Fourth in a six-part series examining ethnic and cultural groups of students at Boston University.

Boston University’s Indian community, although small, is very active in clubs ranging from the catch-all India Club and Jaagriti to smaller organizations with a more specific focus.

About 14 percent of BU students come from other countries, and about 7.5 percent of those are from India, according to fall 2001 statistics. Indian students at BU are generally very active in cultural and ethnicity-specific events on and around campus.

‘I think almost every Indian I know is associated with one Indian club on campus or another … It’s a pretty involved community,’ said Sanjay Sharma, a School of Management sophomore and co-president of Jaagriti, a BU student association for South Asians.

Another large, primarily Indian-focused organization is the India Club, in which about 80 percent of BU’s culturally active Indian population is involved, according to Meeta Manglani, an SMG senior and India Club member.

Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior and India Club Vice President Hitesh Patel said the club has between 150 and 200 active members this semester. However, he said the club is now reaching out to more than just Indian-Americans.

‘In the past, [the India Club] has primarily served Indian-Americans … This year, we’ve had a resurgence of internationalism and [native Indians] have been more active,’ Patel said.

His club’s main goal is educating U.S.-born Indian students about Indian culture, and he said it holds mostly educational meetings every Friday.

The club also tries to ‘unite Indians, although we’ve had members that were not Indian,’ he said. The India Club accomplishes this with efforts from cultural dance and music shows to community service projects.

‘Recently we’ve tried to emphasize community service,’ Patel said. ‘We also do charity events and cultural events where all of our money goes to charity.’

Chandni Parikh, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, said she joined because she wanted to discover more about her heritage and meet more people like her.

‘I like meeting other Indian people because they are similar to me and easy for me to relate to,’ she said.

Jaagriti, which has only about eight core members, takes a slightly different approach. Jaagriti organizes and then presents lectures and other events aimed at educating BU’s general population about South Asian culture, Sharma said.

‘We feel that BU doesn’t have enough opportunity for anyone to explore South Asian culture, politics and stuff,’ Sharma said. ‘So, we try to bring lectures that will be educational or have movie nights.’

Both groups have ambitious plans for further improving the experiences of Indian students at BU. Patel said the India Club is planning to organize formal dances and semi-formals, while also trying to work with Indian organizations from other Boston-area schools.

Sharma said one of Jaagriti’s main goals is creating a South Asian minor or a concentration within the International Relations Department.

‘Most schools do offer it, so it’s kind of surprising that BU doesn’t,’ Sharma said. ‘We’re working with the IR department and speaking with the dean of CAS.’

Sharma said many professors and deans are excited about the group’s proposal. Another Jaagriti goal involves changing the club itself.

‘I know very well that people don’t want to come after class and have another lecture,’ Sharma said. ‘We’re trying to have interactive workshops where people can come and participate and have a good time.’

In addition to the India Club and Jaagriti, BU has many other more narrowly focused Indian groups, such as the dance group Chankaar, the singing group Suno and the Hindu Student Council, which combines Indian culture with the predominant religion of the region.

Yet the groups even affect those students not directly involved with any ethnicity-targeted organizations.

‘I never really thought to get involved with them, because I didn’t really grow up involved in Indian culture and just didn’t feel any need,’ said CAS and School of Education junior Radha Shivagiri.

But Shivagiri said she has heard of the India Club is well aware of its existence.

‘I can see why a lot of people might join it if they’re involved in their culture and don’t want to lose it before they come here,’ she said. ‘I know people who’re involved, and [my desire to explore my culture] is something that might happen when I have a family or when I move.’