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