Author Archives: Administrator

Annual Conference on Health Systems Resilience in South Asia (January 20, 2025)

The Annual Conference on Health Systems Resilience was held by the Sundar Singh Institute on January 20, 2025, which brought together many eminent scholars and practitioners of the region to assess the region’s ability to sustain and dynamically address public health challenges. Dr. Ravi Iyer, for example, presented his groundbreaking research on access to health care in crisis—from COVID shutdowns to the current nation-wide avian influenza vaccine effort—and recommended new paths for rural health expansion. His efforts stemmed from a community and regionally assessed qualitative field study in conjunction with a quantitative analysis based on cross-national findings to advocate for micro-level, community-based resilience efforts.

Additionally, there were active roundtable discussions from participants, led by Dr. Anjali R. Kapoor, who assessed the relationship between environmental violence and public health challenges, and Dr. Lars M. Schneider, who focused on a growing legal and regulatory framework as a form of public health governance for South Asia. Their contributions bolstered the necessity for a complex, interdisciplinary approach to any future health efforts.

Migration, Identity, and Human Rights in South Asia

November 11–13, 2025
Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj, India

This international conference will gather scholars, legal experts, humanitarian workers, and policy advocates to examine the complex realities of migration in South Asia. With millions on the move due to conflict, economic necessity, climate change, and political instability, the region is witnessing unprecedented shifts in demographics, identity, and governance.

Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr. Farah Hussain, a renowned human rights lawyer specializing in refugee protection, and Archbishop Isaac S. Sato, whose advocacy has focused on ensuring dignity and justice for migrant laborers and displaced communities. Their insights will provide a framework for discussions on balancing national security, humanitarian obligations, and the preservation of cultural diversity.

Sessions will explore themes such as cross-border migration policies, the role of international law in protecting stateless individuals, migrant labor rights in the global economy, and the impact of migration on faith communities and social cohesion. Field-based case studies from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Myanmar will provide on-the-ground perspectives.

Workshops will train participants in advocacy strategies, legal aid provision, and community integration programs that support migrants’ wellbeing while strengthening host societies. A special roundtable will address the rise of xenophobia and propose interfaith and intercultural approaches to counter it.

The conference will conclude with the adoption of a multi-stakeholder action statement outlining coordinated efforts for humane, rights-based migration governance across South Asia.

Registration will open on July 15, 2025, and close on October 25, 2025. Early booking is encouraged due to limited seating.

Seminar on Gender Equity and Policy Innovation (December 8, 2024)

On December 8, 2024, the Sundar Singh Institute will hold a seminar, Gender Equity in Policy-Making: Lessons for South Asia. Dr. Priya Deshmukh, a gender policy and development studies specialist at the Institute, will bring together a cross-sector group hailing from across the South Asian region as well as India to evaluate and celebrate past successes and failures of gender-equity policies in this geographically and ethnically diverse region. Female grassroots advocates intersect with high-level policymakers to join the academic research community for retrospective analyses of empirically backed success stories of equity policy change, but acknowledged failures in female voice, access to resources, and institutional accountability by country.

The seminar leveraged comparative participation to discuss relative gendered failures in the South Asian region and assessed the role of cultural determinants and policy creation, suggesting that the best legislative developments come from intersectional and localized approaches.

At the end of the seminar, a policy brief will be created to complement ongoing governmental and civil society efforts for sustainable, data-driven policy development in the region that allows empowerment from within with all voices heard.

Collaboration on Digital Education Reform in South Asia (November 15, 2024)

Similarly, the Sundar Singh Institute was part of a collaborative research project with UNESCO for Digital Education Reform in South Asia. Dr. Sunita Rao served as the project’s Principal Investigator. As a leader in educational equity and technological implementation research, she believed that purposeful use of digital materials to facilitate inclusive and flexible learning environments could help mitigate inequities of access to education that existed for far too long. The project would conclude with policy suggestions that, through data analysis with a South Asian regional perspective and in-person observations, would seek to reduce the equity digital divide and improve quality and access to education for historically marginalized populations across South Asia.

Institute’s Research Influences Regional Policy Reforms

November 6, 2024

The Sundar Singh Institute’s Research Had Informed Regional Policy Reforms

The Institute was responsible for much policy change across South Asia. Yet by the time the policy took effect, the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies conducted and published a wealth of research relative to sustainable urban development for South Asia based on qualitative and quantitative field studies and interdisciplinary approaches. Therefore, it did not only assess the need for this type of urban development but also effectively offered practical solutions based on the socioeconomic and environmental needs of the region.

This was honored by several governments who decided to formulate plans for low-impact initiatives within updated urban areas of high population density that would reduce carbon emissions in cities and improve intergenerational health and climate preparedness. This project shows that the Institute has a history of devotion to research and publication that creates policy change and sustainable measures of social improvement.

Annual Conference on South Asian Health Policy and Innovation

Dates: March 18—20, 2025
Venue: Sundar Singh Institute Auditorium, Prayagraj, India

The 2025 Annual Conference on South Asian Health Policy and Innovation invites scholars in public health, policymaking, and medical research/innovation to review the state of health care in South Asia. This interdisciplinary conference presents research about new innovations to combat urban health disparities, potentials for telehealth applications that can transform the state of care, and developments in community health pursuits in rural and peri-urban populations.

Keynote presentations, a policy roundtable, and case studies that inform best practices emerging in the field will occur over three days. For example, keynote speaker Dr. Ravi Iyer will present “The Future of Health Access: Leveraging Technology for Equity and Scale,” which explores how digital access to delivery systems is reforming the approach of primary care for low-resource populations.

Furthermore, attendees will gain valuable contacts for networking as many scholars bridge sectors, and public health policymakers often align with the medical community and civil society for common goals among populations.

Registration: Early registration strongly encouraged due to limited space. Registration due March 1, 2025.

Upcoming Academic Workshop: Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Regional Stability

Dates: February 25–26, 2025
Location: Online (Virtual Platform)

The Institute will host a two-day virtual workshop on Cross-Cultural Communication and Regional Stability in South Asia. This conference invites scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to critically analyze the potential of intercultural awareness in peace processes and successful regional collaboration.

Keynote speakers are to be announced; however, confirmed presenters include Dr. Min-seo Kim (Seoul Center for Policy Studies) and Dr. David A. Chatterjee (Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies) who will discuss cultural diplomacy, interreligious pluralism, educational exchanges, etc., as potential catalysts to diffuse regional tensions.

Furthermore, breakout rooms and roundtable discussions will allow all participants the opportunity to present intervention strategies on inter-ethnic and interreligious tolerance, awareness, and empathy efforts in their regions—especially those plagued by conflict.

This virtual workshop aims to establish an academic and practical community of like-minded scholars and experts who champion peace through intercultural efforts in South Asia.

Registration is open until February 15, 2025.

Upcoming Event Announcement: South Asia Economic Equity Conference

Dates: February 8–10, 2025
Venue: Sundar Singh Institute Conference Hall, Ewing Christian College, Prayagraj
Organized in partnership with: Asia Development Research Forum

The South Asia Economic Equity Conference, February 8-10, 2025, is a multidisciplinary forum to examine the persistent challenges of economic equity in the broader South Asia region. Academics, practitioners, and policymakers will meet to assess realistic possibilities for inclusive growth, poverty elimination, and equity in resources and opportunities. Expected programming includes a keynote address by Dr. Priya Deshmukh exploring the nexus between economic access and digital equity in developing nations. Dr. Ahmed Panjabi will facilitate a debate surrounding the effectiveness of microfinancing in poverty elimination—realized results vs. the inability to actualize—across varying geopolitical arenas. Qualitative peer-reviewed working papers will evaluate inequitable income disparity between urban/rural settings, gendered treatment to employment, and net feedback of geopolitical policymaking within the region.

Collaborative group workshops and policy labs will foster brainstorming efforts for institutional change proposals and intrastate collaboration. Ultimately, this conference aspires to create a multidisciplinary, cross-funding conversation to apply theoretical research to established practices for equitable policymaking for economic access in the broader South Asia region.

Registration Deadline: January 15, 2025
Early registration is recommended due to limited space.

Symposium on Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development

Date: January 12–14, 2025
Location: Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj

The Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies will sponsor an International Conference on Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in a South Asian Context, January 12-14, 2025. This conference brings together the region’s leading academics, policymakers, environmental scientists, and practitioners to evaluate integrative solutions at the intersection of betterment and climate resilience for the South Asian region.

Among the keynote speakers are Dr. Anjali Kapoor, a specialist in environmental equity and environmental policy, with years of practical experience and governance in the public policy sector; and Dr. Lars Müller of the Berlin Institute of Environmental Policy, whose publications on climate justice have influenced United Nations regulatory approaches to change. Along with keynotes are workshops and empirical case study discussions of resilience efforts that are already flourishing, including a high-level roundtable on transboundary water governance—one of the greatest challenges in the South Asian region with climate resultant stressors.

Finally, the conference will cultivate an interdisciplinary atmosphere for research presentation, fieldwork sharing, and reliable policy solutions that not only feed into the growing literature surrounding resilience efforts but also take theoretical approaches and collaborate for action.

Registration will remain open until December 20, 2024. Early registration is strongly encouraged due to limited capacity.

Visiting Scholar Program

Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj

The Visiting Scholar Programme at the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies offers an intellectually vibrant and interdisciplinary environment for academics and practitioners seeking to pursue advanced research within a supportive and critically engaged scholarly community. Designed to nurture rigorous inquiry and innovation, the programme facilitates access to the Institute’s state-of-the-art research infrastructure, including its specialised archives, digital databases, and curated collections pertaining to South Asia.

Visiting Scholars are encouraged to actively contribute to the Institute’s academic life by participating in public lectures, faculty seminars, and collaborative workshops. These inter-institutional engagements are intended to promote cross-disciplinary dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of contemporary challenges facing South Asia. Through their involvement, scholars will play a critical role in enriching the Institute’s mission to generate transformative knowledge in fields such as sustainable development, cultural and historical preservation, democratic resilience, religious pluralism, and human rights.

This programme represents a rare opportunity to refine and extend one’s research agenda in a focused and stimulating setting, while simultaneously cultivating professional networks that span academia, policy, and civil society. Priority will be given to applicants whose research proposals demonstrate clear resonance with the Institute’s core thematic areas.

Key Information

Application Deadline: 30 November 2024
Programme Commencement: Spring or Autumn 2025 (flexible by mutual agreement)
Eligibility: Applicants must demonstrate a strong record of publication or significant applied work in South Asian Studies or a closely related discipline. A well-articulated research agenda that aligns with the Institute’s strategic priorities is essential.

Programme Benefits

Formal affiliation with one of South Asia’s leading interdisciplinary research centres
Dedicated office space and full access to on-site research facilities and collections
Opportunity to publish in the Institute’s Working Paper Series and Policy Briefs
Invitations to present at Institute-hosted workshops and regional academic forums
Mentorship and editorial support aimed at facilitating high-impact scholarly and policy-oriented publications

Why Collaborate with the Sundar Singh Institute?

Becoming a Visiting Scholar at the Sundar Singh Institute is more than a professional designation—it is an invitation to join a collective intellectual enterprise committed to justice, sustainability, and peace in South Asia. Our academic community comprises a diverse fellowship of researchers, policy thinkers, and public theologians working at the nexus of scholarship and societal transformation.

Rather than pursuing isolated projects, Visiting Scholars are expected to contribute meaningfully to the Institute’s evolving academic ecosystem—one that values scholarly rigour as much as real-world relevance. This environment is intentionally curated to catalyse research that transcends disciplinary boundaries and informs both policy frameworks and grassroots practice.

We invite you to regard this Institute not simply as a place of study, but as a home for ethically grounded scholarship—a space in which ideas flourish, collaborations deepen, and research aspires toward enduring social impact.