies that shape modern society. His research has led to key breakthroughs in parallel computing, improving the efficiency of complex computations and making them easier to program. Along with his academic achievements, Sarkar is deeply committed to mentoring future computer scientists and engineers, with a strong focus on promoting diversity and inclusion within the computing field, ensuring equal opportunities for all to succeed.

Vivek Sarkar

Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Sarkar served as the E.D. Butcher Chair in Engineering at Rice University, where he also chaired the Department of Computer Science. He previously worked at IBM Research as a senior manager and was a member of the IBM Academy of Technology. Sarkar pursued his bachelors at IIT Kanpur and earned his Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford University and has been recognized with numerous awards and honours for his pioneering research.

Srinand ‘Sri’ Sreevatsan

Appointed as Dean of University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine

The University of Missouri has appointed Srinand “Sri” Sreevatsan as the dean of the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine, effective August 1. The Indian American academician most recently served as the associate dean for research and graduate studies at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where he was also a professor and chair of pathobiology and diagnostic investigation. A distinguished scholar, Sreevatsan is deeply committed to veterinary medicine and research that advances the health of animals, humans, and the environment. He previously spent seven years as the director of graduate studies in the veterinary medicine program at the University of Minnesota.

Srinand Sreevatsan

With nearly 200 scholarly publications to his name, he also holds leadership positions in the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association and the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture. Additionally, he is a member of both the American Society for Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Sreevatsan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and holds a master’s degree in public health (epidemiology) and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota.

Bhramar Mukherjee

Appointed as Senior Associate Dean of Public Health Data Science and Data Equity, Yale School of Public Health

Bhramar Mukherjee has been named Yale School of Public Health’s first Senior Associate Dean of Public Health Data Science and Data Equity. She assumed her position on August 1, 2024. A trailblazer in biostatistics, Mukherjee’s research focuses on integrating genetic, environmental, and healthcare data, with emphasis on chronic diseases, environmental epidemiology, and reproductive health. She has also made notable contributions to cancer and cardiovascular research, as well as the analysis of COVID-19 data. She has co-authored over 380 publications spanning statistics, biostatistics, medicine, and public health, and has served as principal investigator on numerous NSF and NIH grants.

Bhramar Mukherjee

Prior to joining Yale, she held multiple prestigious professorships and leadership roles at the University of Michigan. Mukherjee is the founding director of the University of Michigan’s Big Data Summer Institute for undergraduates, a program she has led for the past nine years. Last year, she was also appointed assistant vice president for research, where she designed a comprehensive data analysis service infrastructure for all three U-M campuses. She earned her B.Sc. in Statistics from Presidency College, Kolkata in 1994, an M Stat from the Indian Statistical Institute in 1996, and a Ph.D. in Statistics from Purdue University.

Hamsa Balakrishnan

Appointed as Associate Dean of School of Engineering, MIT

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has named Hamsa Balakrishnan as the associate dean of the MIT School of Engineering. She also holds the position of the William E. Leonhard Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics leading the Dynamics, Infrastructure Networks, and Mobility (DINaMo) group, which focuses on modeling, analyzing, controlling, and optimizing modern infrastructure systems. Her group has played a key role in addressing issues such as advanced air mobility, air traffic congestion, and airport operations, collaborating with organizations like the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, and major airports. From 2018 to 2021, Balakrishnan served as associate department head in AeroAstro, overseeing both undergraduate and graduate education programs. She also directed Transportation@MIT in 2018-19, managing interdisciplinary graduate programs in transportation and focusing on faculty engagement and student recruitment.

Hamsa Balakrishnan

Prior to joining MIT, she held positions at the University of California Santa Cruz and NASA Ames Research Center. Balakrishnan’s research has earned her numerous accolades, including the NSF Career Award, AIAA’s Lawrence Sperry Award, and the American Automatic Control Council’s Donald P. Eckman Award. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, Balakrishnan earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University.

Garud Iyengar

Appointed as Director of Columbia University’s Data Science Institute

Columbia University professor Garud Iyengar was appointed as the new director of its Data Science Institute (DSI), effective July 1. He is also co-lead of Columbia’s artificial intelligence initiative alongside Jeannette Wing and Shih-Fu Chang. Before this role, the Indian American academician served as the senior vice dean for research and academic programs at the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), a position he held since November 2021 at the Columbia University. He has also been the Tang Family Professor of Operations in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research since January 2020.

Garud Iyengar

Iyengar’s research focuses on understanding uncertain systems and leveraging data-driven control and optimization algorithms to make the most of available information. His work spans a wide range of fields, including machine learning, systemic risk, asset management, operations management, sports analytics, and biology. Iyengar earned his B. Tech in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Sakthivel Sadayappan

Appointed as Head of the Dept of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson appointed Sakthivel Sadayappan as the new head of its Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. He is also serving as a Professor and Associate Director, Sarver Heart Center at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Sadayappan comes to the university from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where he led key research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. His career has also included roles at the University of Cincinnati, Loyola University in Chicago, and the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Germany.

Sakhthivel Saddyapan

With over 170 published scientific papers and three patents, Sadayappan’s research focuses on developing therapies for genetically induced heart failure, as well as conditions like distal arthrogryposis and lethal congenital contracture syndrome. Recognized as Educator of the Year, he has mentored over 100 students and postdoctoral fellows. Sadayappan earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Madurai Kamaraj University in India, specializing in the molecular aspects of cardiac hypertrophy. He also holds an MBA from the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business and completed a Certificate Course on Preparing for Future Faculty at the University of Cincinnati.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and there are other notable appointments of Indian-origin academic leaders throughout 2024 leading to significant impacts in the field of education in the United States.

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 16, Sep 2024

Share with

ALSO READ

How Antarctica inspired Kunal Sanklecha to quit college and become an experiential educator

(April 14, 2024) When Kunal Sanklecha boarded the vessel at Ushuaia and set sail for Antarctica on a bright sunny day in March 2017, he was both excited and nervous. As the ship came close to crossing the Drake passage — one of the roughest seas in the world — Kunal was on the edge. Luckily, it was smooth sailing for the youngster, who soon arrived to the pristine views, even as the piercing cold winds have him a first taste of the hostile weather. “As a landscape, the place was stunning with rich wildlife relatively untouched by human activity but faced the consequences of our collective actions. This journey changed my life forever,” smiles Kunal, founder of Infinite Playground and adventurer, change maker and experiential educator, as he likes to describe himself, in a chat with Global Indian. First trip abroad Travel to Antarctica was way outside his comfort zone. “I was travelling outside India for the first time, meeting 80 different changemakers and adventurers from 32 different countries. It made me realize that despite our differences we were facing similar challenges across geographies,” says the 28-year-old, who battled temperatures of minus five degrees during his 24-day stay. He was taken aback

emakers and adventurers from 32 different countries. It made me realize that despite our differences we were facing similar challenges across geographies,” says the 28-year-old, who battled temperatures of minus five degrees during his 24-day stay.

He was taken aback to see a portion of the Larsen B- ice shelf breaking right in front of him, much earlier than what was expected in the 2030s. “There was a colony of penguins displaced from the mainland floating in the middle of the vast ocean. It was symbolic of what we are doing to the natural world in the name of development,” says Kunal, who upon return from Antarctica, launched a campaign “Happy Feet” to collect, upcycle and donate 20,000 pairs of footwear, which were then distributed to less privileged children in schools across India.

Most of the passengers on board the ship were sea-sick, Kunal included. “Being on a ship and transferred to small raft-like boats daily was our daily routine of island hopping. The ship had all the amenities for food and shelter,” he says. He participated in the indoor sessions on wildlife, public speaking, leadership development and team building combined with outdoor excursions.

From Mumbai, he travelled to Dubai, Buenos Aires and boarded the vessel from Ushuaia for Antarctica. “Upon return, I shared my story with people on hikes, organized beach and mountain clean-ups around Mumbai, and gave talks wherever I was invited,” says Kunal, whose previous mountain expeditions include Mt Frey in Sikkim (2021), Friendship Peak (2018) and Deo Tibba (2022) in Himachal Pradesh, Satopanth in Uttarakhand (2022) and Lbuche in Nepal (2024).

Making a difference

Post his return, he continued volunteering and meeting change makers from different organizations across India associated with animal care shelters, permaculture farms, natural building and seeing self-sustainable communities. For him, the core idea remained the same — to travel, learn and make a difference.

He says Antarctica taught him that dreams do come true if one works for it. “It also gave me the self - belief to put my ideas into execution and see them come alive,” smiles the creator of the platform “The Infinite Playground.”

Antarctica visit also led Kunal to adopt a zero - waste, vegan, minimalist lifestyle and taking conscious actions while inspiring others to do the same.

The Infinite Playground

“I have been curating adventures for children and adults around Mumbai and sharing my learnings and experiences. I've also taken corporates, schools, people from the Indian Navy on team building treks and sailing around Mumbai,” says Kunal, about the platform he launched in 2018.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kunal Sanklecha (@kunalsanklecha)

The experiential educator, as he calls himself, says his platform aims to spread joy and reconnect people living an urban lifestyle to the transformative power of Mother Nature through movement, hiking, slack-lining and earth-friendly adventures. “Children are my play buddies as they are not as fearful as adults. So to share adventures with them while educating them about sustainability and climate action through experiences, is how this company was born,” says Kunal. He collaborates with various schools and NGOs in Mumbai for the purpose.

Mountaineering

The Mumbai boy, who always had an interest in green technology and nature, began hiking in small hills and nature trails with the Bombay Natural History Society ((BNHS) around Mumbai in school days, with siblings and friends. However, the real journey only began after 12th grade when he started exploiting the Sahyadris and Himalayan mountains including Roopkund, Chadar, Dodital among others.

“I was curious about nature and animals and went to see flamingos in the city, adopted caterpillars and waited for every opportunity to get outdoors,” says Kunal, who would often be immersed in reading travel and nature magazines, newspaper articles about mountaineers, explorers and adventurers, for hours at a stretch.

He even completed his basic mountaineering course from NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering), Uttarkashi and Advanced mountaineering course from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. Even as he was delving deep into what he liked the most, he was still thinking about engineering and the MBA option. But it was soon disrupted by the world of outdoor adventures and meeting some very inspiring people on his travels.

In the first year of engineering, Kunal’s hopes were shattered and he was fed up of how things were going ahead with higher education. So he did some research and made his journey a little more interesting by going after some exploratory ways of learning — volunteering with NGOs, interning at startups, running a half marathon, doing a mountaineering course and going for an exchange program, attending travel and sustainability meetups, seminars and conferences.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kunal Sanklecha (@kunalsanklecha)

Learning outside classroom

“I was always outside the classroom, learning on - ground by meeting people. This is where the idea of going to Antarctica with Sir Robert Swan and his 2041 foundation for a social impact journey took shape,” informs Kunal.

Sir Robert Swan, the first person to walk to both the poles, also awarded Kunal and recognised his efforts in mobilising people towards climate action.

Kunal planned to give back to the NGOs and social enterprises he worked with using this adventure as a medium. Hungry to learn and grow, he gave himself a task, which was, to raise Rs nine lakh within six months for his Antarctica trip. “I wanted to use those skills and experiences to raise an equal amount of money in return for a cause. In the journey, I put myself outside my comfort zone by creating a crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness on climate change, waste management and sustainable living,” says the adventurer, who also gave talks on stage in return for money, organized trips for his juniors and small meet-ups and day events in the city to raise funds.

Anew beginning

He managed 80 per cent of the funds and for the remaining, he requested his father Mahendra Sanklecha to pitch in. And then, to his parents’ surprise, he dropped out of college.

“My parents were shocked initially, as I'd been among the bright students in school and come from a middle class family, without any big family business,” says Kunal, who started working with adventure travel companies after the Antarctic journey. He felt he could not go back and fit in with college lectures and assignments.

“Moreover, my college wanted me to repeat a year due to low attendance - it was a no-brainer for me to choose growth over an unconscious environment of learning. I walked out,” says Kunal, who was awarded by Sir Robert Swan, the first person to walk to both the poles, for his efforts in mobilising people towards climate action.

Scuba diving

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kunal Sanklecha (@kunalsanklecha)

Kunal is a scuba diver as well. Last month, he was scuba diving in Maldives. “I love oceans as much as mountains, forests, deserts and other natural landscapes,” says Kunal, who recently completed his PADI (Professional association of Diving Instructors) advanced open water course.

That’s not all he has lined up. “I am keen on climbing an 8000m peak to challenge myself and amplify the work for causes which I'm passionate about,” informs the adventurer, who is passionate about cycling, gardening, slack lining and acro yoga.

Follow Kunal Sanklecha on Instagram

Creating history: Author Priya Satia’s novels narrate the tale of India under the British Raj

(January 11, 2023) For the past several generations, British historians have deconstructed and reimagined world history to suit the Empire's narrative. Their tales of development in various colonies of the empire across the globe - including India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean - licensed the brutal suppression of the colonial rebellion by imperial governance. While these narratives still echo in world history, author Priya Satia's latest release, Time's Monster: History, Conscience, and Britain's Empire, examines how the British historians not only twisted the fate of colonial politics but also shaped the futures of generations to come. [caption id="attachment_33728" align="aligncenter" width="526"] Priya Satia, author[/caption] "It shaped my family’s history and so much of the world, and I felt I could contribute – and correct influential myths – from the United States," the author shared during an interview while answering why it was important for her to write this book. The award-winning author of Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution and Spies in Arabia - Priya compels her readers to look into the parts of world history that generally are never discussed. The Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of British History at

could contribute – and correct influential myths – from the United States," the author shared during an interview while answering why it was important for her to write this book. The award-winning author of Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution and Spies in Arabia - Priya compels her readers to look into the parts of world history that generally are never discussed. The Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of British History at Stanford University, the Global Indian regularly writes for various media outlets including Financial Times, The Nation, and Washington Post.

The Arabian conquest

A Ph.D. scholar from the University of California, Berkeley, Priya grew up in Los Gatos, amidst a lot of books. An avid reader, she was always curious to know about the past of the nation to which she belongs - India. And it was this passion which led her to write several books on the British Raj in the country. In 2008, Priya released her first book, Spies in Arabia: The Great War and the Cultural Foundations of Britain's Covert Empire in the Middle East, which was well-received not just by the audience, but also by the critics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG_JMxQ9eI

In a recent interview, the author discussed why she chose to write about events in the Middle East. "I had an interest in South Asia before I had an interest in the Middle East. I was looking into the Indian Army, which did most of the fighting in Iraq during World War I, and became distracted by the Indian Army’s British officers. They arrived thinking that they were in the land of the Arabian Nights, that this place was mysterious and unknowable. But they were there to perform very practical tasks. I became curious how their cultural outlook shaped what they did and how they did it."

Uncovering several conspiracy theories, the author shares how off-base the British were and how outlandishly exaggerated their theories. "When I wrote Spies in Arabia, I was so sure that the British were so wrong in what they assumed about native inhabitants that I didn’t pay enough attention to their actual interactions. This dimension comes out more in my current work on global anticolonial networks than it did in Spies. I’m now looking at the conspiracy theory chapter from the other side, in a sense," she said.

The bloody history of India

While it is not talked about or portrayed in world history, that the British were barbaric towards Indians is a truth that needs no further proof. And yet, everyone seems to have turned a blind eye toward the actual events of the time. Priya, however, shares that it was very important for her to uncover this part of history and present it to the world. “In public memory, redemptive myths about colonial upliftment persistently mask the empire’s abysmal history of looting and pillage, policy-driven famines, brutal crushing of the rebellion, torture, concentration camps, aerial policing, and everyday racism and humiliation,” the author explained in the book Empire of Guns, adding, "To be sure, there is a story about the ‘banality of evil’ to be told— about the automatic, conformist ways in which ordinary people become complicit in inhumanity. But in the case of the British Empire, the bigger story is perhaps that of inhumanity perpetrated by individuals deeply concerned with their consciences, indeed actively interrogating their consciences."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHldSyL8ouo

The book earned Priya the 2019 Pacific Coast Conference on British Studies Book Prize, the Wadsworth Prize in Business History, and the AHA's Jerry Bentley Prize in world history. "Empire of Guns told the story of a very important eighteenth-century gunmaker named Samuel Galton. As a Quaker, he was forced to defend his gun-making to fellow Quakers who felt it violated the sect’s pacifist commitments," shared the author, who was also the finalist for the LA Times Book Prize in History and shortlisted for the Laura Shannon Prize in Contemporary European Studies and the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize.

The author, who is also the curator of several tailored history seminars, wants young people to read and understand history from an unbiased point of view. "To those hoping to enter the world of history, I would suggest coming in with a strong, uncompromising sense of the purpose of that entry, else the academy will instill its own values of personal professional advancement, which are designed to perpetuate institutions as they exist now," the author shared during a class.

Follow Prof Priya Satia on Twitter

Reading Time: 6 mins

The Gospel truth: Actor Paras Patel is carving a niche for himself in Hollywood

(November 13, 2022) Over one billion Christians from across the globe were delighted when American filmmaker Dallas Jenkins announced that he would chronicle the journey of the Christ through his web series The Chosen. As more details started to come from the show's set, people murmured about an Indian-American cast in one of the most important roles in the series. But, despite all their doubts, the audience was absolutely mesmerised by actor Paras Patel, who portrayed the role of Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. [caption id="attachment_31706" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Actor Paras Patel[/caption] The Global Indian has been a part of three major shows, including ABC Family’s 'Teen Spirit' and CBS Films' 'The Duff'. "Growing up, it was such a rare treat to see someone that looked like me on TV or in a movie, and I took it for granted that it would always be that way. As visibility for South Asians is increasing in mass media, there is still a long way to go, and I hope to inspire the next generation of South Asian artists to see a place for themselves in this industry," the actor shared during an interview with Voyage LA. The world's

m>'. "Growing up, it was such a rare treat to see someone that looked like me on TV or in a movie, and I took it for granted that it would always be that way. As visibility for South Asians is increasing in mass media, there is still a long way to go, and I hope to inspire the next generation of South Asian artists to see a place for themselves in this industry," the actor shared during an interview with Voyage LA.

The world's a stage

Belonging to a Gujarati family who immigrated to the USA several decades back, Paras Patel had, on numerous occasions, shared that he loved acting and performing for the crowd since he was a young kid. In love with Bollywood and its music, Paras even played games inspired by movies growing up. "As cliched as it sounds, I knew I wanted to act at a young age. I loved to perform whenever I could, whether it was in school plays, cultural community shows, or even family gatherings. During summer breaks, my brother and I would use a camcorder and make little skits and pretend we had our own TV show. I’ve played various fictitious roles, from a mad scientist to an angry chef! I remember when I was in 5th grade, I did a book report but turned it into a play and performed it in front of my classmates. It wasn’t a part of the assignment at all, but I just did it. It just came naturally to me," the actor told Voyage LA.

[caption id="attachment_31707" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Actor | Global Indian A still from the show Teen Spirit[/caption]

After earning a degree in finance, Paras Patel started looking for job opportunities. however, the prospect of a career in numbers didn’t make him happy. And so, he started working on the sets of various productions in Atlanta, to get on-field experience, starting from one of the biggest cult-drama that aired on American television - The Vampire Diaries. All the money that he earned doing the background work on these productions went into his acting classes, getting headshots, and other career-related material.

[caption id="attachment_31709" align="aligncenter" width="544"] Actor | Global Indian A still from the sets of The Chosen[/caption]

"Through a showcase from one of my classes, I met and signed with my first agent and then happened to book my first audition ever, a lead in Teen Spirit which was a feature film for Freeform. I continued to work on various productions in the south for another year, and then eventually moved to Los Angeles to further my career. Moving to LA was a whole new world, and I had to start over with building relationships and enrolling in more training to strengthen my craft… but I haven’t looked back since," he said.

The Chosen one

While he had to face several hurdles during his initial days of struggle in LA, the actor was soon spotted by producers and started working on minor roles in various movies and TV shows. Although a few people didn't approve of his career choices, Paras was determined to make it big in the entertainment industry.

"In Indian culture, you are expected to take a more traditional career path, so it was a bit of an eye-opener for my loved ones when I went from pursuing a career in finance to acting. I am grateful that my parents have always been supportive, but I’ve had some extended family members question my career path and express doubt in my future as an actor," Paras Patel shared during the interview, adding, "This line of work also comes with countless rejections, fear that you’re wasting your time, and tons of self-doubt. You can be a great actor but never get a chance to work. This business has a certain degree of luck involved. I’ve got parts that have been edited out numerous times due to factors out of my control."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-veXCXOzPE4

Not one to give up easily, Paras Patel was persistent and eventually landed the role of Matthew in The Chosen after several auditions. "I portray a historical figure. Season 1 has amassed over 35 million views globally in a span of a few months! I am incredibly thankful and grateful to the fans of the show, whose numerous messages of support and appreciation of my work have impacted me profoundly," the actor shared.

[caption id="attachment_31708" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Actor | Global Indian A still from the sets of The Chosen[/caption]

Even though much is known about the character he played, Paras Patel admitted that he was surprised to see the character written in a way that had never been done onscreen before. "It was the character description depicting Matthew as on the autism spectrum and the writing that initially drew me to the project," the actor shared during a podcast, adding, "The impact the show has had on our audience and having underrepresented communities feel like they are finally getting the representation and acceptance they deserve on a mainstream show keeps my heart full."

Actor | Paras Patel | Global Indian

An actor who loves challenging roles, Paras Patel is looking to collaborate with several other artists in the coming years. "I think what sets me apart as an actor is that I am always working on my craft to continue to get better. I am a hard worker and am always looking to improve. I also love to collaborate and meet others, as I believe there are enough seats at the table in this business and we should all support one another," shared the actor.

Follow Paras Patel on Facebook and Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

From Chennai to New Hampshire, Aishwarya Balasubramanian has kept the aesthetic appeal of Bharatanatyam alive

(November 24, 2022) When Bharatanatyam dancer Aishwarya Balasubramanian was a school student, she was very good at academics. The talented artist multitasked her way through school, excelling in her studies and also in dance. As she neared the end of high school, the time came to pick one, a tough choice for Aishwarya. On the one hand, she wanted to be a doctor and on the other, she felt a deep passion for dance. Finally, she chose the dance over the medical profession. “I just couldn’t give it up,” says the passionate dancer. She knew that since both the professions have their own demands, she would not be able to do both full-time. “So, I went on to pursue my bachelors in mathematics from Stella Maris College, Chennai while continuing with my passion in dance." Life took her from Chennai to New Hampshire, where Aishwarya runs her own dance school, Arpanam, teaching students from different parts of the country as the Indian diaspora try to stay connected to their roots. [caption id="attachment_32079" align="aligncenter" width="616"] Aishwarya Balasubramanian[/caption] “I am extremely fortunate to have parents who encouraged me to go the path I wanted to,” says Aishwarya, who has performed across India

mage-32079" src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Aishwarya.jpg" alt="Indian Art | Aishwarya Balasubramanian | Global Indian " width="616" height="924" /> Aishwarya Balasubramanian[/caption]

“I am extremely fortunate to have parents who encouraged me to go the path I wanted to,” says Aishwarya, who has performed across India and abroad both as part of a troupe as well as a soloist. “My arangetram took place in 1998 when I was a student of grade six and since then I have done numerous solo performances,” she tells Global Indian.

Starting at five

The disciple of renowned Guru Acharya Choodamani Anitha Guha, Aishwarya began her Bharatanatyam journey at the age of five. As it happened, she lived in the same apartment complex as Anitha, so her parents enrolled their five-year-old to learn Bharatanatyam.

Aishwarya was joined by many other kids in the neighbourhood, all of whom learned from Anitha Guha. Still, it was clear that she had a special streak in her. As a child, she mesmerised her audience during a performance at her guru’s concert, Bharathanjali. Even so young, she stood out for the beauty of her facial expressions, clarity of footwork and her grace.

Indian Art | Aishwarya Balasubramanian | Global Indian

Aishwarya has developed a reputation as one of Chennai’s most loved Bharatanatyam dancers and is a guru herself, training pupils from the Indian diaspora in the USA. She has been given titles like ‘Singar Mani, ‘Nalanda Nritya Nipuna, ‘Kala Ratna’ and ‘Natya Chudar’.

Shining star from Chennai

Over the years, with intense training, commitment and rigorous discipline, Aishwarya has evolved into a much sought-after performing artiste at prominent dance festivals and cultural programmes. Her meticulous technique, deftness of expressions and graceful movements have helped her earn great reviews and applauds from connoisseurs of art and culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el6_HOrkjPQ

Tryst continues in the USA

For nearly a decade now, Aishwarya has lived in New Hampshire, where her husband works. She has remained deeply engaged not just in performance but also choreography, music, nattuvangam (south Indian form of rhythmic recitation), theory of dance and teaching, without deviating from margam (the presentation format of Bharatanatyam dance forms).

I feel happiest when I am dancing. Each performance deserves my best and I try to give it! - Aishwarya Balasubramanian

Aishwarya runs her dance school, Arpanam in the USA, bringing the ancient wisdom of Bharatanatyam to new, young learners from among the diaspora. “Since I had very strong roots in dance back in India, it was not a challenge to continue my passion in the USA,” she says.

Indian Art | Aishwarya Balasubramanian | Global Indian

Over the years her dance school has become well-established. She teaches students of not only the region in which she stays but other parts of the country as well. “I had been taking online classes for students based in different parts of the USA and short-term learning sessions for pupil in India, in the pre-pandemic times as well, much before the trend of such classes started,” she says.

Love for the art form abroad

“Parents of Indian origin in the USA want their kids to be connected to their Indian roots and that’s why they are eager to send them to classes of traditional art forms,” tells Aishwarya. “The main problem is lack of time of kids of today,” she says, citing how artists like her grew up in India devoting two to three hours daily to their chosen art form.

Indian Art | Aishwarya Balasubramanian | Global Indian

“Now kids are doing multiple activities at the same time. Strictly an hour or two per week is what they can devote,” says the dancer.

Dedicated to her guru

Aishwarya’s association with her guru, Anitha Guha dates back to more than three decades. The devoted pupil who keeps her guru abreast with every development of her life, says:

It’s not just a student-teacher relationship. She is just like a mother to me.

“Before every step in my personal and professional life I take her blessings and guidance,” tells the shishya describing the guru-shishya relationship ‘beyond what words can describe’.

[caption id="attachment_32083" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Indian Art | Aishwarya Balasubramanian | Global Indian Aishwarys Balasubramanian with her guru, Anitha Guha[/caption]

Aishwarya’s six-year-old daughter has started learning dance from her. The ace dancer’s parents live in Chennai. She continues to learn from her guru, who also lives in the South Indian city. Chennai holds a special place in her heart. It made her what she is today.

Some of the places where Aishwarya has performed:

Ramayanam at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival, Cleveland, USA
Tamarind Art Gallery, New York
Indo-Indo Varein festival, Zurich, Switzerland
Vedic heritage annual festival, New York
Khajuraho Festival, Madhya Pradesh

Follow Aishwarya Subramanian on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and her website

Reading Time: 5 mins

AC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist  

(January 21, 2023) “An exciting time to be at NASA as the agency along with industry prepare to return crews to the moon,” tweeted AC Charania, eleven days after he assumed office as NASA’s new chief technologist. He also posted a link to the upcoming Artemis III mission, which has many firsts to its credit - The mission has been designed to mark humanity’s first return to the moon in more than 50 years. It will be the first to attempt to land astronauts near the south pole of the lunar surface, and also the first woman and the first person of colour. The newly appointed Indian-American chief technologist took charge from another Indian origin space expert, Bhavya Lal on January 3rd.  A renowned engineer, Charania has always been enthusiastic about exploring the lunar surface and sending back people on the moon. Not just as explorers, he said in a keynote address five years ago, but “this time to stay.” [caption id="attachment_34180" align="aligncenter" width="717"] AC Charania[/caption] As NASA's new chief technologist, he will serve as principal advisor to administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at the space agency's headquarters based in Washington DC. Global Indian takes a look

just as explorers, he said in a keynote address five years ago, but “this time to stay.”

[caption id="attachment_34180" align="aligncenter" width="717"] Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian AC Charania[/caption]

As NASA's new chief technologist, he will serve as principal advisor to administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at the space agency's headquarters based in Washington DC. Global Indian takes a look at his eclectic journey.

What the moon beholds 

“There are many interesting areas on the lunar surface that we are yet to explore. There are polar regions that we believe might have trapped volatiles, so there’s a lot more exploration that we need to do,” Charania had said back in 2018. He was associated with another organisation during that time. “There are grand solar system questions like how the solar system got formed, which we can answer by going back to the moon.”

Perhaps his arrival as NASA’s chief technologist can boost the scale, scope and frequency of human visits to the moon.

Deep expertise in turning dreams to reality  

Charania brings a vast array of experiences to his role at NASA. He has been part of multiple leadership teams of aerospace companies, and holds solid expertise in advanced concepts ideation, design and analysis, project management, technology evaluation, business development, international trade compliance, government advocacy, and more. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/NASApeople/status/1612534868864368642?s=20&t=ZaS4eXxYA_O6zqolDtZRIg[/embed]

A proponent of the belief that ‘big, curiosity-driven science outperforms all expectations regarding their usefulness, beating any other short-sighted strategy hands-down,’ Charania has been in the thick of transformational journeys of the organisations he has been associated with in the past.  

The global innovator  

Turning advanced concepts into reality, the global innovator has been involved in shaping the recent aerospace revolutions within small satellites, launch vehicles, hypersonics, human and robotic exploration, planetary defense, and aviation autonomy.  

 Prior to joining NASA, he served as vice president of product strategy at Reliable Robotics, a firm that works to bring certified autonomous vehicles to commercial aviation. 

 His previous experiences include working at Blue Origin, an organisation founded by the American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor and commercial astronaut, Jeff Bezos. As Campaign Director of Blue Origin, Charania worked to enhance the lunar permanence strategy, Blue Moon lunar lander programme, and multiple technology initiatives of Blue Origin with NASA. 

 “A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. If such an endeavour is to be successful and practical, we must be able to soft-land large amounts of mass onto the lunar surface, and we must be able to do so cost effectively,” he had remarked in a speech as a representative of Blue Origin. 

Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian

As one of the early employees of Virgin Galactic (now Virgin Orbit), Charania had added his expertise in strategy and business development for the LauncherOne small satellite launch vehicle programme. 

Prior to that as one of the first employees of SpaceWorks Enterprises, he served in multiple management and technology roles, including helping to incubate two startups - Generation Orbit and Terminal Velocity Aerospace. 

In his illustrious career, Charania has led the formation of the FastForward industry group focused on high-speed point-to-point transportation, and has also served on the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Commercial Advisory Board. 

Mission to lead space and aviation progress 

Working at NASA’s Office for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, Charania would be aligning its agencywide technology investments with mission needs across six directorates and would oversee technology collaboration with other federal agencies, the private sector, and external stakeholders.  

"The rate of advancement we seek in the 21st century is dependent upon selecting and maturing a portfolio of technologies into systems to execute our missions," the chief technologist said after his appointment. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/ac_charania/status/1614358501303767046?s=20&t=Hxfc0XgvBSeZdS5VxmeqXw[/embed]

"There are incredible opportunities in partnerships within and outside of NASA. I now look forward to the opportunity to work with the entire community to increase the rate of space and aviation progress," he said in a press release issued by NASA. 

Illustrious background  

The new NASA chief technologist holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. During his time there, Charania researched the design and performance of hybrid rocket engines. His work earned him several awards, including the National Science Foundation Fellowship. After graduating, Charania pursued a career in the aerospace industry, and has been a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Fellow in the past. 

To merge his understanding of technology with the aspect of business, Charania has topped up his technical expertise with a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University.

 He has led dozens of proposals to NASA, DARPA, USAF, large aerospace primes, and multiple entrepreneurial space ventures; from several million to several billion dollars of value leading to successful capture of more than a billion dollars of government and commercial contracts. 

[caption id="attachment_34181" align="aligncenter" width="832"] Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian AC Charania with a NASA official[/caption]

 The author of dozens of papers and publications, speaker at multiple public conferences and events, Charania has been living in the US with his family. He is a member of multiple professional societies and organizations, including several aerospace-related academic outreach programmes. 

Follow AC Charania on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Indian-Origin Academic Leaders: Key faculty appointments at top U.S. institutions in 2024

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

Vivek Sarkar

Srinand ‘Sri’ Sreevatsan

Bhramar Mukherjee

Hamsa Balakrishnan

Garud Iyengar

Sakthivel Sadayappan

Share with

ALSO READ

How Antarctica inspired Kunal Sanklecha to quit college and become an experiential educator

Making a difference

The Infinite Playground

Mountaineering

Learning outside classroom

Anew beginning

Scuba diving

Creating history: Author Priya Satia’s novels narrate the tale of India under the British Raj

The Arabian conquest

The bloody history of India

The Gospel truth: Actor Paras Patel is carving a niche for himself in Hollywood

The world's a stage

The Chosen one

From Chennai to New Hampshire, Aishwarya Balasubramanian has kept the aesthetic appeal of Bharatanatyam alive

Starting at five

Shining star from Chennai

Tryst continues in the USA

I feel happiest when I am dancing. Each performance deserves my best and I try to give it! - Aishwarya Balasubramanian

Love for the art form abroad

Dedicated to her guru

It’s not just a student-teacher relationship. She is just like a mother to me.

AC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist

What the moon beholds

Deep expertise in turning dreams to reality

The global innovator

Mission to lead space and aviation progress

Illustrious background

AC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist  

What the moon beholds 

Deep expertise in turning dreams to reality  

The global innovator  

Mission to lead space and aviation progress 

Illustrious background  