Mittal family donate $25 million to Harvard University’s South Asia Institute

Indian-origin steel tycoon Lakshmi Narayan Mittal and his family have donated $25 million to establish an endowment at Harvard University’s South Asia Institute, courtesy of the Mittal Foundation. The institute will now be renamed Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute in recognition of the Mittal Foundation donation.

The institute, which has a 250-strong faculty, spearheads Harvard’s engagement with South Asia countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and the wider South Asian diaspora.

South Asia has played a dynamic and influential role in the development of our world since the very first civilizations,” said Mittal, chairman and CEO of the UK-based ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel company, in a statement. “Ensuring that we fully understand its history and unique dynamics is a critical enabler in helping to shape a successful future.”

The Mittal family has long supported educational endeavors and public policy development in India as a means of positioning the country — and the region — for future success, according to the university.

“International centers like the South Asia Institute at Harvard University serve as a vital conduit between the university and the world we study. The generous support from the Mittal family is a testament to both the important work being done by this community of scholars and students and the continuing impact it will have in the region”, said Harvard president Drew Faust in a statement.

The institute will now be renamed Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute to commemorate the Mittal Foundation donation.