Originally posted on SouthCoast Today.

UMD Indic center receives funding

DARTMOUTH -- The newly created Center for Indic Studies at UMass Dartmouth received $35,000 in endowments to be combined with a 50 percent match from the state. The gifts were pledged during a recent public meeting held by Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack, Provost Thomas Curry and Center Director Dr. Bal Ram Singh.

Dr. Singh announced a $10,000 contribution from the center's faculty for an endowment to establish a Patanjali Lecture Series. Patanjali was the philosopher scientist who wrote the yoga sutras approximately 2,500 years ago.

Members of the audience Ishwarbhai and Induben Patel matched the gift with a pledge of $10,000 and Harshadbhai Patel and his brother-in-law Maheshbhai also contributed $10,000. The Patels own and operate Dartmouth Motor Inn, Budget Inn in Westwood and Days Inn in Attleboro.

Professor Madhusudan and Pallaviben Jhaveri also pledged $5,000 to the center's endowment.

"I am extremely pleased with the support of the community for this center," said Dr. Singh. "The university administration has provided us all the support to promote it as well. There is also a great deal of enthusiasm among the associated faculty members."

Faculty members with Dr. Singh are Dr. Avijit Gangopadhyay, physics and Center for Marine Science Technology; Dr. Madhu Jhaveri, civil and environmental engineering; Dr. Kannan Raghunandan, accounting/finance; Dr. Dasaratha Rama, accounting/finance; Dr. Tridib Roy, mechanical engineering; and Dr. Sukalyan Sengupta, civil and environmental engineering.

Dr. Singh outlined the center's mission to highlight India's values for the world's progress, peace and harmony and its plans to use a multi-disciplinary approach to examine issues of Indic philosophy, art, music, history, culture and spirituality.

The center has offered several seminars of Indian philosophy, yoga, economic globalization, and Hindu Heritage Day celebrations. Immediate plans include developing a lecture series and initiating academic research projects to understand the success of Indian-owned businesses and professionals.

Dr. Singh said the center will be organizing a major international conference on "India's Contributions to the World" next summer.