A $10,000 donation by the India Studies Foundation will be distributed as student scholarships in the UH India Studies Program.
During a ceremony Thursday, the chairman of the India Studies program Krishna Vavilala presented UH InterimPresident John Rudley with a check.
"It makes me feel like it’s more than just the University of Houston that’s trying to improve the quality of education for our students," Rudley said. "I’m very proud that we’re doing this. It’s also for the future."
The Indian community of the greater Houston area provided most of the funding for the program, Khumawala said.
The foundation’s board of directors also said they wanted to begin an exchange program to India in the future.
The program celebrated its one-year anniversary last month, but has not been approved as a minor or major.
Vavilala said the check is one of many donations to the program.
"This is a check, but this is not the only check," Vavilala said. "There are other checks, which came from the community since we started this program. There’s a lot more to come because the community is highly supportive."
Saleha Khumawala, associate accounting professor and India Studies program board member, said she believes the check will help the program.
"(The check will help) jumpstart the program. It will show a commitment and the seriousness of the board and what it’s trying to do to accomplish its objectives," Khumawala said. "It’s a very dedicated and hard-working board. This is the seed money towards the million dollars that we are trying to raise."
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences John Antel said he began working with the Indian community two years ago as part of an international outreach program.
"It helps us establish more of a global university curriculum," Antel said. "We really think we should be doing a better job at teaching foreign languages. It’s not just foreign language. Foreign languages are a real important part of it, but it’s also about history and culture."
Antel said he wants to recruit a history professor to teach a course on the history of India and eventually offer the program as a major when more courses are included in the curriculum.
A three-week study abroad program is available to students. Antel and Assistant Vice Chancellor of International Studies Jerald Strickland have said they will establish relations between UH and Indian scholars in January.
"It’s for the current students who really don’t appreciate the past sometimes, and it’s up to the parents to remind them of the past," Rudley said.
