Beta Chi Theta (, also known as Beta Chi) is a South Asian-interest collegiate social
fraternity
A fraternity (; whence, "wikt:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular ...
in the United States. It was established at the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
in 1999. The fraternity is a member of the
North American Interfraternity Conference
The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of college, intercollegiate men's List of social fraternities and sororities, social Fraternities and sororities ...
.
History
Beta Chi Theta originated with eight students at the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
in the spring of 1999 as a
South Asian
South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
-based fraternity.
On June 2, 1999, Beta Chi Theta officially received recognition by the university and was granted membership into the UCLA Inter-Fraternity Council; this is used as the fraternity's founding date.
Its eight founders were Abu Abraham, Hashu Datwani, Samir Khandhar, Ankur Kumar, Ashish Nagdev, Ankur Parikh, Roshan Patel, and Ali Zhumkhawala.
In 2021, Beta Chi Theta became a national fraternity with the chartering of ''Beta chapter'' at
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
and Gamma chapter at
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a Public university, public Institute of Technology (United States)#Polytechnic universities, polytechnic research university in Pomona, California, United States. It is the l ...
.
The fraternity held its first national convention in 2003, where its constitution and bylaws were adopted and a national board was established.
The fraternity was incorporated in Texas as Beta Chi Theta National Fraternity, Inc. in 2004.
On April 23, 2006, Beta Chi Theta became the first nationally recognized South Asian-based fraternity to become a member of the
North American Interfraternity Conference
The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of college, intercollegiate men's List of social fraternities and sororities, social Fraternities and sororities ...
(NIC).
It has since been the youngest fraternity to become a member of the NIC.
Beta Chi Theta was also a member of the
National APIDA Panhellenic Association, but left that organization on November 18, 2023.
Beta Chi Theta has chartered more than 30 chapters and more than 2,000 alumni.
Its headquarters is in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
.
[Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (April 10, 2025)]
Beta Chi Theta
.
Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities
'. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed June 17, 2025.
Symbols
The fraternity's Greek letters, Beta Chi Theta, stand for Brotherhood, Culture, and Tradition.
Its motto is "Above all else, Brotherhood".
Beta Chi Theta's pillars are "Brotherhood, Tradition, Service to Humanity, South Asian Awareness, and Academic Excellence".
Its colors are black, silver, and white.
Its mascot is that of a rampant lion.
Its flower is the orchard.
Philanthropy
The fraternity's primary philanthropic focus is mental health awareness.
Chapters
Following is a list of Beta Chi Theta chapters, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in ''italics''.
See also
*
List of Asian American fraternities and sororities
*
List of social fraternities
References
{{South-Asian Fraternities & Sororities
North American Interfraternity Conference
Fraternities and sororities in the United States
Asian-American culture
National APIDA Panhellenic Association