American Institute of Indian Studies Podcast - 60th Anniversary Series – Robert P. Goldman on AIIS, Sanskrit Pedagogy, and Emerging Trends in Sanskrit Research

60th Anniversary Series – Robert P. Goldman on AIIS, Sanskrit Pedagogy, and Emerging Trends in Sanskrit Research

08/16/22 • 55 min

American Institute of Indian Studies Podcast

In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, we have the unique honor of speaking to a scholar who has been part of the foundational landscape of Sanskrit scholarship and education in the United States, Robert Goldman, Professor of the Graduate School and Catherine and William L. Magistretti Distinguished Professor of Sanskrit Emeritus at the University of California Berkeley. Besides helping to shape Sanskrit pedagogy in the US and publishing influential translations of a wide variety of Sanskrit literary works, Dr. Goldman has also been very active with AIIS - first as a junior and senior fellow, then a trustee and vice president of the institute.

As we look back on sixty years of AIIS, not only has the institute supported research across disciplines and created an important support system for the study of India in the United States, but AIIS has also been a critical part of language pedagogy for undergraduate and graduate students. In this episode, we’ll hear about AIIS and its role in development of Sanskrit pedagogy and scholarship in the US, Dr. Goldman’s own work and intersections with the institute, and the future of AIIS, language study, and Sanskrit in the US.
Visit aiis60.org to explore interactive timelines, a founding history of AIIS, information on centers and programs, and to stay up to date on AIIS 60th anniversary events.
Produced by AIIS
Music “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

Previous Episode

60th Anniversary Series – A. N. Singh and Rakesh Ranjan on the history of the AIIS Hindi program and Hindi pedagogy

In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, Dr. A. N. Singh, AIIS Hindi program head, interviews Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Senior Lecturer and Language Coordinator at Columbia University and former AIIS Hindi Language Program Director and current AIIS Language Committee member. In their interview, they discuss the early days of the Hindi language program at AIIS and its growth, the unique format and characteristics of the AIIS language programs, and current challenges and future directions of Hindi language learning.

A note to our listeners - the following interview is in Hindi. For those who would prefer an English transcript, you can download a pdf translation of this episode on our website, www.indiastudies.org.

Next Episode

60th Anniversary Series - Collaboration and the Nilgiris Field Learning Program

This year we have been celebrating a history of scholarship in and through AIIS - exploring the narratives within the walls of the institute and the conversations that have happened thanks to the support of AIIS. In this episode, we turn from history to current research that highlights collaboration and co-creation, a foundational piece of what makes AIIS the American Institute of Indian Studies.
The Nilgiris Field Learning Program (NFLP) connects “Cornell faculty and students with practitioners and community members in the Nilgiris, the “blue hills” of southern India. Since 2015, the NFLC learning community has explored a range of issues around sustainability, conservation, livelihoods and education in a region recognized for its biodiversity.” Program members Neema Kudva, Andrew Willford, Pratim Roy, and Anita Varghese join us to explore how AIIS has supported this collaborative work, research methods in ethnographic collaboration and co-creation, what it means to work at the intersection of climate change, health, well-being, development, and study abroad.

The following interview is taken from a webinar that took place virtually on October 4, 2022 and is part 1 of 2 webinars this fall featuring India-US collaboration and AIIS.
*Transcript coming soon*
Produced by AIIS
Music “Desh” by Stephen Slawek