Newsletter | August 2016

This summer, Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai laid the foundation for deeper knowledge exchange through a set of student programs and engagement with the community of Columbia alumni in India.

Summer in the academic calendar at Columbia University marks a break from the usual routine of classes. It is a time for reflection and recovery, for taking on the challenges of the world with a new set of learned techniques, and for new and unexpected experiences. To enable students to immerse themselves in the cultural and work life of India, the Mumbai Center designed a program on religious pluralism in partnership with the office of the University Chaplain for the Kraft Global Fellows program and welcomed student interns from the Columbia Experience Overseas program. The Center helped place students from the Mailman School of Public Health with non-profit organizations to have first-hand experience of data collection but also to contribute significantly through their research and analytical skills to these organizations.

The Center engaged with Columbia University alumni in various ways, showcasing the cutting-edge work of law school alumnus, Apar Gupta, in our Global Impact Series, inviting alumni mentors who have generously offered internship opportunities or guidance for students, and participating in a Columbia Alumni Association dinner with visiting Executive Vice President for Global Centers and Global Development at Columbia University, Safwan Masri.

Summer Practicum for Students of Public Health

Beginning in June, 2016, the Mumbai Center partnered with the Mailman School of Public Health to introduce a practicum that enables graduate students to complete a planned, supervised and evaluated field experience in India. The Center reached out to multiple organizations to house four student interns. The three organizations that were selected include Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action (SNEHA), a secular, non-profit organization that works on public health issues in Mumbai’s slums, Khushi Baby in Udaipur, a wearable mHealth platform that aims to reduce mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases, and Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research (PUKAR), an independent and participatory research collective based in Mumbai.

“It was incredibly special to be able to sit with these women, who are empowering forces in their community, and experience first-hand the transformative work that SNEHA undertakes. The warmth that we have been shown at SNEHA and in the communities we have visited has been remarkable.”
Shivani Bhatia and Kaylin Cordingley, Students at the Mailman School of Public Health

"Interns contribute at different levels to organizations such as PUKAR. The technical skills and knowledge expertise they bring to data analysis is extremely useful for us. Not only do they help do the analysis but can also impart those skills to our team members. And finally, on an informal level, the diversity in cultural contexts makes for great exchange of information and knowledge."
Dr. Anita Patil Deshmukh, Executive Director, PUKAR

Understanding Religious Pluralism in India: The Kraft Global Fellows Program

India is a multi-cultural and a diverse nation with a flourishing history of pluralism that has been thriving for thousands of years. Among the many faiths represented here are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. As the world’s largest democracy, India presents a unique opportunity to understand a long and multifaceted heritage of religious diversity. With this reality in mind, Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai hosted University Chaplain, Jewelnel Davis, and four Kraft Global Fellows from May 24-June 3 for an intensive field study on Religious Pluralism in India. Through visits to important sacred sites and exhibitions, and interactions with experts, the team learned about the history, practices and contemporary issues related to different religions in India and explored the relationship between religious communities.
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"Saving the Internet"

Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai organized "Saving the Internet" as a conversation between Apar Gupta and Dr. Ravina Aggarwal. The discussion launched the Center’s flagship Global Impact Series, which showcases the work of the Columbia Community on critical issues and strategic challenges facing the world today. Apar Gupta completed his LL.M. from Columbia University’s School of Law in 2009 and is well-reputed for his work on Internet freedom.
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CEO Program in Mumbai

As globalization increases, international cultural exposure and work experiences become important to successfully navigating and meeting the demands of a changing work environment. Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai hosted the Columbia Experience Overseas (CEO) program that offers undergraduate students a high quality internship experience in a diverse array of industries and organizations through alumni and employer partnerships in eight cities across the world.

Watch for our exciting list of public programs as the Center moves to a larger space in Nariman Point by the end of the year.