Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies was set up 4th of January 1993 at the joint initiative of the Government of India, Department of culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Government of West Bengal. The Foundation Stone of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies Salt Lake campus was laid by the then Hon'ble President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal sharma, on the 12th of March I993, in the presence of the then HRD Minister Shri Arjun Singh and the then chief Minister of West Bengal Shri Jyoti Basu. The Salt Lake campus is fully operational from 2009.

Research Areas of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

Till date, the emphasis had been on specialising on modern and contemporary affairs in South Asia, central Asia and West Asia, and carrying on area studies on the five Central Asia Republics of the former Soviet Union (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan), Turkey, Iran Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Institute now looks forward to widening its area of study to the Northeast region of India, Southeast Asia and China;

Under the North-East Programme of the Government of India, the Institute has launched over twenty research projects since the year 2000 in the North,-East part of the country on a variety of themes including the study of the society and culture of the tribals of the North - East region, problems of insurgency, trafficking in drugs and narcotics, illegal arms trade, etc.

The Institute has been ranked as one of the "Centres with Potential" in a report prepared for Research Councils, UK, by the India Foundation For The Arts, Bangalore, in June 2010. titled “Arts and Humanities Research Mapping, India – An overview of the arts and humanities research landscape in India: Mapping the centres of excellence, potential funders, emerging themes, strengths and weaknesses”.

Library of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

The library contains more than 19,000 books mainly on Asian countries like Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia etc.  The Institute subscribes to 52 journals.

Seminars in Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

The Institute organizes seminars, conferences, symposia, workshops and a few annual lectures including Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Memorial Lectures and the Barun De Memorial Lecture etc.

Contact Details

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies
(An Autonomous Body under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India)
IB Block, Plot No. 166 Sector III
Salt Lake. Kolkata - 700106
Website: http://makaias.gov.in/

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