3 | Why Hindi-Urdu?

3 | Why Hindi-Urdu?
Why Hindi-Urdu?
Hindi and Urdu two languages or one? 3
Hindi and Urdu in professional careers 6
The Flagship Program
An Introduction to HUF 7
The Language Flagship 7
Our Approach 9
Directors & Faculty 10
Year in India
Overview 11
Professional Internship 11
Joining HUF
Eligibility & Admissions 13
Financial Aid 13
Flagship Bound 14
Preparing for HUF 14
Student Profles 15
South Asian Studies at UT 16
Our Setting: HURSC, UT & Austin 17
3 | Why Hindi-Urdu?
At a time when our security needs are more important than ever, a time when
our economy demands that we enter new markets, and at a time when the world
requires us to engage in diplomacy in more thoughtful and considered ways, it is
extremely important that we have at our disposal a multilingual, multicultural,
internationally experienced work force.
Senator Chris Dodd
Why Hindi-Urdu?
Hindi and Urdu two languages or one?
Why Hindi-Urdu? | 4
Hindi and Urdu developed from the khari boli dialect
spoken in the Delhi region of northern India. Along
with this common origin, Hindi and Urdu also share
the same grammar and most of the basic vocabulary
of everyday speech; but they have developed as two
separate languages in terms of script, higher vocabulary,
and cultural ambiance. Urdu, written in a modifed form
of the Persian script, and rich in
loanwords fromPersian and Arabic,
has a broadly Islamic orientation,
especially in its rightly celebrated
poetry. Hindi, on the other hand,
written in the Devanagari script
that it shares with Sanskrit, traces a
long history through largely Hindu
culture. Like siblings separated
at birth in a Hindi movie (which
might equally well be called
an Urdu movie, incidentally),
the two languages live parallel
lives, sometimes closely aligned,
sometimes standing at a distance
fromeach other. The most graphic diference lies in the
two scripts, and surprisingly few people in South Asia
can boast the comfortable literacy in both scripts that is
achieved by students in the Hindi Urdu Flagship.
Hindi is usually ranked second among the worlds
languages in terms of number of speakers; 40% of the
population of India speaks Hindi natively, with a large
number using it as a second language; thus the total
number of Hindi speakers is well over a half a billion.
Urdu has approximately 50 million native speakers in
India; Pakistan has fewer native speakers of Urdu, but
almost the entire population of more than 175 million
speaks it as a second language.
Hindi and Urdu are Indo-
European languages and are
thus distantly related to English,
having a similar range of tenses
and some cognate vocabulary
in words such as dnt (tooth),
do (two), and nm (name); they
also have linguistic features lost
in English but still common in
other European languages, such
as noun gender and diferent
informal and formal words for
you.
Flagship students study Hindi and
Urdu in parallel so that they can fully appreciate the full
cultural range of both; anacquaintance withthe richand
complementary literatures of these two languages gives
the reader access to the breadth and depth of South
Asian culture. Students also study the styles of language
required in technical and professional contexts, thereby
qualifying themselves for a range of careers relating to
South Asia and its rapidly changing society.
High Register High Register Colloquial Hindi Urdu
Persianized Sanskritized
The Hindi Urdu Spectrum
FORMAL HINDI Hindustani FORMAL URDU
Hindi written in the Devanagari script
Urdu written in the Nastaliq script
Why Hindi-Urdu? | 6
With the rise of the global, political, economic and
cultural infuence of South Asia, professional profciency
in Hindi and Urdu has become a unique asset for any
student interested in an international career. Visitors to
metropolitan areas of South Asia may all too easily be
misled into thinking that English is a universal language
of Indian business: the reality is that Hindi-Urdu holds a
vital place in the South Asian business world, and global
professionals need a high level of profciency in these
languages when working and studying in India.
Other key areas in which Hindi-Urdu is essential for
communicating efectively are political discourse, public
health, rural development, the media, the negotiation
of gender issues, social justice, child welfare, and labor
dispute. Students who wish to study these topics, work
with non-governmental organizations, or fll the need
for language experts in the federal government will
face serious obstacles without Hindi-Urdu language
profciency.
Major companies and government agencies are
increasingly looking for employees with advanced
language skills in Hindi and Urdu. The various
opportunities emerging for Hindi-Urdu speakers can be
grouped into four main categories:
Economic: Through business-process outsourcing,
information technology, telecoms and manufacturing,
India has created an economic boom that rivals the
rise of China. Corporations such as Reliance, Microsoft,
Dell, Tata, and Wipro are either of Indian origin or have
developed major ties to the subcontinent over the past
decade. Thus, fuency in Hindi-Urdu is a major asset for
those seeking a career in international business.
Political: The political focus of the 21st century is
increasingly centering on South Asia. With confict
and reconstruction in Afghanistan, political change
in Pakistan, and the emergence of India as a global
superpower, knowledge of the regions key languages
Urdu and Hindi is a crucial asset for careers with
political organizations such as the United Nations or the
U.S. government.
Non-proft: South Asia is home to more
nongovernmental organizations than any other region
in the world. Fluency in Hindi-Urdu is crucial to everyday
work in many of these organizations. From large-scale
international organizations such as Doctors Without
Borders to village-operated micro-credit unions,
opportunities abound for Hindi-Urdu speakers.
Cultural: Home to some of the worlds largest flm,
fashion, media and music industries, South Asia exerts
an increasingly dominant infuence on global culture.
This region has literary, religious, and aesthetic traditions
stretching back thousands of years, many of them
still proving highly infuential in the mechanics of
contemporary South Asian society and in the large and
infuential South Asian diaspora worldwide. Studying
Hindi and Urdu yields an unparalleled cultural education
anda key tounderstandingmajor cultural currents inthe
world today.
Hindi and Urdu in professional careers
World map of Hindi-Urdu speakers
Major companies and government agencies are
increasingly seeking out employees with advanced
language skills in Hindi and Urdu.
5 | Why Hindi-Urdu?
Above: Mumbais Marine Drive at night. Mumbai is Indias
commercial capital and ranks among the worlds largest
cities.
HUF was established in 2006 by a grant from The
Language Flagship, a national efort to change the way
Americans learn languages.
Designed as a network of programs, The Language
Flagshipsupports undergraduate andpost-BAprograms
and a number of pilot K-12 programs. Flagship Centers
are based at institutions around the United States and
ofer an on-campus curriculum coupled with a year of
intensive study at an overseas Flagship center. Programs
are led by nationally-recognized leaders and innovators
in language education.
The various Flagship programs share innovations in
pedagogy and assessment, helping all Flagship students
progress rapidly towards the goal of superior linguistic
profciency.
Number of Flagship Institutions:
The Flagship Program
The Flagship Program | 8
An Introduction to the Hindi Urdu Flagship
n a core Flagship language course taken each
semester of the freshman and sophomore years
n personalized instruction fromworld
renowned faculty
n an individualized programof study and internship
in India
n customized area content courses incorporating
study in a Hindi-Urdu medium
n one-to-one weekly mentoring from
graduate students
n a dedicated Hindi-Urdu Resource Center featuring a
wide array of newly developed language learning
media and support staf
n intensive study of the coverage of contemporary
events in the Hindi and Urdu media
n gain professional fuency in these two
critical languages
n spend a year in India and participate
in a professional internship
n complete a major in one of over 170
felds of study available to UT Austin
undergraduates
n achieve prestigious Certifcation from
the Language Flagship
A four-year programat the University of Texas at Austin, the Hind Urdu Flagship ofers undergraduate students the opportunity to:
Intensive language and culture study complements a chosen major. Current HUF student majors include Business, Government, Economics, Biology, Communications, Pre-
medicine and various liberal arts felds.
The Language Flagship
Key components of the HUF experience include:
7 | The Flagship Program
1 Hindi-Urdu
1 African Languages
6 Arabic
9 Chinese
1 Korean
1 Persian
4 Russian
To solve most of the major problems facing our country todayfrom wiping out terrorism to
minimizing global environmental problems to eliminating the scourge of AIDSwill require
every young person to learn more about other regions, cultures, and languages.
Fmr. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
Rupert Snell
Rupert Snell is Director
of the Hindi Urdu
Flagship and an
Adjunct Professor in
the Department of
Asian Studies. Before moving toTexas
in 2006, he taught at the School of
Oriental and African Studies, University
of London, for three decades. In 1997
Snell was awarded the prestigious Sir
George Grierson Hindi Sevi Sammaan,
an award given by the President of
India in recognition of his services to
the Hindi language. Known worldwide
for his textbooks in theTeachYourself
series, (including editions in Spanish and
German), he teaches Hindi language
at all levels. His research interests lie
primarily in 16th and 17th century
poetry; publications in the feld include
The Eighty-Four Hymns of Hita Harivamsha
and The Hindi Classical Tradition: a Braj
Bhasha Reader. His study Hindi and Urdu
since 1800: a Common Reader, co-written
with Christopher Shackle, was published
in 1990. Snells translation of the
autobiography of the 20th-century Hindi
poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, published
in 1998 under the title In the Afternoon
of Time, has received much acclaim.
Forthcoming books include Chutnefying
English: the Phenomenon of Hinglish
(edited with Rita Kothari; Penguin India),
a translation of the Satsai of Biharilal
(Murty Classical Library of India), and, in
collaboration with Laura Brueck of the
University of Colorado, a study of the
stylistics of 20th-century Hindi prose.
Syed Akbar Hyder
Akbar Hyder is HUFs
Associate Director
for Urdu and an
Associate Professor
in the Department
of Asian Studies. Beloved among
colleagues, staf, and students alike,
Hyders dynamic approach to teaching
has captivated students throughout the
years. Hyder is the coordinator for the
Urdu programat UT. Hyders courses are
oriented around particular themes such
asFemale Voices in Urdu Literature and
Progressive Urdu Literature. Hyders
research interests center on Indo-Muslim
culture, history, literature, and language.
His book, Reliving Karbala: Martyrdom
in South Asian Memory, underscores
the complexity that religious symbols
carry in varying contexts. Hyder
reveals multiple, and often conficting
interpretations of the Karbala story,
and he investigates the varying ways in
which the story is used for personal and
communal identity in South Asia. His
second book, Aiye Urdu Parhen: Lets Study
Urdu, was co-authored with Ali Asani,
Professor of Near Eastern Languages and
Civilizations at Harvard. This textbook for
beginning Urdu students has received
signifcant acclaimas an efective and
authoritative tool for teaching Urdu.
Hyder is presently working on the
traditions of autobiography in South
Asia.
Sarah Green
Sarah Houston
Green is HUFs
Associate Director for
Administration and
Student Programs.
From2004-2007 she served as the
Associate Director of UTs South Asia
Institute, which is a National Resource
Center for South Asia. While at the
Institute, Green played a pivotal role in
initiating the newFlagship Program.
In spring 2008 she received her Ph.D.
in Hindi fromUT Austin. Her current
research as a Hindi scholar is focused
on the Dvivedi and Chayavad Eras of
modern Khari Boli poetry. Publications
include articles and book reviews, most
recently in the Journal of Asian Studies.
Her primary concerns in the Flagship
Programare to oversee administrative
aspects of the programand assure
the best possible learning environment
for Flagship studentsboth in the
UT classroomand during the study
abroad period. She also works with
national and local organizations to
disseminate information about the
Flagship Programand advance the
Flagships mandate to enhance Hindi
and Urdu pedagogy through the
development of innovative curricula.
Jishnu Shankar
Jishnu Shankar is
the Flagships Senior
Lecturer in Hindi.
Shankar arrived at UT
in 2007 after serving as
an instructor of South Asian Languages
and Literatures at Syracuse University. He
holds an M.A. fromSyracuse University
(1988) and an M.A. fromDelhi School
of Economics (1986), a Post-Graduate
Diploma in Journalism, Indian Institute
of Mass Communication (1984), and a
B.A. fromDelhi University (1983). Shankar
is a pioneer in web-based Hindi-Urdu
instruction. His earlier work with online
Hindi-Urdu lessons has served as the
basis for many current web-based
Hindi-Urdu projects. He is an ACTFL
certifed Oral Profciency Interview
tester for Hindi. Aside fromHindi
pedagogy, Shankars current research
centers on the KinaramTradition. He
has feld work experience in India and
his major publications include The Book
of Aghor Wisdom, Bhagwanramleelamrit
(a narrative biography in Hindi of
Aghoreshwar Mahaprabhu Bhagwan
RamJi), and Aghor Vachan Shastra.
Located in the very heart of the UT campus, the Hindi
Urdu Flagship ofers a unique environment in which to
study Hindi and Urdu. A dedicated team of instructors,
teaching assistants and administrators, augmented by
the many Hindi-Urdu writers, scholars and professionals
who visit us, gives HUF students unprecedented
opportunities to study and use the two languages, and
to develop a well-informed appreciation of the culture
and society of South Asia.
Our goal is tobringstudents toa highlevel of profciency
in Hindi and Urdu, enabling themto use their language
skills in diverse professional contexts. In order to achieve
this, we have developed new pedagogical approaches
and a new curriculum, adopting an intensive approach
in which students are immersed in language much
more deeply than is possible within a conventional
undergraduate program. Following the Language
Flagship mandate to create global professionals, the
Hindi Urdu Flagship program is designed to develop
students linguistic skills to the highest possible level,
with each student pursuing specializations of his or her
choice.
Moving BeyondLanguage
and Literature
While traditional Language and Literature programs
study focus primarily on artistic and cultural uses
of language, the Flagship has the additional aim of
developing linguistic skills in disciplines and areas
directly relevant to students long-term professional
ambitions; thus each student is taken through four years
of language training with an appropriately designed
curriculum based on compatibility with his or her
major, with close attention being paid to the individual
students development.
Our students represent a wide variety of majors. Such
diversity brings a broadspectrumof linguistic needs that
we address through several essential approaches:
n A high number of hours of language study (10 to 12
credit-hours in both the frst and second-year).
n Extensive one-on-one tutorial attention from
teaching assistants outside of the classroom.
n Small classes, in which each student has ready access
to the instructor and plays an active part in all class
activities; each students progress is carefully and
continuously monitored, with additional tutorial help
being ofered whenever necessary.
n An extended period of language immersion in India,
combining intensive language study with a professional
internship related to individual students majors.
n Specifc themes and focuses in language classes:
for example ecological and environmental issues;
current world and South Asian events as refected in
the Hindi and Urdu media; the use of Hindi and Urdu
in the feld of medicine; Hinglish and linguistic change;
biographical writing portraying important fgures from
South Asia; social themes such as gender and class;
social etiquette and conventions; the distinctions of
language register used in conversation, literature, formal
writing, flm, and other media; and the technical lexicons
relevant to the worlds of science, development, and
public administration.
n The development of innovative authentic learning
and teaching materials, many being designed for self-
study through such media as podcasts and web-based
video.
n Opportunities tohear andengagewithdistinguished
Hindi and Urdu writers and artists who are invited to visit
UT and work with our students.
Our Approach Directors and Faculty
The Flagship Program | 10 9 | The Flagship Program
The HUF Curriculum:
Year Course
Freshman HUF Core Language Course I
HUF Core Language Course II
Introduction to India
Sophomore HUF Core Language Course III
HUF Core Language Course IV
Hindi Urdu literature courses
Junior (in India) Language Courses
Student Major/Elective Courses
Professional Internship
Senior Hindi Urdu Media
Hindi Urdu Capstone
The Year in India is a crucial and exciting component
of HUFs primary mission of bringing students to
professional competence. It is the heart of the HUF
programand is compulsory for all HUF students.
The Year in India ofers a unique opportunity to become
immersed in Hindi and Urdu in academic, professional,
cultural and domestic contexts, and complements
Flagship courses already completed on the Austin
campus. The organization of HUFs India curriculum
mirrors the sibling relationship between Hindi and Urdu,
with specifc training in technical aspects of both, but
alsowithdaily exposuretothepublic useof thecommon
language that some speakers will defne as Hindi and
others as Urdu! In addition to language courses taken for
UT credit, students are tutored by professors fromIndian
universities in courses that count towards their major.
HUFs Year in India is a collaboration between UT and
the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), which
is a consortium of American Universities that has
ofered language programs in India since the 1960s.
Students receive language training from experienced
AIIS teachers while enjoying the benefts derived from
AIISs many years of organizing study abroad programs
for American students. A HUF program coordinator is
onsite in India to assist students and to facilitate their
academic andcultural activities, workingclosely withthe
HUF teamin Austin. The AIIS ofces, HUF, and UT-Austins
International Ofce provide a network of organizational
support.
The Year in India is based at the
AIIS center for Urdu and Hindi in
Lucknow. As the capital city of Uttar
Pradesh (a state whose population
of over 170 million dwarfs all but fve or six countries
in the world), Lucknow has a diverse and vibrant
culture ofering excellent opportunities for students to
engage with the living language. Students also spend
time visiting other cities within the Hindi and Urdu
region; in particular the AIIS center in Jaipur, Rajasthan,
complements the Lucknow experience with a very
diferent cultural and regional favor. While focusing
on standard Hindi and Urdu, students will encounter
some regional dialects of both, giving an appreciation
of the multifaceted character of the linguistic culture of
Northern India.
I was very attracted by the study abroad year
in India, which I knew would help my language
skills improve immensely. I want to be able to
communicate efectively and efciently with
people living in India.
Chelsea Aldridge, HUF Student
Biology & Asian Studies Major
11 | Year in India
Studying in India
Overview: Year in India
Year in India | 12
Jaipur
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kolkata
Lucknow
Lucknow
HUFs Year in India is based in Lucknow, capital of
the state of Uttar Pradesh. Lucknowis celebrated
as a major center of Urdu, deeply imbued with
the refned courtly culture of its heyday during
the late-Mughal nawabi period. From Lucknow,
HUF students make visits to other key cultural
centers such as Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Professional Internship
Each HUF student pursues an individual
internship related to his or her professional feld.
A typical internship might involve work with an
NGO in healthcare, or in womens education, or
in childrens welfare, or with corporations in the
areas of international fnance and business. Some
students may fnd that their internship ofers
plentiful inspiration and material to develop as
the Hindi- or Urdu-medium Capstone project
which they will construct and submit in the
fourth year of the program.
Mumbai
Chennai
Joining HUF | 14
The Hindi Urdu Flagship is designed to bring
undergraduate students to a superior level of
professional fuency in Hindi-Urdu within a four year
span, and to this end it recruits students who already
have an approximately intermediate profciency (with
or without literacy) in either Hindi or Urdu. Students with
a strong interest in South Asia and a general aptitude for
language learning but no previous knowledge of Hindi-
Urdu may apply to join our one-year Flagship-bound
track, which prepares them for entry to HUF. Admission
to HUF is dependent on admission to UT Austin.
Transfer students and current UT undergraduates
are considered on a case-by-case basis. Juniors
or seniors should bear in mind, however, that the
Flagship curriculum requirements may extend an
undergraduate career beyond the standard four years.
Interested transfers and current UT students can apply
to the program through the online application at
hindiurdufagship.org.
Graduate students should not apply to the Flagship
unless interested in acquiring a second bachelors
degree.
Joining HUF
Eligibility
Students with no background in Hindi and Urdu are
welcome to apply for admission to HUF. Admitted
students are placed in our Flagship Bound program, a
preparatory year involvingtwosemesters of introductory
Hindi or Urdu followed by a summer intensive in India
with the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) or at
the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI) in
Madison, Wisconsin.
Upon successful completion of the Flagship Bound
program, students enter the frst year of the four-year
HUF curriculum.
Scholarships
All Flagship students are considered for supplemental
Flagship scholarships on a competitive basis. There is no
separate application for Flagship scholarships. Instead,
to be considered for a Flagship scholarship, students
should submit the FAFSA (fafsa.ed.gov) by March 1.
While the fnal FAFSA deadline is March 31, funding is
normally fully committed by March 1. For UT and state
scholarships, students should visit texasscholarships.org.
Based on the information contained in the FAFSA
and Texas Scholarship applications, the University
of Texas will prepare a fnancial aid package
most likely featuring a combination of grants,
scholarships, and student loans. If a student
is admitted to the Hindi Urdu Flagship program,
HUF may ofer a further scholarship to supplement this
initial package.
Year in India
The overseas component of the HUF curriculum
is usually fully funded for HUF students. Funding is
expected to include UT tuition, airfare, roomand board,
and HUF related travel within India. Only US citizens may
receive Flagship funding.
The Flagship experience is shaped by an intense curriculum. Students learn two scripts and multiple lexical traditions (Sanskritic, Perso-Arabic, etc.). As such, prospective students
may fnd it helpful to engage in some self-guided study prior to their Flagship experience.
Listed beloware a fewsources that may help with self-guided study:
Flagship Bound
Financial Aid
Preparing for HUF
Textbooks
Complete Hindi | Rupert Snell
Read and Write Hindi Script | Rupert Snell
Lets Study Urdu | Ali S. Asani & Syed Akbar Hyder
Lets Study Urdu: An Introduction to the Script | Ali S.
Asani & Syed Akbar Hyder
Urdu: An Essential Grammar | Ruth Laila Schmidt
Introduction to Hindi Grammar | Usha R. Jain
Dictionaries
The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary | RS McGregor
ADictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English |
JohnT Platts
The Oxford English-Urdu Dictionary | Shanul Haq
Haqqee
English-Hindi Dictionary | Fr. Kamil Bulke
Digital Dictionaries of South Asia | dsal.uchicago.edu/
dictionaries
CRULP Online Urdu Dictionary | crulp.org/oud
Online Resources
Glossaries Alive | glossaries.hindiurdufagship.org
Spoken Thesaurus | thesaurus.hindiurdufagship.org
HUF Resources | resources.hindiurdufagship.org
Devanagari Script Tutor | hindibhasha.com
Hindi-Urdu Lessons | faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/jishnu
Virtual Hindi | nyu.edu/gsas/dept/mideast/hindi
ADoor into Hindi | taj.chass.ncsu.edu
NewDirections, NewPeople | southasia.upenn.
edu/hindi
Digital South Asia Library | dsal.uchicago.edu
South Asia Resources | columbia.
edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00fwp/
BBCHindi | bbc.co.uk/hindi
BBCUrdu | bbc.co.uk/urdu
Siasat Daily online | siasat.com/urdu
To apply to the Hindi Urdu Flagship, prospective
students should submit an application online at
apply.hindiurdufagship.org by January 15 in order
to receive priority for admissions and fnancial aid
decisions. A rolling admissions process is followed after
January 15. Prospective students are welcome to inquire
about admissions throughout the year. A full admissions
checklist and timeline is available at hindiurdufagship.
org/admissions.
Admissions Procedure
13 | Joining HUF
Florence Kerns
Asian Studies
On what attracted her to HUF:
I was attracted to HUF because of its
rigorous curriculumand small class size.
The year in India was also a major factor;
it will be extremely valuable for my
language skills and cultural knowledge.
Career goals:
My goal is to work as an ambassador
in the Foreign Service of the US
Department of State.
Sonali Brahmbhatt
Economics, Asian Studies
Career goals:
I plan to combine my knowledge
of economics with fuency in Hindi
and Urdu to build a career in the
Federal Government. In particular,
I aminterested in analyzing South
Asian economic trends. With in-depth
knowledge of Hindi-Urdu and its
associated cultures, I amable to better
comprehend the complex economic
dynamics of the subcontinent.
Aadil Razvi
Political Communication, Asian Studies
On what attracted himto HUF:
HUF ofers a very unique, full-immersion
approach to Hindi-Urdu that is simply
an unparalleled method of language
learning.
Best aspect of being a HUF student:
Access to the worlds leading experts in
this feld has been the best part of being
a HUF student thus far.
Ramu Kharel
Pre-medicine, Asian Studies
Career goals:
My aimis to become a doctor in order
to take medical attention to areas of the
world where its lacking.
3rd-year professional internship:
I interned with a hospice and gained a
wealth of experience in the medical feld.
I also worked with children fromslum
communities in providing education.
Uruba Niazi
Government, Asian Studies
Career goals:
I plan to use my fuency in Hindi and
Urdu to work on South Asia issues for the
federal government.
Best aspect of being a HUF student:
The once in a lifetime study abroad
experience is something that I will never
forget. Getting to knowthe faculty and
getting to work with the same people
for four years has also been an invaluable
experience.
LaurenWolper
Asian Studies
On the importance of Hindi-Urdu:
Fluency in a critical-need language
is important because it can ease
communication between peoples and
also facilitate meaningful professional
relationships.
Career goals:
I would like to be an ambassador for the
United States government or work as a
liason for an international company.
Ishita Paul
Business Honors, Corporate Finance,
Pre-Medicine, Asian Studies
Why she joined HUF:
I joined HUF because its a programlike
no other. The professors are some of the
best in the world and the programis
tailored to each students needs.
3rd-year professional internship:
I will complete a fnancial management
internship withTATA Consultancy while I
amin India.
Arez Anjum
Economics, Asian Studies
On what attracted himto HUF:
I wanted to gain advanced knowledge
of a language and acquire the necessary
skills to be successful in this rapidly
changing global economy.
Career goals:
My ultimate goal is to be a management
consultant. Because of HUF I can mesh
my economics expertise with my new
language skills to fll a unique niche in the
global marketplace.
The Hindi Urdu Flagship is fortunate to operate within
the larger context of a thriving academic community
dedicated to the study of South Asia. With over 50
faculty members in a dozen schools and departments,
the University of Texas at Austin has one of the most
distinguishedSouthAsia programs intheworld. Through
coursework, seminars, international conferences,
research centers, and museums, Flagship students have
the unique opportunity to interact with leading South
Asianists and participate in the world of South Asia
scholarship at large. Some of the key centers for the
study of South Asia at UT include:
Department of Asian Studies
HUFs administrative and academic home, the Depart-
ment of Asian studies is one of the largest and most
distinguishedintheworld. It oferscoursesinelevenAsian
languages: Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean,
Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, andVietnamese.
The Department teaches the histories, cultures, religions,
andliteratures of Asia, as well as the contemporary issues
facing Asian countries from economic and ecological
issues to security and ethnic conficts.
South Asia Institute
The South Asia Institute promotes the inter-disciplinary
study of all aspects of modern and ancient South Asia. In
additiontheInstitutepromotesthestudyof communities
of South Asian origin wherever they may be found.
Through its support of individual and group research,
specialized courses and training, library acquisitions,
international conferences, community outreach, and
weekly seminars, the Institute advances the latest
knowledge about South Asia and extends awareness
of this vital world region across all departments and
programs on the UT campus.
College of Liberal Arts
The largest and oldest school at the university, the
College of Liberal Arts houses more than 600 faculty
members with over 5,500 class sections. The College
of Liberal Arts currently awards seven degrees in South
Asian studies: B.A. and M.A. in Asian Studies; B.A., M.A.
and Ph.D. in Asian Cultures and Languages; and two dual
M.A. degrees with the McCombs School of Business and
the LBJ School of Public Afairs.
Perry-Castaeda Library
With the nations ffth largest academic library, UTs
research systemincludes 17 libraries, 5 research centers,
and six museums. Its South Asia collection, housed
primarily in the Perry-Castaeda Library, is one of the
largest in the world. HUF students have access to a
dedicated South Asia librarian and important literary,
critical, and historical studies in Bengali, English, Gujarati,
Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Tamil,
Telugu, Tibetan, and Urdu.
Harry RansomCenter
A world renowned humanities archive and museum
located across the courtyard fromthe Flagship Program
ofce, the Harry Ransom Center hosts extensive
collections of rare books, manuscripts, photography,
flm, art, and documentation on the performing arts. The
HRC contains the largest collection of historical South
Asia related photography in the world. Other South Asia
collections include the papers of R.K. Narayan, Anita
Desai, Zulfkar Ghose, E.M. Forster, Paul Scott, and Dom
Moraes. HUF students can participate in the centers
regular exhibits, symposia, and outreach programs.
Student Profles South Asian Studies at UT
Joining HUF | 16 15 | Joining HUF
Why Hindi-Urdu? | 4
The University
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest
public universities in the United States. Founded in 1883,
the university now occupies a 350-acre main campus
with 21,000 faculty and staf, 16 colleges and schools
and almost 50,000 students.
The university is annually ranked among the countrys
very best public research universities and many of its
colleges, schools and departments are considered
among the fnest in the nation.
Morethan8,700bachelors degrees areawardedannually
in more than 170 felds of study and 100 majors, all of
which are available to HUF students.
Austin
A breathtaking mix of music, greenery, technology,
artistic eclecticism and old-world charm, Austin is truly
a one-of-a-kind city. During their Flagship career, HUF
students have the opportunity to immerse themselves
in the cultural milieu that is Austin.
Known as the Live Music Capital of the World, the city
is home to spectacular events like the Austin City Limits
Music Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW) and the
Austin Film Festival that attract visitors from all over the
world.
In addition, with companies such as Dell, IBM, Intel,
Apple, Samsung and National Instruments setting up
shop, Austin is a growing IT hub, la Hyderabad and
Bangalore, ofering substantial career opportunities
for HUF students interested in using their Hindi-Urdu
fuency in the IT world.
Our Setting
Top 10 Things to Do in Austin
1. Barton Springs: A three-acre spring-fed pool that
stays at 68 degrees year round.
2. Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum: The story
of Texas is told through flms and exhibits; home to
Austins only IMAX theater.
3. Texas State Capitol: Built in 1886, the Texas State
Capitol is the largest state capitol in the country.
4. Sixth Street and Warehouse Entertainment District:
Popular, trendy areas of downtown Austin known for
clubs, live music and unique restaurants.
5. Congress Avenue Bats: Home to the largest urban
colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the country.
6. Highland Lakes: Seven lakes, including nearby Lake
Travis, Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake, ofer canoeing,
boating and jet skiing.
7. South Congress (SoCo): Home to eclectic shops
and retro clothing stores, and the very popular First
Thursday event each month.
8. Zilker Park: 350-acre park located just minutes from
campus; home to Austin Nature and Science Center,
Zilker Botanical Gardens, Zilker HillsideTheatre and the
Zilker Zephyra miniature train that travels around
the perimeter of the park.
9. Mount Bonnell: A must-see for any Austin visitor!
This popular tourist spot ofers the best views of Austin
and the Hill Country.
10. Hike and Bike Trail: One of the fnest hiking and
biking trails in the country! The ten-mile trail ofers
wide paths for bike riding, walking or running.
Courtesy of Austin Convention andVisitors Bureau
www.austintexas.org
Facts about Austin
300 days of sunshine per year
Average year-round
temperature: 68.5 degrees
More than 200 parks (including
350-acre Zilker Park), 12 nature
preserves and three major lakes
(Lake Travis, Lake Austin and
Lady Bird Lake)
Gateway to the Texas Hill
Countryhome to rolling
green hills, beautiful lakes,
felds of Texas wildfowers and
greenbelts
One of Americas Top 10Best
Places to Live (U.S. News &
World Report)
Top American city for overall
job growth (Bureau of Labor
Statistics)
The Flagship Program is fortunate to be located within both a world-class research university and one of Americas
most livable cities. The picturesque, historic campus is within walking distance of the vibrant downtown district
of Austin.
17 | Joining HUF
The Language Flagship
PO Box 20010 | Arlington, VA 22209 | tel: 703-696-1991 | e-mail: info@thelanguagefagship.org
web: www.thelanguagefagship.org
Hindi Urdu Flagship
1 University Station, B7700 | Austin, TX 78712 | tel: 512.471.6669 | e-mail: info@hindiurdufagship.org
web: www.hindiurdufagship.org