Udaipur Archives - Welcome to

Alisha Flexwala is a 2026 dean’s distinguished graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a BS in psychology. She pursued an interdisciplinary education in psychology, neuroscience, and communication, thereby shaping her aspiration to become a physician who values both science and compassionate care. At UT Austin, she contributed to neuroimaging research at Dr. Franco Pestilli’s lab, working on clinical MRI data and white matter analysis. She is now a co-author on two of the lab’s research publications. As a Gilman scholar, she also participated in cognitive neuroscience research at the University of Geneva during her study abroad program in Switzerland.

Alongside research, Alisha is actively engaged in mentorship, clinical service, and education. She has mentored students to support their academic and personal growth, and has served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for an upper-division psychology course on cognitive development. At UT Austin’s Health Services, she supported the physical therapy team in patient care and recovery. Her lived experiences have shaped her commitment to advancing equitable healthcare and improving patient outcomes through global collaborations.

Alisha’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is examining how traditional Rajasthani Kathputli puppetry can be adapted to support maternal health education among underserved communities in India. Through interviews and collaborations, the project is exploring culturally grounded approaches to communicating health information in accessible and engaging ways. Using qualitative research methods, the study is also evaluating the effectiveness and broader potential of integrating traditional art forms into health initiatives. Ultimately, the project aims to demonstrate how cultural innovation can promote maternal well-being in sustainable ways, thus contributing to healthier mothers and babies.

Ms. Aleksandra Matic holds a BA in Art History from Lake Forest College and an MA in Art History, Theory, and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, focusing on modern and contemporary art from South Asia, Gender Studies, and Cold War Constellations. During an 18-year tenure at the Art Institute of Chicago, her roles included growing and revitalizing the member and donor travel programs and overseeing the museum’s legacy society as the Associate Director of Donor Travel and the Director of the Buckingham Society. In 2019, she curated an exhibition at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago titled Coming into Being- a conversation between nine visual artists which explored questions of identity and the ‘othered’ body using post-colonial theory.

She serves on the Executive Advisory Council, Emeritus Board, for the Educational Travel Consortium. Ms. Matic volunteers for various culture, health, and community-focused organizations, including the Artists of Nathdwara, Core of Culture, and Center on Halsted. She is an active member of The Arts Club of Chicago and the International Museum of Surgical Science. Ms. Matic enjoys travelling, reading, and volunteering in her free time.

This Fulbright-Nehru project in India is a collaboration with a multigenerational collective of pichvai artists in the temple town of Nathdwara. Pichvai are decorative textiles utilized by a Hindu devotional community called the Pushtimarg in their veneration of Lord Krishna. The focus of Ms. Matic ’s proposal involves working with a local filmmaker to produce a documentary based on the lives of these pichvai artists, the history of their painting, and Nathdwara. This documentary will communicate a crucial narrative and create dialogue within a global community to provide the platform needed for future pichvai artists to create and thrive for generations.