Center for South Asian Studies at U-M

10/09/2026

It's been a wonderful day reflecting on 20 years of the Summer in South Asia Fellowship! Alumni have shared about the how their SiSA experience has had a lasting influence on their careers and personal growth. This afternoon we're hearing reflections from the 2026 fellows on their summers in India.

10/08/2026

Calling all SiSA Alumni (2006–2025)!

This Friday Oct. 9, we are celebrating 20 years of the Summer in South Asia Fellowship, and we want our network of past fellows there to celebrate with us.

Come reconnect with peers, meet the next generation of explorers, and look back at how the program has evolved.

Join us for the full reunion celebration:
• When: Friday, October 9, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Where: Koessler Room, Michigan League

Schedule:
• 11:00 AM: Registration & Refreshments
• 11:30 AM: Opening Reflections by CSAS Director Matthew Hull & our founding donor
• 12:00 PM: Alumni Retrospective Panel: Journeys since SiSA
• 1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:45 PM: 2026 Student Presentation Symposium

We can't wait to see you there and celebrate two decades of impact!
➡️ Please RSVP here:

On October 9, 2026, the Center for South Asian Studies invites all SiSA alumni to gather in Ann Arbor for a celebration and reflection of the past two decades of this program. Years since the summer you spent in India, we are curious to hear how the fellowship has shaped your approach to relationshi...

10/07/2026

Want to spend Summer 2027 conducting research or interning in India? Fully funded?

The application portal for the Summer in South Asia (SiSA) Fellowship is officially live! If you are thinking about applying for the $4,500 travel grant, there is no better way to get inspired than seeing what our most recent cohort accomplished.

Join us this Friday (Oct 9) for the presentation portion of our anniversary celebration!

• What: The 2026 SiSA Student Research Symposium
• When: Friday, October 9, from 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
• Where: Koessler Room, Michigan League

Quick Facts:
• Up to $4,500 for independent travel, internships, or research in India.
• Open to all U-M undergraduate disciplines with at least one year of study remaining.
• Meet peer mentors and ask questions about their projects this Friday!
➡️ Get a head start! Past fellow blogs: https://myumi.ch/E7AP7
➡️ Application details: https://myumi.ch/e7nPM

While there, this year’s fellows will be blogging to keep their friends, family, and CSAS staff members up-to-date on their travels and adventures. You can read their blogs here and follow along with their work and travel experiences in India. Happy reading!

10/06/2026

20 Years of Global Exploration!

For two decades, the U-M Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) has empowered undergraduate students to step outside the classroom and embark on fully funded, independent journeys across India.
As of October 1, the application portal for the Summer in South Asia (SiSA) 2027 Fellowship is officially live!
We are at an exciting crossroads—celebrating two decades of incredible alumni impact while simultaneously opening the doors for the next generation of explorers. Whether you are an alum looking back or a student looking forward, you are a crucial part of the SiSA story.
Let's celebrate 20 years of global learning and kick off the journey for our 2027 cohort!
➡️ Learn more about the fellowship here:

The Summer in South Asia (SiSA) fellowship supports students who undertake independent, immersive, distinctive, and challenging projects in India for a minimum of four weeks. Each project is unique to each student, and every project entails a significantly new experience for that student.

10/02/2026

Join us for the CSAS 2026 Kavita Datla Memorial Lecture featuring Dr. Razak Khan (Senior Research Fellow in Global History, Free University, Berlin).

Topic: Minor Cosmopolitanisms: Islam, Urdu, and Secularism in Postcolonial India
Dr. Khan will explore the intersections of religion, secularism, and language in postcolonial India, drawing on his extensive research in global and intellectual history.

This event is free and open to the public, made possible through the generosity of Dr. Kavita Datla’s family and friends.

Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM
📍 Attend in person (Pendleton Room, Michigan Union)
📍Zoom: https://myumi.ch/e73ZQ

10/02/2026

What could you spend four weeks in India doing, that connects to something you already care about?

Applications are now open for the 2027 Summer in South Asia (SiSA) Fellowship!

U-M undergraduates from any academic discipline can receive $4500 to spend at least four weeks in India pursuing an internship or independent project connected to their academic or professional interests.

Want to learn what a SiSA experience can look like? Join us on Oct. 9 for the SiSA symposium, part of our 20th anniversary celebration. Hear from past fellows about their projects and experiences in India.

2027 SiSA Fellowship deadline: Jan 31, 2027

09/18/2026

How does art respond to political crisis and shifting identity?

Join the CSAS this Friday for our 2026–2027 Lecture Series presentation: "Rummana Hussain's Feminist Cosmopolitics," presented by Rattanamol Singh Johal, the Shireen and Afzal Ahmad Assistant Professor in History of Art.

U-M History of Art Assistant Professor Rattanamol Singh Johal will guide us through a pivotal moment in Hussain's career. Learn how her artistic practice shifted to performance, video, and body-centered installations in response to the anti-Muslim violence of mid-1990s Bombay (following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya) —giving rise to a profound feminist exploration of identity and representation.

Whether you're an art history student, an activist, or just curious about South Asian contemporary art history, you won't want to miss this talk!

🗓️ Friday, September 18, 2026
⏰ 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
📍 Room 555, Weiser Hall

Check out the full event description here: https://myumi.ch/xjmzV