On November 4, the University of Central Florida’s India Center celebrated the inauguration of its first Indian Community Endowed Chair, with Dr. Yogesh Joshi as Director. Established in 2012, the India Center aims to be a leading institution in the U.S. for studying contemporary India’s global influence, providing educational initiatives and outreach to the Indian community. The ceremony, attended by donors, community members, and UCF faculty, featured remarks from Dean Maggy Tomova, who highlighted the importance of community and culture in UCF’s strategic plan. The event was emceed by Leila Chacko, and donors, including the founding families of the endowed position, were recognized. Knights Khayal, a UCF desi music group, performed the Carnatic piece “Vatapi ganapatim.”
Provost Michael D. Johnson highlighted the significance of the occasion, noting that Indian students are the largest group of international graduate students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He emphasized that the establishment of an endowed professorship reflects a strong commitment to The India Center and thanked the Founding Chairs and donors for their support.Before joining UCF, Joshi led the National Security and Foreign Policy program at the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore and taught at Yale-NUS College. He has held prestigious roles, including Visiting Fellow at Carnegie India, and earned his doctorate in International Politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University. During the ceremony, he shared his journey from a small Himalayan town and discussed the transformative power of education. Joshi outlined an ambitious vision for The India Center, focusing on understanding India’s global role in areas like science, technology, and international relations, and expressed a commitment to empowering individuals and creating meaningful change for both Americans and Indians.
