American Institute of Indian Studies

What American Institute of Indian Studies does

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) is a private non-profit consortium of U.S. colleges and universities, incorporated in October 1961 to support American scholarship about India. Headquartered in Chicago with primary U.S. operations now based at the University of Pittsburgh, AIIS operates three offices in India — a headquarters in Gurugram (Gurgaon) housing the main management office along with two research centers, plus regional offices in Delhi and Kolkata providing local support for scholars conducting fieldwork. The organization serves U.S. undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and scholars in South Asian studies, and creative and performing artists, with named users including Harvard, Cornell, Indiana University, University of Washington, and University of Miami, among the 50+ consortium member institutions.

AIIS's core product portfolio comprises research fellowship programs (junior, senior long-term, senior short-term, performing and creative arts), immersive language programs in 15+ Indian languages (Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Bangla, Marathi, and others) delivered in-country at locations including Jaipur, Pune, Udaipur, Banaras, Delhi, and Hyderabad, and two research centers — the Center for Art and Archaeology and the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology — which preserve built and sonic heritage. Supporting programs include the 2019-launched Digital India Learning (DIL) initiative for digital scholarship, the AIIS Book Prize portfolio (Joseph W. Elder Prize, Edward Cameron Dimock Jr. Prize, Indira Peterson Prize), a Speaker's Bureau placing scholars on member campuses, a Dissertation-to-Book Workshop, and content distribution via podcasts and the Dialogues in Indian Studies virtual event series.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: revenue derives from U.S. Department of Education Title VI/NDEA grants (since 1969), U.S. Department of State Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation awards, and member institution support. AIIS distributes services through its consortium model, with member universities governed by delegates and given priority access to fellowships, language programs, and the Speaker's Bureau. Leadership includes President Sumathi Ramaswamy (with Sunila S. Kale elected as President-Effective July 2026), Executive Director Dr. Emily Rook-Koepsel, and Director-General in India Purnima Mehta.

Name

American Institute of Indian Studies

Legal name

American Institute of Indian Studies

Website

https://indiastudies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American Institute of Indian Studies is a non-profit consortium of U.S. colleges and universities, founded 1961, providing research fellowships, immersive language training, and two India-based research centers supporting American scholarship on India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Higher Education and Research Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online-to-Offline Hybrid Language Immersion Programs (EDAIAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Immersive Language & Cultural Learning (Conversational VR, Role-Play) (EDAFAJAH)

Keywords

• Indian studies research
• Language training programs
• Academic fellowship programs
• Cultural heritage archives
• University consortium services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship and Program Grants: AIIS receives federal funding (U.S. Department of Education Title VI grants, U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation grants) to provide fellowships to scholars, language instruction for students, and research support. Grants are awarded to scholars and students, not sold as products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) is a U.S. consortium of American colleges and universities that advances the study of India through research fellowships for scholars and creative/performing artists, immersive language training programs in India (Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Bangla, Marathi and other South Asian languages), and two India-based research centers — the Center for Art and Archaeology and the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology — that preserve built and sonic heritage. It also runs the Digital India Learning (DIL) initiative, international learning partnerships, an annual book prize, a dissertation-to-book workshop, and a Speaker's Bureau serving U.S. member campuses.

Product overview

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) is a consortium of American universities organized for the advancement of Indian Studies, offering a portfolio of interconnected educational and research programs. The core offerings include research fellowship programs supporting scholars and artists conducting projects in India, language programs providing immersive training in South Asian languages, and two research centers (Center for Art and Archaeology, Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology) preserving India's built and sonic heritage. Supporting programs include the Digital India Learning (DIL) initiative for digital scholarship, International Learning for study abroad support, the AIIS Book Prize for manuscript publication, a Speaker's Bureau for campus lectures, and a Dissertation-to-Book Workshop. Content dissemination occurs through AIIS Podcasts and the Dialogues in Indian Studies virtual event series, with additional digital access provided via the Virtual Museum of Images and Sounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Fellowship Programs Competitive fellowships for U.S. researchers and creative/performing artists to carry out projects in India, including junior dissertation fellowships for PhD candidates, senior long-term and short-term fellowships, and specialized awards.
• Language Programs Immersive language training in India for students from American universities, offered in summer and academic-year formats across multiple South Asian languages (Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Bangla, Marathi, and others) and program sites (Jaipur, Pune, Udaipur, Banaras, Delhi, Hyderabad, Waltair, Madurai, Agra).
• Center for Art and Archaeology AIIS research center located in the Gurgaon headquarters that preserves the built heritage of India through documentation, photographic collections, and exhibitions, providing scholarly access for researchers studying India's material culture.
• Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology AIIS research center located in the Gurgaon headquarters that preserves the sonic heritage of India through ethnomusicology archives, sound recordings, and field research, providing scholarly access for researchers studying Indian music and performance traditions.
• Digital India Learning (DIL) Initiative Initiative promoting the creation and use of digital resources and media for the study of India, including Digital Scholarship Grants for senior scholars and Summer Student Fellowships for digital sonic and visual projects.
• International Learning Partnerships Programs providing assistance to U.S. undergraduate study abroad in India, study tours for faculty and graduate students, and other group projects, including Faculty Development Seminars held in collaboration with CAORC for community colleges and minority-serving institutions.
• AIIS Speaker's Bureau Partnership program bringing distinguished Indian studies scholars to U.S. member campuses for public lectures and classroom visits; AIIS covers the $500 honorarium, roundtrip economy airfare, and ground transportation, while partner universities provide venue, accommodation, and meals.
• Dissertation-to-Book Workshop Annual workshop held in Madison for recent PhDs to develop their dissertations into publishable book manuscripts, complementing the AIIS Book Prize program in Indian humanities and social sciences.
• Virtual Museum of Images and Sounds Digital platform (vmis.in) that makes AIIS research center collections — including virtual exhibitions created by DIL student fellows — accessible globally for scholarly and educational use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 students participated in the College Year in India Program (1962-2015)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Member Universities ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1961AIIS was founded as a consortium of U.S. colleges and universities. The consortium model is central to AIIS's structure and operations, with delegates from member institutions governing the organization. The consortium provides a self-reinforcing ecosystem of scholars and institutions that has sustained AIIS for over 60 years. Fifteen institutions were founding members when AIIS was incorporated in October 1961.
• Delhi University (School of Social Work)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelhi University School of Social Work was one of the original campuses hosting the College Year in India Program (CYIP) from 1962. AIIS continues to partner with Indian universities for study abroad and research programs.
• Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the original campuses for the College Year in India Program (CYIP). AIIS partners with this institution for language instruction and academic programs.
• Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the original and longest-running CYIP campuses, where Hindi language instruction was later moved. AIIS partners with BHU for research and language programs.
• Lady Doak College (Madurai)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA women's college founded in Madurai in 1948. Joe Elder established connections between Oberlin's Shansi program and Lady Doak College in the early 1950s, forming the foundation for ongoing relationships with Madurai institutions.
• American College (Madurai)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA men's college established in the 19th century in Madurai. Part of the ongoing relationship between Oberlin College and Madurai colleges established by Joe Elder.
• Cornell University (Nilgiris Field Learning Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nilgiris Field Learning Program connects Cornell faculty and students with practitioners and community members in the Nilgiris, southern India. Since 2015, the program has explored sustainability, conservation, livelihoods, and education issues.
• Ramakrishna Math (Bangalore)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIIS fellows (e.g., Aarti S. Madan, Dr. Emily Rook-Koepsel in fellowship context) have conducted archival research at Ramakrishna Math in Bangalore. The institution supports scholarly access to its archives for AIIS-affiliated researchers.
• Jadavpur UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIIS Senior Fellow Shouraseni Sen Roy collaborated with Professor Ghosh at Jadavpur University to plan fieldwork in the Indian Sundarban Delta. The collaboration facilitated local expertise and research planning.
• Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIIS collaborates with CAORC on joint Faculty Development Seminars supporting faculty at community colleges and minority-serving institutions to develop Indian studies content.
• South Asia Presenters ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner universities participating in the AIIS Speaker's Bureau are required to document their events in the South Asia Presenters Exchange, facilitating broader dissemination of Indian studies speakers across institutions.
• Ministry of Education, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Government of India Ministry of Education assisted AIIS in obtaining half an acre of land in Gurgaon (1992) for the India headquarters building, which was inaugurated in February 1998.
• Haryana Urban Development AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllotted half an acre of land in Gurgaon to AIIS in 1992, enabling construction of the India headquarters housing the main office, Center for Art and Archaeology, and Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Institute of Afghanistan Studies (AIAS): AIAS is a Title VI-funded consortium supporting American scholarship, language training, and research on Afghanistan. It is structurally analogous to AIIS across governance, funding, and product offerings, including in-country research support and language programs.
• American Institute of Yemeni Studies (AIYS): AIYS is a Title VI-funded consortium supporting U.S. scholarship on Yemen through fellowships, language training, and research programs. Like AIIS, it is a country-specific, federally funded, university-consortium model for area studies.
• American Institute of Pakistan Studies (AIPS): AIPS is a Title VI-funded consortium of U.S. universities that supports research, language training, and cultural-preservation activities in Pakistan. It is structurally identical to AIIS in consortium model, federal funding base, and product portfolio (fellowships, language programs, research support).
• Middlebury Language Schools: Middlebury Language Schools is a long-established U.S. immersive language-training program, structurally analogous to AIIS language programs but on U.S. campuses and across many more languages. It is a relevant benchmark for AIIS's immersive language-program model.
• American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE): ARCE is a Title VI-funded consortium of U.S. universities supporting American scholarship, language training, and cultural heritage research in Egypt. It mirrors AIIS's structure, federal funding model, and combination of fellowships, language programs, and heritage research centers.
• American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS): American Councils is a U.S. non-profit that administers overseas language immersion, academic exchanges, and fellowships (including CLS). It overlaps directly with AIIS on language immersion programs and fellowship administration, though across a broader set of countries.
• American Institute of Iranian Studies (AIIrS): AIIrS is a Title VI-funded consortium that promotes research and language training on Iran. It shares AIIS's consortium-of-universities model, federal grant base, and fellowship/language portfolio for a different country focus.

Others

• Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC): CAORC is the umbrella network of U.S.-based overseas research centers including AIIS. AIIS collaborates with CAORC on Faculty Development Seminars, making CAORC both a strategic partner and the closest umbrella organization for AIIS.
• Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program: CLS is a U.S. Department of State-funded program providing immersive summer language training in critical-need languages, including Hindi and other Indian languages. It directly overlaps with AIIS language-program offerings and shares a federal funding context.
• Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships: FLAS Fellowships are U.S. Department of Education Title VI-funded awards supporting graduate study of foreign languages and area studies. FLAS is a federal complement to AIIS fellowships and shares the same Title VI funding base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AIISIndia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFaQxWFLRP4r6_ggrqegSJw
• Facebookfacebook.com/indiastudies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-institute-of-indian-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/aiisindia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Institute of Indian Studies