New York City, New York | 21 July 2025  –  The Motwani Jadeja Foundation has launched the Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies (MJIAS), to be housed at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in Sonepat, Haryana, India. The Institute is being established through a US$5 million endowment from the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation and marks a significant step in advancing the US-India relationship through education, innovation, and public diplomacy.

MJIAS will be India’s first dedicated institute for American Studies, envisioned as a platform for deep academic inquiry, policy research, cultural exchange, and technology-driven collaboration. The Institute will focus on bridging the ideas and actions that underpin a stronger US-India relationship in the 21st century.

This initiative builds on the Motwani Jadeja Foundation’s longstanding commitment to strengthening South–North collaborations and catalyzing ecosystems of innovation, particularly between India and the United States. From supporting startup accelerators and knowledge exchanges to investing in grassroots innovation and public leadership in India, the Foundation has been working across disciplines to seed dialogue and cooperation between the two democracies. The creation of MJIAS reflects a natural evolution of this commitment – by anchoring it in an institutional form within higher education.

The Institute is a tribute to the legacy of Professor Rajeev Motwani, and to the vision of Ms. Asha Jadeja Motwani, a Silicon Valley–based philanthropist, venture catalyst, and the founder of Motwani Jadeja Foundation.

Speaking at the inauguration in New York, Ms. Asha Jadeja Motwani underscored the purpose behind MJIAS and the need for global leadership rooted in ethics and experimentation.

“We are at an inflection point in human history. The technological revolution we are living through demands new paradigms of leadership – leadership that is ethical, empathetic, interdisciplinary, and globally conscious. Through MJIAS, we are not only honouring 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. We are building a platform that fosters dialogue, disrupts outdated systems, and inspires a mindset of fearless experimentation. My deepest hope is that this Institute becomes a lighthouse for South–North partnerships and a hub for intellectual and entrepreneurial energy from India, the United States, and the world.”

MJIAS will serve as a permanent institutional bridge between India and the United States – two democracies connected by shared values of freedom, inclusion, innovation, and rule of law. The Institute will support a wide range of programs: US-India student fellowships, startup accelerator collaborations, visiting professorships, and transnational policy research. These efforts will aim to nurture globally literate leaders while fostering a culture of co-creation across sectors and borders.

The launch event in New York gathered several influential figures from diplomacy, academia, and government, including Justice U.U. Lalit, Former Chief Justice of India; Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu; His Excellency Mr. Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York; Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU; Professor (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, former Ambassador of India to France and Founding Director-General of MJIAS; Justice Michael Wilson, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii; Professor (Dr.) Jayanth Krishnan, Chair, International Board of Advisors, JGU, Indiana University Maurer School of Law; and Professor Sital Kalantry, Vice Chair, International Board of Advisors, JGU, Seattle University School of Law.

Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, described MJIAS as “a beacon for academic diplomacy” and emphasized its role in fostering dialogue at the intersection of technology, policy, law, and democratic values.

Professor Mohan Kumar presented the vision statement of MJIAS, highlighting its strategic mandate to engage with global issues including geopolitics, digital governance, trade, and defence, while insulating the Indo-U.S. relationship from shifting geopolitical tides.

H.E. Mr. Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, described MJIAS as “a timely and meaningful contribution to the US-India strategic partnership,” calling it a unique expression of India’s academic soft power and commitment to “knowledge diplomacy.” He added, “Our nations share a foundation of democracy and diversity. This Institute will deepen that partnership through research, policy dialogue, and people-to-people ties.”

As the Foundation looks ahead, MJIAS reflects our enduring belief that transformative change requires bold ideas, institutional partnerships, and a relentless commitment to inclusive leadership.