Dr. Singh is the founder of the Indic Center at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA. He is also the professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University specializing in research related to one of the most poisonous toxins called botulinum. It is used as a drug to arrest symptoms of Neuro-Muscular disorders. He has received several prestigious awards for teaching and research including the Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award and the nomination for the US professor of the year. He is also very interested in the science of philosophy and its relationship to ancient and modern society. For more information about Dr. Singh, you may visit his website at http://www.umassd.edu/cas/chemistry/singh/.

Dr. Singh talked to Lokvani about his views on Indic Studies and his vision for the Indic Center.

Lokvani: You have a very active career as a researcher in Biochemistry. Alongside you have devoted so much energy towards creating a better understanding of all things “Indian”. What was your motivation?

Dr. Singh: I have come a long way in my life – both in terms of distance and thought process. I come from a little village close to Ayodhya in India. Most of my family is not very well educated. My mother was illiterate and my father was an elementary school graduate.

Since I did well at school, I was encouraged to pursue higher studies. I came to the United States to do my PhD. At that time I was focused on science and was not particularly interested in India or things “Indian”, other than typical participation in festivals and programs. In fact, I was once offered a job with an Indian American professor and I was hesitant to take the job since I had heard rumors about difficulties working with an Indian boss.

But all along something always bothered me. When I heard people describe India I could never identify with that description. People often described Indian villages. I have grown up in a village and I continue to visit it every year. But the description of the village that I heard was very different from what I knew. These made me want to understand more and spread the true view of India.

Lokvani: India is such a vast country with so many different views. The NRI’s also are Indians with yet another view. Is there a true view?

Dr. Singh: I firmly believe that the truth is infinite. But to get to the truth one must see multiple views. The best way we can learn about anything is through differences. People like us who are in America which is arguably one of the most powerful nations in the world in some sense get a top-down view of the world. When I go to my village, I get a bottom-up view of the world. I think the differences between the two views have given me a lot of insights.

Lokvani: Is that the motivation for the creation of the Indic Studies program?

Dr. Singh: Yes. If we look at the literature, eighty percent of the academic material available on India in Western world is by western scholars. The other twenty percent is either by Indians who have studied in the west or are from the westernized Indian elite. We feel that another “bottom-up” view that comes from the Indian perspective and from the perspective of the Indian villagers, who make up 75 – 80 % of India’s population, would add a significant dimension to the literature and this view would be more authentic.

Lokvani: Is that the mission of the Indic Center?

Dr. Singh: Along with cultivating relevance of ancient Indic human values through scholarly understanding we would like to highlight India's time-tested eternal values for world's progress, peace and harmony. We feel that there is a wealth of ideas in the Indian traditions which can be used for the benefit of humanity.

Lokvani: It is a significant accomplishment to have such a center in a University system. How did you succeed in creating the center? What is the current status of the center?

Dr. Singh: The center was an answer to a need that Indian American faculty felt to have a formal non-student organization to address things Indian. Initially we put a proposal for the center and assured the authorities that we would raise funds for the center from the community. We were very lucky that under the leadership of Mr. Ishvar Patel we were able to raise $175,000 in a very short period of time. The university was pleased to see this and has given us a commitment for an annual sum of $50,000. They have been very supportive of our activities.

Lokvani: What activities does the center involve itself in?

Dr. Singh: We have a wide range of activities. We have held seminars on a range of topics including Indo-Us Economic Links , "Understanding Koran through Kriya Yoga", Ayurveda and Astrology . We have organized an International WAVES conference (World Association for Vedic Studies). We also have cultural presentations including music and dance concerts.

Most recently we were pleased to get approval for a minor in Indic Studies which requires eighteen credits of relevant courses.

Lokvani: What is the vision for the future of the center?

Dr. Singh: In the near future we hope to raise an endowment of a million dollars. The ultimate goal is to develop it into one of the finest premiere institutions for Indic studies.

Lokvani: What kind of participation would you like to see from the members of the community and how critical is the participation?

Dr. Singh: We all know of the rich heritage that India has given to us. I think by sharing that with the world we can really bring ideas that can bring progress to the world. While university and government agencies are very supportive, it is the community support that can establish the validity of all out efforts. The support can come in many ways – by participating in our activities, making use of our services and help us raise funds for this cause.

Lokvani: When you look back at your life, do you think you set out to accomplish your personal goals? Has working in the world of science and Indic studies been a struggle between two competing pulls for your life?

Dr. Singh: When I was very young I had decided for a variety of reasons to always pursue the truth. In order to do that, I must first know the truth. I think both in my career as a scientist and my work with Indic studies I am trying to do the same thing. I have always felt it necessary to understand the impact of science on society and feel that all I do is always connected.

Lokvani: Thank you for your time.

Dr. Singh: Thank you.

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