Steel Magnate Renames South Asia Institute with $25 Million Donation

Steel magnate Lakshmi N. Mittal and his family donated $25 million to establish an endowment at Harvard’s South Asia Institute, retitling the institute in his namesake.

Founded in 2003 to further the University’s engagement with South Asia, the institute works with faculty and students through interdisciplinary programs to advance teaching and research on issues relevant to the region.

“International centers like the South Asia Institute at Harvard University serve as a vital conduit between the University and the world we study,” University President Drew G. Faust said to the Harvard-run Gazette. “The generous support from the Mittal family is a testament to both the important work being done by this community of scholars and students and the continuing impact it will have in the region.”

In a statement to the Gazette, Mittal said he believes Harvard is one of the world’s greatest learning institutions with a unique ability to ensure the long-term prosperity of his native India and its neighboring countries.

Mittal is the chair and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel company, and has no prior affiliation with Harvard.

The South Asia Institute focuses on scholarship pertaining to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, and diaspora populations from these countries.

Both the Business School and the School of Public Health have centers in Mumbai, India, and the South Asia Institute plans to open an office in Delhi, India this year.

—Staff writer Sonia Kim can be reached at sonia.kim@thecrimson.com.