South Asia Program
Tata-Cornell Institute Summer Internship in India
TCI funds and operates a summer internship program that places Cornell University masters and professional degree candidates with research internship opportunities across India.
Interns work to propel TCI research in any of our main research areas, and specific internships/project opportunities depend on what projects are in need of support.
This is a competitive, merit-based internship that requires interns to engage (full-time) over the course of 6-8 weeks in an applied, development-related research project in India. TCI internships typically occur in between June-August. Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis.
Additional Information
India SVYM Global Service Learning Program
Since 2011, the ILR School has partnered with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) in Karnataka state, India to develop the India SVYM GSL Program. SVYM is a community development, non-religious, non-political organization working for the benefit of indigenous and rural people in southern India through effective education, accessible healthcare and sustainable empowerment initiatives.
The organization boasts several academic initiatives, including a Master's degree in Developmental Studies offered through a local university as well as housing a grassroots policy research institute (GRAAM) in collaboration with the Cornell Institute of Public Affairs.
In 2015, SVYM was named the #1 NGO in India.
Together with Cornell Global Health students, ILR students will participate in 2-weeks of courses at the Vivekananda Institute of Indian Studies to prepare for work in their service-learning placements. For more information about the courses of study, visit the Courses page. Students will then participate in 4 or 6-week service learning projects in SVYM project sites that are both interesting to the students and beneficial for the organization.
This unique engaged-learning opportunity gives ILR students the chance to use their classroom learning and professional skills to collaborate with SVYM to improve the community. This cross-cultural exchange & learning and growth in global citizenship can be a life-changing and transformative experience for many students.
Cornell Global Hubs
Cornell Global Hubs bring together faculty, students, alumni, and local communities—to collaborate, learn, and discover. Learn about Global Hubs in India.
Additional Information
Courses
Spring 2026
Area Studies Courses
| Course Code | Title | Credits | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAS 2100 | South Asian Diaspora |
South Asian Studies Fellowships
South Asia Studies Fellows had the opportunity to collaborate with Cornell faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students, and to involve themselves in South Asia Program activities.
Tagore Lecture in Modern Indian Literature
Rabindranath Tagore Lecture Series in Modern Indian Literature
The Rabindranath Tagore Lecture Series in Modern Indian Literature is made possible by a gift from the late Cornell Professor Emeritus Narahari Umanath Prabhu and his wife, Sumi Prabhu. Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s expansive imagination, unbounded by geopolitical boundaries, the series has regularly featured prominent writers from across South Asia and its diasporas.
All Tagore Lectures are free and open to the public. Previous lectures, with links to full videos, are below.
Outreach
Outreach to community colleges and K-12 educators is part of the South Asia Program's forty-year mission as a U.S. Department of Education National Resource Center (NRC). Our outreach efforts help educators internationalize their curriculum to teach about South Asia through fellowships, professional development workshops, culture kits, and more.
About
The South Asia Program (SAP) serves as an interdisciplinary hub for Cornell students, faculty, staff, community members, and academic visitors.
Allen R. Carlson
Associate Professor, Government
Allen R. Carlson is an associate professor of government. He earned his PhD from Yale University’s Department of Political Science. His undergraduate degree is from Colby College.
He is a core faculty member of the East Asia Program and affiliated with the South Asia Program and Comparative Muslim Societies Program.
Additional Information
Program
Role
- Faculty
- EAP Core Faculty
- SAP Faculty Associate
- SEAP Faculty Associate
Contact
Email: arc26@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-254-6022
Daniel Boucher
Associate Professor, Asian Studies
Daniel Boucher is an associate professor of Asian studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focus is Buddhist studies, particularly the early development of the cluster of Indian Buddhist movements called the Mahayana and their transmission to China in the first few centuries of the Common Era. Related interests include translation as a religious genre, with special focus on the earliest translations of Buddhist texts into Chinese; Buddhist Middle Indo-Aryan; art historical, epigraphical, and archeological sources for the study of religion.
Additional Information
Program
Role
- Faculty
- EAP Core Faculty
- SAP Core Faculty
Contact
Email: djb38@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-0723
Funding
Student Funding Opportunities
The South Asia Program's funding resources for undergraduate and graduate students include summer and academic year fellowships for the study of modern South Asian languages.
The Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies coordinates the Fulbright U.S. Student Program at Cornell through which students can travel to South Asia.