The scientific and cultural partnership between the students and faculty of Bronx Community College, The City University of New York and their counterparts in India is taking another step forward with the establishment of the Partha Foundation in Orissa, India.

The Foundation was created last month by scientist and educator Rakesh Panda, who coordinated the activities for the two-week CUNY India Study Abroad program in Maharasthra and New Delhi India in August 2019. There he witnessed BCC and other CUNY students installing a weather station, planting trees in rural areas, testing water in Lake Powai in Mumbai, using specially designed CUNY backpack weather stations to monitor climate/pollution in Mumbai and New Delhi and engaging in cross–cultural activities with orphanages and elementary schools, all of which inspired him to develop similar programs focused on sustainability and philanthropy in the eastern part of India.

Long-range plans for the Foundation include sustainability webinars, student exchanges and academic partnerships between BCC and CUNY and Xavier University and its famed School of Sustainability in Orissa. The Partha Foundation inauguration was a multi-national event co-organized by Mr. Panda and Professors Neal Phillip and Paramita Sen of the BCC Department of Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Environmental Science. BCC Provost Lester Sandres Rápalo gave introductory remarks on behalf of President Thomas A. Isekenegbe. The event was covered by print and broadcast media in India and can be seen here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VNB17Rxfj1IxcaRbhRx-BcFYJMv7fXyZ/view