Doctoral student receives Dhar India Studies Program’s Travel-Research Fellowship
Doctoral student Sohini Chakraborty received the Dhar India Studies Program’s Travel-Research Fellowship for summer 2026 in support of her project, “Korean Popular Culture and Grassroots Cultural Infrastructure in India.” This research examines how Indian fans of Korean popular media sustain cultural participation through grassroots infrastructures such as Korean language centers, Korean-themed cafés, fan gatherings, and digital coordination networks.
The fellowship, which supports IU doctoral students conducting research in or about South Asia, will be used to conduct summer fieldwork in India, including participant observation and interviews at the above-mentioned locations. She also plans to initiate conversations with media professionals and music festival organizers to begin mapping the broader media and industry landscape surrounding Korean popular culture in India.
Once Chakraborty returns from fieldwork, the program invited her to give a presentation about the project.