About Us

In 1998, during an eight-month long stay in India on a Senior Research Fellowship from The American Institute of Indian Studies, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Balachandran found that Geography as a discipline was under-valued and under-utilized in developmental work, and that poor state of Geography education was a large part of the problem.

He conceptualized a structure to promote Geography as a tool of analysis and as a discipline of study in its own right.

He spoke to many friends and family who all have contributed generously in various ways to bring about the establishment of The Dharani Trust in 1999 and its evolution since then. The Indian Institute of Geographical Studies is the first initiative of Dharani.

In 2000, he elicited the support and help of friends and colleauges in the U.S.A. to establish Dharani USA, Inc., registered non-profit in the U.S.A.  Their counsel, guidance, and hard work has helped its continued  evolution.

You can find more information about us, as we are today,  through the links on the menu to the right of the page.

We invite you to get involved in our worthwhile endeavors  (click on the “get involved” link below).