SN1101E:

SOUTH ASIA: PEOPLE, CULTURE

AND DEVELOPMENT

Semester 2, AY2018-19
Course Coordinator:
Dr. Jayati Bhattacharya
Contact hours: Tuesdays: 12-2 p.m., AS8, 06-38
South Asian Studies Programme
National University of Singapore
 Information on tutorials for exchange students
You can register for tutorials by emailing Nur Haizumi Mohd Khafidz
(fasasnh@nus.edu.sg); Ms. Dalhia Bte Kasmani (fasasdk@nus.edu.sg).
You can also send email at fasbox59@nus.edu.sg your top 3 tutorial group choices. You
will be informed of the tutorial group you have been allocated. The tutorial
timetable is given below for your reference.

TD1 Odd Monday 8:00 10:00 AS1-0304

TD2 Odd Tuesday 16:00 18:00 AS5-0309 DG Tutors for the module

Dr. Jayati Bhattacharya (JB),

sasjb@nus.edu.sg
TD3 Odd Thursday 14:00 16:00 AS1-0203
Ms. Claudia Chia Yi En,
e0319524@u.nus.edu

TE1 Even Monday 12:00 14:00 AS1-0203 Mr. Mohammad Arshad,

e0212229@u.nus.edu

TE2 Even Monday 14:00 16:00 AS7-0101

TE3 Even Thursday 12:00 14:00 AS4-0116

 Lecture:1

The South Asian Region and its Diversity

Introducing South Asia

South Asia- Physical features
South Asia – Political features

• 1947: India,
Pakistan,
Nepal

• 1948: Sri
Lanka

• 1949: Bhutan

• 1965:Maldives

• 1971:
Bangladesh
Some important cities in South Asia
Different national flags
 South Asia- Location and Climate
• Position:
– longitude: 62°E – 98°E;
– latitude:2°N-38°N

• Climate and physical features

– from tropical to temperate
– plains, plateau, mountains,
– coastlines, islands
– desert

• International frontiers:
– Iran; Afghanistan; Central Asia
– Tibet/China
– Myanmar/Southeast Asia
– ‘extension’ towards Straits of Malacca and connecting the
South China Sea
– Maritime connections to Middle East and Africa through
Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean
South Asia- Population
Comparing Population Density
South Asia- Diverse languages and scripts

Languages-

• Regions

• Dialects

• Scripts
 South Asia- Geopolitical Realities

• Land-locked nation-states-
Bhutan and Nepal

• Island nation-states- Sri

Lanka, Maldives

• India- largest is area and

shares common border with
all other South Asian
states. It also separates all
other South-Asian states

• None among the others

share a common border
with another South Asian
state