Institute for American Studies establishes in New York by JGU, aiming to fortify India-US relationships under the name Motwani Jadeja Institute.
The Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS) has been established at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), marking a significant milestone in the realm of education, research, and India-US cooperation. The institute, backed by a historic $5 million endowment from Asha Jadeja Motwani and the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation, is a tribute to the late Prof. Rajeev Motwani, a renowned computer scientist and mentor to the founders of Google.
The new centre aims to become a globally recognised hub for research, teaching, and policy engagement related to the United States. Its focus includes interdisciplinary research on US politics, law, economy, culture, and technology, as well as fostering collaboration between Indian and American academic institutions, think tanks, and civil society groups.
Justice Michael Wilson, Distinguished Professor at JGU, praised the university for creating an institutional template for sustainability that can be emulated by global universities. He emphasised the importance of the institute in enhancing public understanding of US global leadership and innovation ecosystems.
The Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, hailed the Institute as a timely and meaningful contribution to the India-US strategic partnership. He expressed optimism that the institute would deepen India-US relations by shaping global narratives and fostering enduring partnerships through education, diplomacy, research, and cross-border collaboration.
Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Dr Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, called for stronger university-government collaborations to create public value through evidence-based policymaking and inclusive technologies. He commended the Motwani Jadeja Institute for its visionary leadership in this regard.
The Sustainable Development Report 2025 of JGU, written by Prof Padmanabha Ramanujam, presents a detailed mapping of the university's contribution to all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report was released in conjunction with the launch of MJIAS in New York.
Asha Jadeja Motwani, in her address, expressed her commitment to shaping ecosystems that empower changemakers, particularly across the Global South. She emphasised the importance of education in strengthening constitutional democracy and highlighted the critical role of institutions like the Motwani Jadeva Institute in democratic resilience.
The Distinguished Public Lecture at the launch event featured discussions on the future of data governance, AI ethics, and digital innovation. Prof (Dr) Akhil Bhardwaj, Vice Dean of International Affairs and Global Initiatives, concluded the event, calling it a milestone moment for JGU and a call to action for universities across the world to be bolder, braver, and more globally connected.
Senior scholars from leading US universities praised the institute for anchoring itself at the intersection of liberal values, democratic norms, and global citizenship. The institute will engage with geopolitics, digital governance, trade, technology, and defence with a view to building a strategic partnership between India and the United States.
Upcoming initiatives under MJIAS include India-US student fellowships, start-up accelerator collaborations, and visiting professorships. The institute is a symbol of academic diplomacy that aims to nurture critical inquiry, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, and prepare students to be public intellectuals.
- The Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS), with a focus on finance, technology, and education-and-self-development, aims to be a global hub for research, teaching, and policy engagement related to the United States.
- Ministry of Information Technology and Digital Services has stressed the need for stronger university-government collaborations for policy-and-legislation, focused on evidence-based policymaking and inclusive technologies.
- As a hub for general-news, research, and career-development, MJIAS aspires to engage with topics like geopolitics, digital governance, trade, technology, and defence, fostering India-US strategic partnership.
- In an effort to facilitate skills-training and learning, upcoming initiatives under MJIAS include India-US student fellowships, start-up accelerator collaborations, and visiting professorships.
- Leveraging data-and-cloud-computing, the Sustainable Development Report 2025 of JGU presents a comprehensive mapping of the university's contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Emphasising the importance of personal-growth and democracy, Asha Jadeja Motwani has committed to building ecosystems that empower changemakers across the Global South, with a special focus on education's role in constitutional democracy and democratic resilience.
