Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.

I’ve never had a teacher see my name on the roster and immediately know how to pronounce it. They usually look at it and halt for a moment, hoping that someone will speak up to tell them how to say it. Inevitably, I raise my hand and go “It’s Jahnavi, JAH-nuh-VEE.” I’ll get a nod of relief, the teacher saying my name one more time and then we’re off for the semester. 

That is the experience for many South Asian students on campus — and to be honest, it feels like a small piece of the puzzle that is cultural erasure at this school. 

This university needs to embrace South Asian history and culture in its curriculum. The less it does, the more we are left behind.

This university simply does not offer enough courses about South Asia. Between its history, politics or comparative religions, the region doesn’t seem to be a priority. The Asian American studies program can only cover so much, especially considering it isn’t solely focused on South Asia. Our government and politics and history departments should be doing much more.

There is only one class being offered by this university’s government and politics department on Indian politics this semester, and no classes on South Asian politics as a whole. The history department is also offering no classes specifically focused on the overall region this semester. The deficits in these departments only serve to make students less educated and graduate with minimal knowledge on the area.  

The U.S. State Department has a bureau dedicated to South and Central Asian affairs, and the United States has many partnerships with South Asian countries. If someone has a concentration in international relations, they need to be informed about the region, considering its importance on the global stage.

In addition to the global context of why we need these courses, there is also a personal aspect, as the lack of courses on their history and origin can be difficult for students of South Asian descent. Some students go to college with the hope that they will learn more about themselves — emotionally or otherwise — but without classes on their country or culture, their ability to learn is limited. 

As a majority-minority school, we have to prioritize adapting our curricula to be culturally sensitive and relevant. Students cannot learn about culture or the world without access to classes that can give them that knowledge, and this university can not allow students to go into the professional world without a holistic understanding of the society we live in.

During a time when diversity, equity and inclusion policies are being rolled back, it is all the more critical for us to stand strong and educated about world history and culture. Even for students beyond the South Asian diaspora, knowledge about the region will ensure that they will not go into the world blindsided. 

We need to avoid cultural erasure in our curricula. We need to make sure students are educated. And yes, selfishly, I want teachers to be able to pronounce my name thanks to that renewed education and heightened recognition of South Asian culture. Our current political climate makes education critical for our success moving forward — and as I graduate in a few months, I hope that this university can do better for its future students.

Jahnavi Kirkire is a senior government and politics and public policy major. She can be reached at jkirkire@umd.edu.