Vivekananda Chair: US varsity gets India aid

India will provide $1.5 million grant to the prestigious University of Chicago to establish a Vivekananda Chair for Indian studies as part of initiatives to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the 19th century luminary and spread his message of harmony

India will provide $1.5 million grant to the prestigious University of Chicago to establish a Vivekananda Chair for Indian studies as part of initiatives to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the 19th century luminary and spread his message of harmony.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in this regard between Dean of University of Chicago (UOC) Martha Roth and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture Sanjiv Mittal in presence of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The Indian government is extremely happy in giving an endowment of $1.5 million to the UOC ,for establishing the Swami Vivekananda Chair, Mukherjee said.

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The activities that would be undertaken under this Chair would focus on Vivekananda,through lectures,seminars and suitable related academic activities on Indian culture and Indian studies,the Finance Minister said.

Under the MoU,India will provide the grant to UOC for the Vivekananda Chair to honour his life and legacy and to facilitate exchange of research scholars from/to India.