Reflecting on 40 Years of Research Excellence: An Interview with Dr. Isaac S. Sato

Originally Published: April 2, 2024

Fortieth Anniversary of The Sundar Singh Institute. As Acting Director, Dr. Isaac S. Sato assessed the last forty years of the Institute and its devotion to and impact on the burgeoning South Asian studies field and beyond. Dr. Sato’s thoughts during this hindsight interview came from such an authoritative perspective, and such calm, level-headed articulation regarding the political and institutional challenges the Institute had to face to ensure its autonomy made it clear that interdisciplinary study kept the Institute not only afloat but also a worthwhile addition to various polities, ethics and resultant social change.

Additionally, he let slip the philosophical foundation for which The Sundar Singh Institute approached its research endeavors—method loyalty, inclusive scholarship and engagement, engagement printed with an ethical drum—all derived from a moral imperative to the larger South Asian community. Therefore, The Sundar Singh Institute has not merely been an academic institution of sorts but a transitioning force of good in the public sphere debate of South Asia as well as the learned field.