The Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS) has been inaugurated in New York City, aiming to create a transformative platform for interdisciplinary research and cultural exchange between India and the United States.
The O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) officially launched the Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS) on July 19 in New York City. The initiative is supported by the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, led by Silicon Valley philanthropist Asha Jadeja Motwani. The new institute is intended to be a transformative platform for interdisciplinary research, public policy, innovation, and cultural exchange between India and the United States, and it honors the late Indian-American computer scientist and Stanford professor Rajeev Motwani.
JGU founding Vice Chancellor C. Raj Kumar, in his welcome address, said, “The Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS) is not merely the establishment of a new academic institute—it is a profound affirmation of our belief that universities must serve as instruments of global transformation.”
Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, praised the institute as “a timely and meaningful contribution to the India–U.S. strategic partnership,” highlighting that academic institutions like MJIAS embody the spirit of “knowledge diplomacy.” Asha Jadeja Motwani, who played a significant role in launching the institute, reiterated her commitment to creating ecosystems that empower changemakers. “Through MJIAS, we are not only honoring the spirit of Rajeev, who believed in democratizing innovation and knowledge, but we are also giving life to a bold vision: to create a space where the next generation of leaders of India and the USA can question, collaborate, and co-create,” she asserted.
The institute’s vision was laid out by Professor Mohan Kumar, former Ambassador of India to France and founding director-general of MJIAS. He stated that, “MJIAS will engage with geopolitics, digital governance, trade, technology, and defense – all with a view to building a vibrant strategic partnership and ‘ring fencing’ it from geopolitical vagaries.”
Senior scholars from leading U.S. universities, including Professor Jayanth Krishnan, chair of the International Board of Advisors at JGU and a member of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, and Professor Sital Kalantry, vice chair at Seattle University School of Law, underscored the importance of interdisciplinary learning, legal and technological innovation, and academic integrity. They commended MJIAS for situating itself at the crossroads of liberal values, democratic norms, and global citizenship.
The inauguration ceremony wrapped up with a Distinguished Public Lecture given by former Supreme Court of India judge U.U. Lalit and Tamil Nadu IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan. The event underscored the institute’s unique convergence of education, law, and technology.
Additionally, the event featured the release of the JGU Sustainable Development Report 2025, authored by Professor Padmanabha Ramanujam, dean of Academic Governance. Based in India at the JGU campus, the institute has been established with the help of a $5 million endowment, marking one of the largest philanthropic contributions to JGU and among the most significant investments in American Studies in India.