In his first full day in India, President Richard Davenport signed a memorandum of understanding for a new educational partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and expects to sign another agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with the University of Delhi-Delhi School of Economics.
Davenport also met with a Minnesota State Mankato alum who owns the largest enthanol plant in India, and who flew 1,000 miles to meet with Davenport and Sam Roy, a director of the Minnesota State Mankato Foundation who's traveling with Davenport in India.
Davenport and Roy met with the ambassador to India and his wife, as well as with numerous dignitaries from India, including the minister of trade.
Davenport is in India this week as part of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s trade mission, exploring new opportunities for higher education partnerships. He is the only higher education executive among the 73 trade mission delegates.
Davenport said the governor singled out Minnesota State Mankato for special recognition during his opening remarks with the trade mission group and their Indian counterparts.
On Wednesday, Oct. 24, Davenport expects to sign a third university -- Nirma University in Ahmedabad -- to a memorandum of understanding.
Pawlenty is leading the week-long mission for a number of reasons: India is the world’s fastest growing free-market democracy; it plans major infrastructure improvements over the next several years; the purchasing power of India’s middle class is growing; pro-America India is eager to work with American business; and 58 percent of the Indian population – more than 564 million people – is under age 20.
Davenport will return to the United States on Oct. 26.
Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
