“Hri” – a sound or a vibration, the utterance of which awakens the empathy that is an inherent part of every sentient being. Regionalism must no longer remain a prisoner of platitude, since there is a consensus that geopolitical friction, poverty and pressing environmental issues as well as cultural and social dislocation must be addressed through the regional framework. There is a need to revive and energise discussions of regionalism on the platform of mainstream politics, public information and research, with a dynamic Southasian sensibility. Hri emerged out of the need for serious scholarship in the arenas of political and culture over a longer time frame than allowed by journalism. The Hri endeavour, besides engaging in political issues of cross-border relevance, focuses on culture, music, literature and the performing arts. Our diverse projects are an effort to animate the intellectual and cultural space in Southasia, which also finds expression through conferences and networking activities. Hri Institute for Southasian Research and Exchange is a unit of the Southasia Trust, Kathmandu Nepal.