A nursery of global talent, JNU’s School of International Studies turns 70

It was on this day in 1955 that the Indian School of International Studies - a precursor to the globally renowned School of International Studies (SIS) at Jawaharlal Nehru University - was registered.

The event was a culmination of hectic deliberations by a special committee under the aegis of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), which highlighted the need for a dedicated school on international studies. Till then, the ICWA was the sole organisation working in the segment.

The ICWA was the first to recognise the importance of research in international affairs in order to train young men and women to interpret current global developments in economic, social and political spheres.

It was in pursuance of the recommendations of a committee headed by Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru of the ICWA that the Indian School of International Studies was established in October 1955 with Dr A Appadorai as the first Director of the school.

What began as a platform for advanced research way back in 1955 has now blossomed into a world famous school, a nursery of global talent that turned 70 today.

Boasting of a host of influencers - Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar; academics Amitabh Matoo and Jayati Ghosh; Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee and former Nepal PM Baburam Bhattarai; serving JNU V-C Santishree Pandit and former Press Secretary to President Venu Rajamony - as alumni, the SIS assumed its current avatar only in June of 1970 when the Indian School of International Studies merged with the JNU, established in 1969.

Prior to that, the school operated from the compounds of the ICWA at Sapru House and later from 35 Ferozeshah Road. To start with, the school remained affiliated to the University of Delhi.

It was a deemed university between September 1961 and June 1970 until a merger with the JNU. That was when the prefix “Indian” was dropped from the name of the school and it came to be called the School of International Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

All decked up for the celebrations these days, SIS stands tall as the oldest among 10 JNU schools having established itself as one of the premier institutions in the country and the world for the study of international relations.

To mark the milestone of 70th year, the SIS will next week host Aravalli Summit in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and Chintan Research Foundation.

This international conference on October 6 and 7 will be entitled “India and the World Order: Preparing for 2047”.

Famous alumni

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (completed M Phil from the School of International Studies); External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (completed M Phil and doctoral research from SIS specialising in nuclear diplomacy); JN Dixit, second National Security Adviser; Venu Rajamony, press secretary to late President Pranab Mukherjee; current JNU V-C Santishree D Pandit; Ashok Swain, Peace and Conflict expert; geostrategist Brahma Chellaney; Harun Rasid Khan, former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India.