Ancient India and Iran Trust

"Founded in 1978, the Ancient India & Iran Trust occupies a unique postition in the UK. We are the only independent charity concerned with the study of early India, Iran & Central Asia, promoting both scholarly research & popular interest in the area. We have a library of over 25,000 volumes and organise a range of activities including conferences, public lectures and visiting fellowships. Our primary interest has been in prehistory, archaeology, art history and ancient languages, but this often extends to more modern topics and other disciplines.The idea of the Ancient India & Iran Trust came to the Founding Trustees when they became aware that the Indian sub-continent, together with Iran, Afghanistan & parts of Central Asia, was the 'neglected quarter' of the world in terms of British cultural life. Britain had had a close association with India in particular for over three centuries and had unrivalled resources for the study of its culture, art and history, in the India Office Library, the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and much more. And yet, in the wake of South Asian independence, there were very few institutions, teaching posts or funds devoted to the promotion of popular or scholarly interest in any of these regions. The Trust was therefore set up to provide a focal point where scholars and members of the public with interests in the cultures of the ancient Indian and Iranian worlds could meet and discuss matters of common interest and use its unique library..."