In India’s southernmost state of Tamil Nadu, the relationship between cinema and politics is well established. Shortly after Independence, a handful of youth in the Tamil film industry founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), an ethnic party that advanced a unique brand of Tamil cultural nationalism. Led by a motley assortment of screenwriters, actors, actresses, […]
CASI Student Programs Blog
Since 2007, the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) at the University of Pennsylvania has supported nearly 150 students! Welcome to the home base for CASI students and alumni to share their thoughts, reflections, and ongoing learnings about their internships, research projects, and travels in India and beyond.
After our internship ended Bevan and I traveled to Mumbai for a few days and met up with two other CASI interns who had been working and living in Bangalore. Over a lovely dinner of Burmese food we discussed our internships and lives for the previous two months. Immediately it became extremely apparent how vastly different […]
I arrived at Kolkata during the last 15 days of my study trip. At Kolkata, my main intention was to investigate the relationship between the British, the Deb Raja of Bhutan, and the Tibetans, as well as the influence of the Tibetans’ religio-political institutions on Northern Bengal and North-Eastern India. For that I went to […]
Going through racks and racks of Tibetan political journals is not an easy task, and something you can never prepare yourself for. As I walked through the streets of Dharamsala, greeting smiling Tibetan faces and talking casually about the weather and the problems of over-construction in McLeod Ganj, I couldn’t help but feel a pang […]
I have been back home in the United States for a couple weeks now and have had time to reflect on my time in Pondicherry. I cannot help but be thankful for the opportunity, the experiences, and the memories that I will carry with me forever. I amuse myself thinking how easily I integrated into […]
A couple days ago, I skyped a friend of mine who is currently in India. As we were catching up, she described a recent work trip she went on, where she visited several Indian monuments and heritage sites. As most people who have visited these monuments know, entrance tickets often have a foreigner price and […]
Throughout our time at CORD, Rhea and I were fortunate enough to experience so many breathtaking views everyday. From the scenic fields to the insides of people’s homes, every moment was picture-perfect. Since we arrived, we were looking to choreograph and record a dance video because we are both dancers at Penn. However, as typical […]
