Indology research centre in U.S. feeling the heat of cut in aid

[Guest guest]

*Indology research centre in U.S. feeling the heat of cut in aid *

 

**

M. Dinesh Varma

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/29/stories/2008052961150800.htm

 

*It has moved Centre, Plan panel for grant of Rs. 7 million *

 

 

CHENNAI: A premier Indology research centre that has helped to digitise the

national archives, restored heritage sites and photo-documented shrine

architecture across India is at the crossroads.

 

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), since it was founded in

1961 by a group of American Indologists, has largely subsisted on grants

from U.S. universities and foundations such as Ford, Rockefeller, Mellon and

Carnegie, besides the occasional release of funds from the Government of

India.

 

Now, the AIIS is heading towards a funding vacuum, with American

institutions substantially scaling down their financial support. From

2010-11, U.S. funding will be slashed to an annual grant of Rs. 5 million.

 

" The institution will require at least double that amount to carry out a

mandate that goes far beyond that of a centre for Indology scholarship, "

says Pradeep Mehendiratta, AIIS vice-president in India.

 

Though the core activity in the early days had been to promote scholarship

on India in U.S. universities through fellowships and highly customised

Indian language tutorials, the AIIS has subsequently taken up highly

specialised and sensitive tasks. For instance, it has assisted various State

Governments in the restoration of heritage sites and helped the

Archaeological Survey of India salvage archives ravaged by time and

negligence.

 

It is now recognised by the Government of India as an institute of higher

learning, and the department of science and technology as a scientific

research centre.

 

Apart from the Indology scholarship initiatives that have produced 4,000

fellowships and 2,000 didactic publications, the AIIS has assumed larger

roles in heritage preservation by photo-documenting nearly 4,000 ancient

temples, 3,000 monuments and 300 museum objects in Southeast Asia.

 

The AIIS has also set up two centres of excellence—the Center for South

Asian Art and Archaeology and the Archives and Research Center for

Ethnomusicology.

 

The assets of these centres include a 14-volume encyclopaedia on temple

architecture, an ethnographic atlas of music in Western Rajasthan and 18,000

hours of recordings and video documentation of Indian folk, classical and

modern music.

 

The AIIS has submitted memoranda to the Centre and the Planning Commission

seeking an annual grant of Rs. 7 million for the next five years, by when it

hopes to devise a self-sustenance plan.

 

" We are aware of the need for coming up with a self-sustainment plan. But

until such time, the institution will require aid from the Government to

partly fill the funding void, " says Mr. Mehendiratta.

 

The AIIS is banking on a positive response from the Government, especially

in the context of growing warmth in the Indo-U.S. relations.