Bok Makes India Prof. Priority

Calling plans for an Indian Center "far down the line," President Bok said last week that endowing a permanent chair in Indian history would be his first priority in expanding Harvard's coverage of the subcontinent.

Bok said, however, that he has not begun fundraising for the first-ever tenured post in Indian history, adding that the subject matter has made it especially difficult for the University to solicit donations.

"American donors are not particularly interested in [Indian Studies], and the Indians have an agenda of their own," Bok said.

This October the University received one of its first gifts related to India, when the Hinduja Company gave $2 million to Harvard and its affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital to promote educational exchanges.

But in recent months, the University's scantyacademic coverage of third world areas has becomethe practical focus of what had been only anabstract call by Bok that Harvard increase itsinternational ties.

Professors in subjects related to India saidrecently they have heard indications thatadministrators are considering estblishing anIndian Studies research center. Harvard mustimprove its academic range, they said, because itsfine collection of Indian books is going to wasteand the nearly 1 billion people who inhabit thesubcontinent make it a crucial region that iscurrently under-explored.

But in his first comments about such a center,Bok said that at this time his aims are moremodest.

"What I would like to get is a chair in Indianstudies--I don't think a center is an end in itsself," he said.

Before the University can have a center, Boksaid Harvard needs the "resourses for centralappointments.