India, composed of 28 states, is the most populous country in the world. It has a wide variety of languages, traditions, and religions that differ by region. While such diversity often highlights differences, people embrace and understand each other through a shared value of “cultural exchange.” Indian students at Pusan National University (PNU) are no exception. In Busan, where the sea and mountains create a beautiful landscape, they enjoy the joy of community together.

The eighth feature in the “International Student Association Alumni Series” introduces the Indian Alumni Association, which boasts more than 100 members. On October 19th, Indian students gathered in front of the Humanities Building to celebrate Diwali, welcoming the new year and honoring their cultural traditions. ChannelPNU met with Meyyappan (Graduate School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 24), president of the Indian Alumni Association, on October 27th.

Q. Please briefly introduce yourself and the association’s members.

A. Hello, I’m Meyyappan. I’ve been in Korea for three years and have been serving as the president of the PNU Indian Alumni Association since August 2024. The association began as an informal gathering around 2012 and officially launched in 2020, beginning full-scale activities. Currently, over 100 members are registered in the association’s network, and the total number is even higher when unregistered members are considered. Regarding the team’s structure, we don’t detail divisions: the president and vice president lead the programs, while our treasurer manages the budget for each event. The leadership is usually chosen from members with wide networks.

Q. India has immense cultural diversity by region. How does the association work to embrace that diversity?

A. There are definitely cultural differences across Indian regions—the differences are as large as those between Japanese and  Thai. But from the very beginning, our goal has been clear: to create a space where not only students but also professors and even Indian residents in Busan can gather and share culture. So we try not to get caught up in small differences. If you focus only on what’s different, you miss the common ground and then you can’t do anything together. Even when we host religious events, we focus on the traditional and cultural aspects, not the religious ones. We’ve held multiple Hindu traditional events, and many members of other religions also join.

Q. What major events does your association hold to honor Indian traditions and culture?

A. We mainly host Pongal and Diwali events. Pongal is essentially India’s Thanksgiving. The name and customs differ by region, but the meaning, giving thanks for the year’s harvest, is the same. It’s traditionally a four-to–five day festival in mid-January, but due to schedules, we celebrate indoors on a day convenient for our members. During these events,  we try to highlight India’s spirit of inclusiveness and cultural exchange and we prepare delicious traditional foods to make the experience enjoyable. As a result, people come not only from PNU but from various universities in Busan, and even from Seoul, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Ulsan.

Q, Do you have any other special activities?

A. We provide guidance for new students, which helps Indian newcomers with practical information such as how to travel from Incheon or Gimhae Airport to PNU, or how to find housing in Korea. We also hold small farewell gatherings each graduation season and go on trips. Recently, we visited Songdo Beach, and next semester we plan to go to Beomeosa Temple. We also host potluck parties where everyone brings food to share; those are always very popular.

Q. What upcoming programs should we look forward to?

A. Many members are recently becoming interested in Korean traditional cultural experiences, so we plan to organize activities such as templestay programs. We also want to continue introducing Indian culture to Busan citizens. On May 24th, we participated in the ‘Global Gathering 2025’ organized by the Busan Global City Foundation. In 2024, we focused on solely selling traditional Indian food, but in 2025, we expanded to showcase crafts and offered ‘mehndi (henna)’ experiences, an Indian art of decorating hands and feet. It was heartwarming to see so many people enjoy these cultural activities.

Q. Please share your hopes for the future.

A. We don’t want to limit ourselves or the association to interactions only among Indians. We hope to build multicultural networks and connect with people from various countries. We aim to collaborate with other alumni associations to meet people from diverse backgrounds and promote Indian culture more widely. Ultimately, we hope to partner with various non-profit organizations and grow beyond a simple social group into an organization that has a positive influence on society.

Reporter Thadar-Soe

Translated by Thadar-Soe