MIT-India

MISTI-India Global Classroom 2026 🇮🇳 | Merging Science and Service by Treating Blind Children 💫

This IAP, we brought 12 MIT undergraduates to India for the MISTI Global Classroom — a faculty-led, immersive learning experience beyond campus. Led by Prof. Pawan Sinha, the course centered on Project Prakash, an initiative that provides sight-restoring surgeries to blind children while advancing fundamental research on brain plasticity and learning.

Over two weeks, students experienced every dimension of the work. They participated in rural outreach at a screening camp, observed live eye surgeries via CCTV, learned about neuroscience research using EEGs and fMRIs, and visited partner organizations supporting rehabilitation and education after surgery.

But the heart of the program? Spending time with the children — playing games, making art, and witnessing the incredible moment when they gained sight during our time there.

Through this immersive program, students saw a powerful model of MIT’s ethos—bringing about real-world change while advancing fundamental science.

In students’ own words:

“Being in the blooming, buzzing confusion that is India has been one of the best experiences I’ve had at MIT. The trip was truly special and inspired me every day. I’ve been thinking about the message that it is our duty to help the world somehow. I don’t know how yet, but this trip was the first time I believed I could.”

“Observing this integrated model of science, medical care, service, and education showed me exactly the direction I would like to pursue in my career. It taught me that science and service can go hand in hand and that a career in science does not limit my work to the Western world.”

“Whether tasting panipuris, admiring the Taj Mahal, or haggling in Delhi markets, each experience revealed a snapshot of India’s vast tapestry. This program was a powerful intersection of research, service, and cultural immersion. It reshaped how I see the world and reaffirmed why I am drawn to medicine and service.”

Staying on the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and celebrating Lohri with students and faculty made the experience even richer.

MISTI-India is offering an exciting Global Classroom next IAP where you’ll travel to India with other MIT students + faculty, and learn in-country.

Come to the Info Session next Tuesday to learn more!

📅 Sept 16 | 🕠 5:30 pm | 📍 46-4094

More details on this Global Classroom can also be found on MISTI website: https://applymisti.mit.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=11294

Spend your summer in Bhutan, “The Kingdom of Happiness,” with MISTI South Asia where we offer various internships in sustainability and technology.

India Calling! Join us for a fun evening, and:

- discover exciting opportunities: MISTI-India has many exciting opportunities in CS/AI, healthcare, sustainability and social impact, both within industry and research, open to all class levels and completely funded

- hear inspiring stories from past participants

- meet other students who might be going to India with you

- enjoy Indian food and cultural performance!

📅 Date: Monday, February 10
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Porter room, Burton-Connor House, MIT Building W51

RSVP here: https://airtable.com/app70wEtwyll6BpAI/pagONOLfY7fp4rKKK/form

Intern in Nepal this summer with MISTI South Asia where you can gain professional experience while taking in the breathtaking landscapes of the Himalayas

Explore the many internship opportunities in India this summer with MISTI South Asia. Experience innovation and cutting edge technology development in one of the world’s fastest growing tech markets while immersing yourself in India’s rich culture, history, cuisine, and traditions.

Come and learn about an exciting new program in India that offers hands-on Healthcare experiences over summer! Clinical opportunities included! Whether you’re looking for direct patient care experience or to conduct public health research or to design medical devices for low resource settings, we have something for everyone. Join us on Dec 5 to find out more!

Earlier this month we celebrated the closing of the South Asia & the Institute: Transformative Connections exhibition, which opened at MIT’s Maihaugen Gallery in October 2022!

The special celebration included tours of the exhibition, the screening of a short documentary about the MIT-IIT relationship, musical performances from JĀGĀ - musicians from the Berklee Indian Ensemble, and remarks from Institute leaders including: Reshma Patel ’93, Past President of
MIT South Asian Alumni Association; Pawan Sinha, Professor of Vision & Computational Neuroscience and Director of MIT-India Program; Professor Arvind, Faculty Head, CS and Johnson Professor in EECS; and Dean Mavalvala, Dean of Science and Marble Professor of Astrophysics.

The exhibition will remain open in the Maihaugen Gallery through the end of the year! Be sure to check it out if you haven't already!

Join us to celebrate the close of the exhibition South Asia & The Institute: Transformative Connections.

Featuring JĀGĀ - musicians from the Berklee Indian Ensemble and remarks from leaders at the institute.

Light refreshments will be served. Tours of the exhibition (14N-130) will take place between 6:00pm - 7:00pm.

Event Details:
Saturday, September 30th, 6:00pm – 8:30pm
Walker Memorial Morss Hall, Building 50-140
142 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139

Register at the link in our bio!

Last Friday, we were honored to host some special visitors at the South Asia & the Institute exhibit. Members of Trikamal Mansukhlal Shah's family visited campus to explore the exhibit and reflect on the connections between their family and the institute. Shah received his SB and SM in Electrical Engineering at MIT in 1929 and was a lifelong anticolonial Gandhian nationalist.

The South Asia & the Institute exhibition closes this October. Join us on September 30 at 6pm for a special celebration of the exhibition and larger history project that commemorates the far-reaching accomplishments, technical expertise, and ingenuity that have made significant contributions to the advancement of knowledge at MIT and life beyond the institute, in South Asia, the United States and across the world. Register at the link in our bio!

📸
1: Shah's children and their spouses by his photo in the exhibition
2. Direct descendants of Shah outside the exhibition in Maihaugen Gallery
3&4: The MIT South Asia history project team visiting the exhibition with Shah's family

Gokul Sampath (PhD in Urban Planning ‘25) conducted an independent research project in West Bengal, India this summer. His research topic is about Rural Water Supply Planning!

Click the link in our bio to learn about what our MIT South Asia interns did this summer!

Happy Friday! This summer, Shruthi Ravichandran (EECS and Art & Design '25) interned at the National Innovation Center in Nepal! At NIC, Shruthi worked on the Medical Drone and Baby Warmer projects.

📸
1: Serving as an antenna mount while programming the medical drone to fly in Tikot - a village in the Myagdi district.
2: Repairing Wi-Fi repeaters at Mohare - a remote hill station that serves as the home connection point to all the smaller villages in the area.
3: Tibetan bread and local chiya at Mohare.
4. With my supervisor!
5. Infrared camera selfie at work!
6. Amazing view of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Range.
7. Standing next to the baby warmer with the ui I redesigned and code/hardware I worked on.
8. Fixing Anna's Tikka at a Janku (traditional Newari celebration of someone turning 77 years, 7 months, 7 days).
9. Suspension bridge in Beni - the main city of the Myagdi district.
10. The Uma Maheshwor Temple - the highest point in Kirtipur.