Challenges, solutions for South Asia
South Asian nations long beset by problems that demand global attention — poverty, poor health, and unrest — are increasingly places where solutions are being developed and where technology enables innovation, according to panelists examining the region’s future. The discussion Friday (April 8) came during a conference sponsored by the South Asia Initiative at Harvard University. Held in the Radcliffe Gymnasium, the two-day event featured key leaders from the region as well as several prominent Harvard officials, including President Drew Faust, Provost Steven E. Hyman, and deans of several graduate Schools. Among the regional officials who attended were Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, and Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s ambassador to the United Nations. Panelists examined the challenges facing the region, involving energy, technology and climate change, water security, population and aging, and social changes. In her opening remarks, Faust said Harvard has long had connections to the region, which is...