Singapore: Yogesh Joshi, an expert in international affairs, was officially named as the inaugural Indian Community endowed chair and director of The India Center at the University of Central Florida (UCF) during an investiture ceremony on November 4.

The India Center, which was established in 2012 and is part of UCF's School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, aims to deepen the understanding of India’s growing influence on global issues.

Before joining UCF, Joshi was in charge of the National Security and Foreign Policy program at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He also served as a faculty member at Yale-NUS College.

During her welcome speech, Dean of the College of Sciences Maggy Tomova highlighted the significance of the event, noting, "Community and culture are integral to UCF’s strategic plan, and today exemplifies these values in action."

The ceremony also recognized several families, including the Deshpande, Mehta, and Toleti families, for their crucial role in establishing the endowed chair. UCF’s provost, Michael D. Johnson, expressed the importance of the position, saying, “UCF benefits from a substantial number of Indian American faculty, staff, and students. This endowed chair is a major investment in the future of The India Center.”

Joshi shared his vision for The India Center, focusing on India’s contributions to fields like science, technology, and international relations. “Together, we can create lasting change and impact the lives of many Americans and Indians,” he remarked.

Joshi earned his doctorate in International Politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and has co-authored three significant books on India’s nuclear strategy and foreign policy.