Foundation For India Studies

What Foundation For India Studies does

Foundation for India Studies (FIS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded on December 30, 2005 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its stated mission is to promote knowledge about India's contributions to the world across languages, literature, arts, sciences, engineering, politics, economics, and spirituality, and to connect India with mainstream America through Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence. FIS operates a portfolio of cultural and educational programs centered on the Indo-American community in the Houston metropolitan area, with no paid offerings — all programs and services are provided free of charge, funded entirely through voluntary donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and community supporters.

The organization's core deliverables include the India Studies Program at the University of Houston (instituted in 2006 and now comprising 12 courses that confer a Minor Certificate in India Studies, with the university now funding the program independently), the Indo-American Oral History Project (launched in 2011 in partnership with Houston Public Library and Houston Community College, with 62+ first-generation immigrant interviews archived at HPL's digital archives), a Distinguished Lecture Series, scholarship administration, study tours in India, the annual Indo-American Heritage Day, and annual participation in the MLK Grande Parade (reaching approximately one million TV viewers annually). The technology base is modest and operational rather than technical: standard oral history recording equipment, video/audio transcription workflows, digital archiving through HPL, a WordPress website, Kaltura video hosting, and broadcast placements on ABC Channel 13 and Fox News. FIS has no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

FIS is governed by a founder-led structure: Krishna Vavilala serves as Founder and Chairman, supported by a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board that includes the Consul General of India and University of Houston officials. Strategic and co-development partners include the University of Houston (2006), Houston Public Library (2011), Houston Community College System (2014), India House (2016), and Central University of Hyderabad (2005 MOU). The organization has accumulated peer recognition including the 2015 MLK Grand Marshal's Award, the 2019 Mary Faye Barnes Award for Excellence from the Texas Oral History Association, and the 2021 India Culture Center Lifetime Achievement Award presented to the Chairman. Operating geographies are regional (Houston, Texas, USA) with secondary ties to India through exchange programs; financial information is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Foundation For India Studies

Legal name

Foundation for India Studies

Website

https://foundationforindiastudies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Foundation for India Studies is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2005 that promotes Indian heritage, language, and culture in America. It runs the India Studies program at the University of Houston, an Indo-American Oral History Project, scholarships, lecture series, and community heritage events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Educational Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Field-of-Study & Discipline-Specific Funding (EDAIAOAD), Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA)

Keywords

• Cultural education programs
• India studies curriculum
• Oral history preservation
• Community heritage events
• Academic scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in Texas in 2005, the Foundation for India Studies primarily generates revenue through donations from the Indo-American community, corporate sponsors, and individual supporters. The organization accepts charitable contributions to fund its scholarship programs, India Studies initiatives at universities, and the Indo-American Oral History Project.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Foundation For India Studies is a non-profit organization that delivers educational and cultural programs focused on India's history, politics, economics, language, and culture. Its core offerings include the India Studies academic program at the University of Houston (12 courses with a Minor Certificate), the Indo-American Oral History Project, a Distinguished Lecture Series, scholarships, study tours in India, and cultural heritage events.

Product overview

The Foundation for India Studies operates a portfolio of cultural and educational programs centered around promoting knowledge about India in America. The core offerings include the India Studies Program at the University of Houston (providing courses and a Minor Certificate in India Studies), the Indo-American Oral History Project (recording immigration stories in partnership with Houston Public Library and HCC), and the Distinguished Lecture Series featuring notable speakers. Additional programs include scholarship administration, Study Tours in India, Indo-American Heritage Day celebrations, and annual MLK Grande Parade participation. These programs work together to advance cross-cultural understanding between India and America through education, oral history preservation, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• India Studies Program An educational program at the University of Houston offering courses in Hindi language, Hinduism, Jainism, Indian history, sociology, art, and culture of India. Students can earn a Minor Certificate in India Studies upon completion of required courses.
• Indo-American Oral History Project A collaborative initiative conducted with Houston Public Library and Houston Community College to record and archive life stories and immigration experiences of first-generation Indian immigrants in Houston, preserving heritage and making narratives available to researchers and future generations.
• Distinguished Lecture Series A lecture series featuring notable speakers on topics related to India, including jurists, academics, diplomats, and community leaders covering issues of global and Indian significance.
• Scholarship Program Financial scholarship programs administered to students at accredited universities to support and promote education and India Studies.
• Study Tours in India Tailor-made educational study tours to India designed to provide firsthand cultural, educational, and business learning experiences for students and participants.
• Indo-American Heritage Day Annual event celebrating Indo-American heritage and culture, conducted in partnership with Houston Public Library to recognize community contributions.
• MLK Grande Parade Participation Annual participation in the Martin Luther King Jr. Grande Parade to promote Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and peace, connecting India with mainstream America.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62+ oral history interviews completed and archived
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• India HouseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016India House collaborated with FIS for events including Justice Santosh Hegde's talk on humanism in September 2016. President of India House, Mr. Jugal Malani, offered to pay one year's rent for an oral history studio to be set up at India House, demonstrating community support for FIS initiatives.
• Houston Community College System (HCCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2014Houston Community College System partners with FIS on the Indo-American Oral History Project. HCC provides facilities and trains students in oral history interview techniques. The partnership was formalized in November 2014, with Baylor University officials also providing training support for HCC students involved in the project.
• Houston Public Library (HPL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2011Houston Public Library serves as a key partner in the Indo-American Oral History Project. HPL provides its Gregory School Oral History studio for recording interviews with first-generation Indian immigrants. The recordings are stored for posterity in HPL's digital archives, making them accessible to researchers and the public. The partnership was formalized with a MOU signed on March 23, 2011, and the project was inaugurated on August 19, 2011, with a proclamation at Houston City Hall by Mayor Annise Parker.
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006University of Houston partnered with FIS to establish the India Studies program in 2006 during President Dr. Jay Gogue's administration. The program initially began with Hindi language courses and classes in Hinduism and Jainism and has expanded to 12 courses. Students can earn a Minor Certificate in India Studies. The university now funds the program independently, indicating a successful partnership that achieved its initial goals.
• Central University of HyderabadminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005FIS facilitated an MOU between Central University of Hyderabad and University of Houston to promote cultural understanding and facilitate exchange of students and faculty between the institutions. This partnership exemplifies FIS's goal of bringing Indian and American universities together.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• StoryCorps: National oral history nonprofit archiving American stories through recorded interviews, with a sizable permanent library. Closest functional peer for FIS's Oral History Project methodology and archiving model, operating at much larger national scale.
• The Asia Foundation: Large international development and Asia-focused nonprofit with education, cultural, and exchange programs across Asia including India. Broader, more resourced peer in international education and cultural engagement.
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: National cultural institution preserving Asian Pacific American heritage through exhibits, oral histories, and educational programming. Functionally analogous to FIS's oral history and cultural preservation mission at far larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• American India Foundation: National Indo-American 501(c)(3) running education, leadership, and diaspora engagement programs. Most direct U.S. peer to FIS in mission and donor base, with significantly larger scale across multiple U.S. cities.
• India House Houston: Houston-based Indo-American community, cultural, and education center. Local peer running overlapping programming such as lectures and cultural events; FIS lists India House as a partner, making it both collaborator and closest functional neighbor.
• SEWA International: Indo-American community service nonprofit running education, cultural, and youth programs across multiple U.S. chapters. Comparable cultural and educational mandate targeting the same Indo-American donor and volunteer base.
• Indo-American Arts Council: New York-based nonprofit promoting Indo-American arts, culture, and education. Adjacent regional peer running lectures, festivals, and heritage programming for the Indo-American community.
• Asia Society Texas Center: Houston-based Asia-focused cultural and educational institution running lectures, exhibits, and education programs. Strong regional peer with overlapping cultural/educational mission and a wider Asia scope but similar Indo-American programming overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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