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Harvard University’s Department of South Asian Studies has formally apologised and removed controversial artwork used to promote its Sanskrit programme after widespread criticism from Hindu community groups and social media users accusing the image of cultural insensitivity and “Hinduphobia.”
The dispute erupted when the department’s webpage for its Elementary Sanskrit course featured a visual that critics described as offensive and demeaning to Hindu traditions. Members of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) took to platforms such as X to condemn the image, criticising it as reminiscent of a “scene straight out of a horror movie” and alleging it portrayed Hindu cultural elements in a negative and manipulative light.
Facing mounting online outrage, Harvard’s Department of South Asian Studies issued a public statement saying it “deeply regrets the posting of an insensitive image in relation to our Sanskrit program,” and emphasised its commitment to the study and respect of Sanskrit, one of the world’s oldest languages with profound historical and cultural significance.
The department also said it was reviewing its internal social media processes to prevent similar incidents in future and clarified that the controversial post was not associated with the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, another academic entity at Harvard.
CoHNA welcomed Harvard’s apology as a “rare moment” of institutional accountability, expressing hope that it would encourage more respectful representation of Sanskrit and related traditions in academic and public discourse.
The episode has reignited discussions about cultural representation in Western academic institutions, particularly regarding how classical South Asian traditions and languages are portrayed and contextualised to global audiences.
( The above piece is written based on a report published by The Commune. You can read the original report HERE )
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