Area Studies Programme was launched in 1966, under the guidance of late Prof. V.M.Reddy and became an independent Department in 1990. To begin with, certain courses on Southeast Asian History and Institutions were offered at the Post-Graduate level. Subsequently, the Centre for Studies on Indochina was added in 1976 to study and research on the political and socio-economic developments in those regions. In due course, the area of study and research was widened enough, to include the South Pacific with a focus on Australia, Newzealand and Fiji. So far 8 Ph.D and 9 M.Phil. degrees are awarded and six students are currently doing research. The Department has so far organized three seminars/conferences. The faculty has published 14 books and 59 research papers. The Department also has collaboration and memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies under the National Centre for Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam in exchange of information, students, Research Scholars and other academic activities.