American Institute of Indian Studies

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) is a nonprofit organization headquartered at the University of Chicago. It was founded in 1961 as a consortium of U.S. colleges and universities aimed at promoting a deeper understanding of India in the United States. Today, it comprises 90 universities and colleges across the U.S., dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about India through various scholarly activities.

Objectives and Activities

• Fellowships: The AIIS awards fellowships to scholars and artists to conduct research and artistic projects in India. These fellowships include junior fellowships for Ph.D. candidates and senior fellowships for postdoctoral research across a wide range of academic disciplines such as anthropology, geography, history, literature, political science, public health, and religious studies. Additionally, AIIS offers performing and creative arts fellowships to support musicians, dancers, visual, and multi-media artists[1][2].

• Language Programs: AIIS operates intensive language programs in India for U.S. students, including Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Gujarati. These programs are typically conducted at locations where the language is predominantly spoken, such as Jaipur for Hindi and Kolkata for Bengali[2].

• Research Centers: The organization maintains two major research centers in India: the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology and the Center for Art and Archaeology, both located in Gurugram. These centers provide extensive resources for researchers, including large libraries and archives of photographs and slides of Indian art and architecture[3][5].

Publications and Partnerships

• Publications: AIIS publishes a semiannual newsletter and has been involved in publishing several books, including the Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture. The Institute also collaborates on publications with its fellows, contributing significantly to the body of knowledge on India in the U.S. and globally[3].

• Partnerships: As a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), AIIS participates in international research initiatives and collaborates with other member organizations to promote cultural and academic exchange. AIIS also partners with educational institutions to host faculty development seminars and service learning internships for students[4].

Impact and Funding

Over 5,500 scholars have received support from AIIS, contributing to hundreds of books and thousands of articles on India. The Institute's work is funded by organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the U.S. State Department[3][4]. AIIS has developed fundraising initiatives to ensure the continuation of its activities in challenging financial environments[4].

The Institute's campus in Gurugram serves as its main office in India, providing a centralized location for its operations and eliminating the need for multiple rented facilities[4].