Diana Sorensen

Dean of Arts and Humanities

James F. Rothenberg Professor of Romance Languages &
Literatures, and of Comparative Literature

University Hall, Second Floor North

Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 496-8667 / fax (617) 495-7881
SORENSEN@FAS.HARVARD.EDU

Dear Friend,
Harvard University is delighted to learn about the Tamil communitys interest in establishing the Sangam
Professor in Tamil at Harvard. As the Dean of Arts and Humanities, I want to thank you for your
consideration of this generous gift.
I wish to express our sincere interest in this opportunity. In 2011, Harvard established a Department of
South Asian Studies in our Division of Arts and Humanities, and expanding our work in the study of this
important area of the world is of great importance. Professor Parimal Patil, Chair of this newly created
department, and his colleagues are enthusiastic about the opportunities this professorship would offer.
It is wonderful that you are considering a gift that would further scholarship on ancient Tamil.
Todd Krohne from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Development office is available to provide
information as you consider joining fellow Tamil supporters to achieve this milestone. The Benefactor
Handbook, included here, highlights some helpful information on what it means to be a philanthropic
partner with Harvard.
We would be delighted to provide you with further information on South Asian Studies at Harvard and
to answer any questions you may have about our efforts in the field of Tamil. Again, thank you for your
generous intention.
Sincerely,

Diana Sorensen
Dean of Arts and Humanities, and James F. Rothenberg Professor of Romance Languages & Literatures
and of Comparative Literature

SANGAM PROFESSORSHIP IN TAMIL

Sangam texts and related inscriptions reach back to the second-century B.C.E., with new commentaries
being composed well into the fourteenth-century C.E. Today, Sangam literary themes continue to
resonate in contemporary Tamil art, film, literature, and political speech. Sangam literature is truly the
fountainhead of South Indian culture, both past and present. However, it has largely been neglected in
the academy. Your philanthropic support will ensure Harvard is able to expand scholarship related to
Tamil Sangam texts, literary themes, and reception histories and offer due prominence to a subject that
is important for the literature, history, and culture of India and Tamil diasporas throughout the world.
Harvard activities and offerings related to Tamil are growing. The position of Tamil has been
strengthened through the donation of some 1000 Sangam and Tamil books to Widener Library by
George Hart, Professor of Tamil emeritus at Berkeley. The recently created Department of South Asian
Studies has published two well acclaimed Tamil books in the 125 year old Harvard Oriental Series: an
edition, translation, and analysis of the oldest Tamil inscriptions (c.200 B.C.E.-500 C.E.), and the edition,
translation, and study of the oldest western (missionary) grammar of Tamil of 1580 CE. The
publications offer considerable insight into early spoken Tamil.
It is an incredible time for Tamil studies at Harvard. Your generous gift will enable us to seize this
moment of burgeoning student and faculty interest. The opportunity to have a Sangam Professor of
Tamil would transform South Asian studies at Harvard through the enhanced integration of Tamil texts,
literature, history, and politics into our research, teaching, and understanding of South Asia. With your
support, Harvard could achieve the leading position in this field.
Total gifts of $6 million will establish an endowed professorship in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The
professorship will enable Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Michael D. Smith to
recruit, recognize, and support an outstanding faculty member pursuing research, scholarship, or
teaching related to the study of Tamil Sangam literature. The incumbent may be drawn from any field in
the arts and humanities or the social sciences. As part of the Department of South Asian Studies, the
incumbent will be the central and unifying factor for a number of colleagues, already present, who deal
in one way or another with South India or with medieval and modern Tamil and its texts. This
professorship will expand world-class teaching and research of Tamil at Harvard.

SANGAM PROFESSORSHIP IN TAMIL

PLEDGE AGREEMENT

_______________________________________ pledges $ ____________________________________

NAME
DOLLAR AMOUNT
to The Harvard Campaign for Arts and Sciences. The total commitment will be directed to support the
establishment of the Sangam Professorship in Tamil Fund and the Sangam Professorship in Tamil
Recruitment Fund.
The Sangam Professorship in Tamil will be awarded at the discretion of the Edgerley Family Dean of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences to a scholar whose research, scholarship, or teaching is related to the study
of Tamil Sangam literature. The incumbent may be drawn from any field in the arts and humanities or
the social sciences. The Sangam Professorship in Tamil Recruitment Fund will provide current-use
support for activities related to the recruitment and support of the incumbent of the Sangam
Professorship in Tamil.
Should total gifts and pledges from all donors to these funds not meet $6 million in total by June 30,
2020 ($5 million to establish the Sangam Professorship in Tamil and $1 million to establish the Sangam
Professorship in Tamil Recruitment Fund), the gifts may establish an endowed or current-use Fund for
Tamil to support activities related to Tamil at Harvard University.

The _______________________ year pledge will be paid in ___________________ installments and will
be paid in full by or before June 30, 20_______________. The pledge payments will be split as follows:
Payment #_________ of $ _________________ will be received by June 30, 20_________.
Payment #_________ of $ _________________ will be received by June 30, 20_________.
Payment #_________ of $ _________________ will be received by June 30, 20_________.
Payment #_________ of $ _________________ will be received by June 30, 20_________.
Payment #_________ of $ _________________ will be received by June 30, 20_________.

_______________________________________
Donor Signature

_______________________
Date

GIFT PROCESSING
We welcome gifts through a variety of transactions. To contribute via check, please make payable to:
"President and Fellows of Harvard College." In the check's memo section, please designate the allocation
of the gift to the Sangam Professorship in Tamil. Also, notify Todd Krohne at todd_krohne@harvard.edu
of the anticipated gift for tracking and processing purposes.
Checks should be mailed to:
Office of the Recording Secretary
Harvard University
124 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
The Harvard University Recording Secretary also accepts gifts via bank wires. Please provide the
following information to your bank to initiate wires or Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions to
the Recording Secretarys Office:
Bank of America
100 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110
President & Fellows of Harvard College, RSO account
Account #: 9429263621
ACH ABA: 011000138
Wire ABA: 026009593
Swift Code: BOFAUS3N
Donor: (To be provided by donor)
Purpose: Sangam Professorship in Tamil
The data provided by the bank for these transactions often does not include adequate information to
identify your gift and can result in a delay in processing the transaction. Please notify Todd Krohne at
todd_krohne@harvard.edu of the anticipated bank wire, so the source of the wire/ACH transaction can
be promptly identified once the funds are received.