Since 1961, American knowledge of India has been shaped by the American Institute of Indian Studies. The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) was formed to further the knowledge of India in the United States by supporting American scholarship on India. The programs of AIIS promote and advance mutual understanding between the citizens of the U.S. and of India.More than 6,000 scholars and creative artists have received AIIS support, with their work spanning the humanities, social sciences, social policy and natural sciences. The Institute has been directly responsible for fostering several generations of new scholars, and its senior fellows have returned to classrooms where they have taught tens of thousands of American college students. Recognized as an educational institution in India in its own right, AIIS can directly recommend issuance of student visas for language study and for programs that bring students to India.