Sonal

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research and Teaching)
Project Title:	Caricatures of an empire: Revisiting the British Raj through visual satire
Field of Study:	History
Home Institution:	New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Sonal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi, where she teaches the history of colonial India and different dimensions of Indian and world history. She has previously taught at various undergraduate colleges of Delhi University, including Ramjas, Lady Shri Ram, Kamala Nehru, and Shivaji College.

A former Charles Wallace India Trust Fellow and Visiting Fellow at Yale Centre for British Art, Dr Sonal’s research interests focus on material and visual culture during East India Company rule in India. Her doctoral research Textures of Exchange: The Maratha States, the Mughals, and the English East India Company examined material culture in diplomacy between Indian rulers and the Company (mid-18th to mid-19th century). Currently, she is exploring colonial India’s visual cultures.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellow (Research and Teaching), Dr Sonal is investigating the satirical artworks published in the then-contemporary periodicals and newspapers that resonated with the sensibilities of the middle-class readership. She aims to unravel how caricatures reflected the socio-political commentary, serving as a medium for voices to critique the East India Company and British colonialism. In addition to her research, Dr. Sonal will teach visual cultures of colonial India and a survey course on Indian art.

Tanika Chakraborty

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research and Teaching)
Project Title:	Social health insurance to address health inequalities – a tale of two worlds
Field of Study:	Economics
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal
Host Institution:	The City College of New York, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Tanika Chakraborty is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, specializing in Development Economics. Before joining IIM Calcutta, she worked at IIT Kanpur and DIW Berlin, after completing her PhD at Washington University in St. Louis. She is affiliated to IZA Bonn, CESifo Munich, and the Global Labor Organization.

Dr. Chakraborty’s research primarily focuses on informing policies that address human capital inequality. Her work has been featured in the Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Demography, and the Journal of Comparative Economics, among others. In addition to publishing in academic journals, she writes for print media and policy platforms such as VoxDev, Project Syndicate, and Ideas for India to reach out to a wider policy audience. She has also partnered extensively with various government bodies in India and served as an expert on the Minimum Wage committee of the Government of India.

During her Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence (Research and Teaching) Fellowship at City College, City University of New York, Dr. Chakraborty is expanding on her ongoing research, exploring effective ways of reducing inequalities in health, a key component of human capital. She is examining the widespread shift in healthcare delivery models, from direct public provision to public-private partnerships. She will engage with students to develop a course on health policy that combines perspectives from the US and India. The goal is to contribute to the global dialogue on rising healthcare costs and growing health inequalities.

Susmita Sur-Kolay

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research and Teaching)
Project Title:	Physical design automation for quantum circuits
Field of Study:	Computer Science
Home Institution:	Independent Scholar, Kolkata, West Bengal
Host Institution:	University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Susmita Sur-Kolay is a Visting Professor of Computer Science in Ashoka University. Till 2024, she was a Professor in the Advanced Computing and Microelectronics Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. Earlier, she was a Reader in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of Jadavpur University, a post-doctoral fellow at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Research Assistant at the Laboratory for Computer Science in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

Dr Sur-Kolay’s research contributions are in algorithmic design automation for electronic and quantum circuits, fault modeling and testing, hardware security, and graph algorithms. She has co-authored several papers in international journals and refereed conference proceedings, three book chapters, and co-edited three books.

She has served on the committees of international conferences and on the editorial board of major journals. She was a Distinguished Visitor of IEEE Computer Society (India), and is a Fellow of Indian National Science Academy and Indian National Academy of Engineering. She has received the President of India Gold Medal and Distinguished Alumnus Award at IIT Kharagpur, Women in Technology Leadership Award from VLSI Society of India and International Excellence Fellowship at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2024).

During her tenure of the Fulbright-Nehru Academic Excellence Fellowship at UC San Diego, Dr. Sur-Kolay is aiming to design efficient methods for the layout phase of mapping quantum algorithms to the target quantum hardware with error correction capabilities and to teach related courses.

Haritha Bollinedi

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Constructing a single-cell transcriptome atlas of developing rice spikelets to unravel barriers of endosperm nutrient translocation
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences
Home Institution:	ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Grant Start Month:	November 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Haritha Bollinedi earned her master’s degree from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, and completed her PhD at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. She currently serves as a Senior Scientist in the Division of Genetics at ICAR-IARI.

Dr. Bollinedi has made significant strides in rice grain quality and biofortification, focusing on enhancing the nutritional profile of rice, particularly of beta-carotene, zinc, protein, and phytic acid levels. Her research contributions include molecular characterization of transgenic Golden Rice lines, mapping of genes and QTLs associated with grain mineral nutrients and anti-nutritional factors, and the identification of a novel non-functional allele of the LOX3 gene to reduce bran rancidity. Additionally, she has characterized a large set of rice germplasm accessions for various grain quality traits and identified unique genetic stocks for high endosperm Zn, low phytic acid, low glycemic index, high bran stability, and so on. Furthermore, she has contributed to the development of fifteen rice varieties.

Dr. Haritha’s achievements have been recognized through prestigious awards such as the INSA and NASI Young Scientist Awards and the NAAS Associateship. She also plays an active role as the Convenor of the Young Scientist Forum, NAAS-YUVA, under the aegis of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. To date, she has published over 60 research articles in esteemed peer-reviewed journals.

During her Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence fellowship, Dr. Haritha is working on deciphering the barriers of endosperm nutrient translocation in rice grain using single-cell genomics techniques.

Nirupam Roy

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Understanding low-frequency diffuse galactic and galaxy cluster emission
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Host Institution:	New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Eight months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Nirupam Roy is an Associate Professor and Convener of the Joint Astronomy Programme in the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. He did MSc (2005) and PhD (2009) in Physics from the National Center for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR). Subsequently, Dr. Roy was a Jansky Fellow (2009-12) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, USA, and then a Humboldt Fellow (2013-15) at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn. He worked as an Assistant Professor of the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur (2015-16), before joining IISc in 2016. Dr. Roy has been awarded the Young Scientist Medal by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 2013 and the Laxminarayana & Nagalaxmi Modali award of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) in 2024. He has also served as one of the Ambassador Scientists of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in India during 2018-24.

The primary expertise of Dr. Roy is in the field of radio astronomy, and his research interests include study of the ISM and star formation, galactic novae, and observational cosmology.

During his Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence fellowship, Dr. Roy is planning to study low-frequency diffuse radio emission from Milky Way, other galaxies and galaxy clusters. These will be used to explore the nature of astrophysical turbulence as well as to address some of the challenges of detecting the cosmological 21-cm signal.

Lalremruati

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Interpreting and implementing policy: An ethnographic study of government high school teachers in Mizoram within the Connected Learning Initiative
Field of Study:	Educational Policy and Planning
Home Institution:	The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, Telangana
Host Institution:	Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Seven months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Lalremruati is a PhD candidate at the School of English Language Education at The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in linguistics, both from EFLU Hyderabad. Before her doctoral journey, she served as an assistant professor of English at the College of Horticulture, Central Agricultural University, Mizoram.

Her doctoral research is an ethnographic exploration of grassroots-level implementation of English language education policies in Mizoram. Her research focuses on the lived experiences of English teachers in government schools, examining how they navigate, negotiate, and recontextualize a technologically assisted program in their resource-challenged contexts.

As a Junior Research Fellow, Lalremruati has presented her work at several prestigious conferences in India and abroad on how teachers recontextualize policy measures. She is an active member of the History of English Language Education (HELE) Studies Society, India, where she disseminates the history of English language education in Mizoram through conferences and publications.

Through the Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Fellowship, Lalremruati is acquiring a cross-cultural comparative perspective on how language education policies affect minority groups in low-resource contexts. Her goal is to contribute to equitable and inclusive education for marginalized communities. In her free time, she enjoys watching documentaries on pretty much anything. She also writes whimsical little poems on her Instagram account.

Anjitha K. S.

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Cell wall remodeling under arsenic stress and associated functional biology in Oryza sativa L.
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences (Plant-related)
Home Institution:	University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala
Host Institution:	University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Anjitha K. S. is a PhD candidate in the Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Division at the Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Kerala under the guidance of Prof. Jos T. Puthur. Her doctoral research focuses on cell wall remodeling under arsenic stress and associated functional biology in rice. By employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates plant physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, her work will delve into the cellular and molecular responses of rice plants to arsenic stress, with an emphasis on cell wall remodeling. The cell wall serves as a critical barrier against arsenic uptake, and understanding its dynamic alterations under stress conditions is crucial for developing strategies to enhance arsenic tolerance.

Anjitha holds a bachelor’s degree in botany from St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, Kerala and a master’s degree in applied plant science from the University of Calicut, Kerala. She has qualified in various competitive exams and has published several research articles in reputed international journals, reflecting her interest in plant stress biology.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Anjitha is exploring the key mechanisms and pathways that govern arsenic stress-induced plant responses in collaboration with Prof. Om Parkash Dhankher’s lab. The ultimate goal of this study is to apply this knowledge to develop arsenic-stress resistant rice cultivars, which will help secure food production and safety in arsenic-affected regions. Anjitha is also passionate about teaching and mentoring. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening and travelling.

Sushrita Acharjee

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Cartographies of aural/oral remembrance: Songs and sounds of refugeehood and resistance from Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971
Field of Study:	Anthropology
Home Institution:	Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Seven months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Sushrita Acharjee works as an Assistant Professor of English at the School of Liberal Arts and Culture Studies, Adamas University, Kolkata. She is a PhD candidate at the Department of English, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, from where she previously earned her MPhil degree. From 2020 to 2022, she was a UGC-JRF and a teaching assistant at the Department of English, Jadavpur University.

In 2024, Sushrita was awarded the Charles Wallace India Trust Grant to conduct research in the UK for her doctoral thesis. She contributed to the BBC 3 radio documentary, Recording on the Nomad’s Trail, on Bengali ethnomusicologist Deben Bhattacharya. In 2021, she collaborated with History for Peace under Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Kolkata, India in preparing resources for and moderating a workshop, ‘Aesthetics of Resistance: Revisiting 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War through Various Art Forms’. She also served as a research fellow for Sahapedia-UNESCO on a project, Rituparno Ghosh: The First Queer Star of Bengal.

Sushrita has presented her research at various universities in the UK, Italy, and at Bangla Academy, Bangladesh, among others. She has contributed to publications by Bloomsbury and Routledge. Her research interests traverse sound cultures, war narratives, migration, oral cultures and other literary and performance studies.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Sushrita is investigating the possibility of songs and sounds leading to lesser-known histories of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. She is also training in ethnomusicology under experts, while exploring field research opportunities in the Bangladeshi immigrant communities in the USA.

Khadija Aslam

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Religion and finance
Field of Study:	Economics
Home Institution:	Delhi School of Economics, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Barnard College, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Khadija Aslam is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. She has completed her Masters in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and her B.Sc. in Economics from Presidency university. She has previously received the Ford Foundation fellowship for academic excellence in her master’s programme and has qualified the UGC-NET exam for assistant professorship in India. She has also been a recipient of the JRF and the SRF fellowship.

Khadija’s interest lies at the intersection of behavioural economics and development economics. How difference in religious beliefs and cultural practices transcends into varying social choices and economic outcomes prompted her research on the influence of religion on borrowing behaviour. In her earlier work, she has explored the differential impact socio-religious groups have on child health outcomes. Through her research, Khadija aims to understand how the tenets of Islam can influence a Muslim’s preference and the institutions that may then emerge as an outcome of this interaction. She believes that while religious or cultural norms may be perceived as hard to rationalize or too outdated to internalize, what economists often oversee is that these set of traditions when followed by a sizeable group of people and over a long period, in itself may trigger alternative structures conducive to existing institutions thereby generating a sub-economy.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow at Barnard College, Columbia University, Khadija examines the impact of residential segregation on intergenerational mobility in educational outcomes. Drawing on historical data on urban planning within cities, her research investigates how patterns of segregation and class dynamics shape access to opportunities and produce long-lasting effects across generations.

Besides Economics, Khadija enjoys good conversations, good food and sitcoms.

Ankit Banik

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Unlocking the promise of CAR-NK cell therapy
Field of Study:	Bioengineering
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	TBC, TBC, TBC
Grant Start Month:	November 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Ankit Banik is a PhD candidate at the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharashtra. His doctoral research focuses on the development of novel and efficacious chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapies, where he aims to harness the power of natural killer cells, a crucial component of the innate immune system, to target and eliminate cancer cells more effectively. His work aims to optimize the engineering of NK cells, enhancing their tumor-targeting capabilities and improving their overall therapeutic potential. His research strives to pave the way for innovative, personalized, and safer cancer treatments by advancing CAR-NK cell therapies.

Ankit completed his BSc in microbiology at University of Kalyani, acquiring a strong foundation in molecular biology, immunology, and cellular biology. Pursuing MSc in biotechnology at Pondicherry University, he honed his expertise in advanced laboratory techniques, genetic engineering, and cellular manipulation. Then as a project intern, he gained valuable research experience at the renowned Bose Institute.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Ankit is exploring the potential of CAR-NK cell therapy that is more effective in targeting and treating solid tumors, overcoming the challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment and improving the therapeutic outcomes for patients. Ankit is committed to translating his findings into clinical applications that will benefit patients, and passionate about bridging the gap between laboratory research and real-world cancer therapies.

Ankit loves travelling and enjoys trekking and hiking. He has a strong appreciation of music and dance as well.

Shakshi Bhardwaj

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Cellulose nanofiber aerogel supported shape-stabilized phase change materials for thermal energy storage
Field of Study:	Material Science (with emphasis on environmental applications)
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand
Host Institution:	University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Six months

Brief Bio:

Ms Shakshi Bhardwaj is a PhD candidate in the Department of Polymer and Process Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand. Her research focuses on developing multifunctional hydrophobic cellulose nanofiber aerogels integrated with phase change materials for thermal energy storage and insulation. This work aims to contribute to sustainable solutions in the building and automotive sectors.

Shakshi earned her BSc in Chemistry from the University of Delhi in 2017, followed by an MSc in Organic Chemistry from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 2019. In 2022, she began her doctoral studies under the supervision of Prof. Pradip Kumar Maji and was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF). She has bagged several awards at national and international conferences for excellence in research presentations.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Shakshi is conducting collaborative research at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her work focuses on cellulose-based materials for thermal insulation and thermal management applications. She is engaged in literature review, scientific writing, and hands-on learning of advanced material characterization techniques with full support from the host research group. The collaborative research is expected to contribute to sustainable material innovations relevant to both India and the United States.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Shakshi is passionate about promoting eco-friendly technologies and hopes to bridge fundamental research with real-world applications in sustainable infrastructure.

Arup Biswas

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Navigation strategy of dung beetles and their realization through programmable robots
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Eight months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Arup Biswas is a PhD candidate in Theoretical Physics at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His broad research interest lies in the study of non-equilibrium statistical physics and stochastic processes. Here, his primary focus is to quantify and understand a class of complex physical processes such as animal navigation, random search processes, and transport properties and find a universal picture to describe them through a single thread.

Arup holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal. There he was a recipient of the INSPIRE scholarship. Thereafter, he qualified in several national-level examinations such as NET JRF, GATE and JEST to avail a fellowship in PhD.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at Harvard University, Arup is working on experimental studies of dung beetles through programmable robots. Dung beetles are fascinating creatures that can use references as far off as the Milky Way galaxy to navigate towards home. His research in the US consists of understanding their motion through theoretical modelling, tabletop experiments and leveraging them for further real-life applications. Apart from academics Arup loves sketching, using cool digital tools and is interested in world politics, stock markets and cricket.

Oishi Choudhury

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Thalassemia trait screening and genetic counselling protocols: a comparative study in India and the U.S.
Field of Study:	Anthropology
Home Institution:	University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	University of California, San Francisco, CA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Oishi Choudhury is a PhD candidate at the Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi. She qualified for the University Grants Commission (UGC) NET-JRF (Junior Research Fellow) in 2022 and began her doctoral journey in 2023. She completed her master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Delhi, specializing in biological anthropology with a focus on epidemiology and public health.

Oishi has published a book chapter and a manuscript revolving around biological anthropology and public health. Her research interest extends to molecular anthropology. Her doctoral research aims at screening, awareness, and counselling of beta thalassemia trait among young adults in Delhi-NCR India.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at University of California San Francisco, Oishi is conducting a comparative study on thalassemia carrier screening and genetic counselling protocols in India and the US. Oishi is enhancing her expertise in advanced screening techniques for diagnosing thalassemia trait in the U.S. As part of her research, she will work at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, home to one of the largest thalassemia programs in the U.S.

Nipun Jain

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Engineering 3D bioprinted lungs-on-a-dish platform to investigate pulmonary fibrosis
Field of Study:	Bioengineering
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Host Institution:	The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Nipun Jain is a PhD candidate at the Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. His doctoral thesis focuses on developing a 3D bioprinted lungs-on-a-dish platform to investigate pulmonary fibrosis. He employs extrusion bioprinting and cultures the prepared lung tissue at an air-liquid interface which also incorporates advanced material characterizations to examine cellular structural morphology and functional expression.

Nipun holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. He has completed multiple internship projects offered by the Indian Academy of Sciences prior to joining the PhD program at IISc. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) and has published several research and review papers. He has also participated and presented his work at various national and international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at The Pennsylvania State University, Nipun is integrating 3D bioprinting with microfluidics to provide more reproducible insights into disease progression for evaluating therapeutic efficacy. The insights gained from his research will contribute to translation of novel drug screening platforms for pulmonary fibrosis and other lung-related disorders. When not in the lab, he can be found reading non-fiction or playing games. He is a music enthusiast, enjoys playing the guitar and is fond of travelling to explore new places for food.

Vineet Pramod Joshi

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Developing composite bioinks and characterizing their physical, biological properties for 3D bioprinting with DLP and extrusion bioprinters
Field of Study:	Bioengineering
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana
Host Institution:	Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Vineet Pramod Joshi is a clinician practicing ophthalmology at LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad and pursuing a PhD at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. He is on the faculty at Shantilal Shanghvi Cornea Institute, LVPEI, practicing cornea cataract and refractive surgeries. His research centres on translational applications of biomaterials, hydrogels, corneal bioengineering, and 3D bioprinting. He investigates developing artificial 3D bioprinted cornea.

After his master’s (DNB ) in ophthalmology he completed a fellowship in cornea and anterior segment in LVPEI Hyderabad and joined the institute. Vineet is not just a clinician-scientist, he is also a technologist at LVPEI Center for Technology Innovation where he works on digital diagnostics, AI-driven vision assessment, and bioengineering solutions. He has been awarded for presenting his work at several national and international forums, and received international travel grants. He has several publications in peer-reviewed international journals.

In his battle against corneal blindness, under the mentorship of Dr. Falguni Pati at IIT Hyderabad and Dr. Sayan Basu, LVPEI, he began a PhD in biomedical engineering and biomaterials at IIT Hyderabad to explore developing novel bioink hydrogels and 3D bioprinting translational therapies. As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Vineet is investigating how to develop composite materials derived from natural and synthetic sources, exploring novel light-based 3D bioprinting technology in achieving transparency, biomechanical strength, suturability and biointegration similar to native cornea. His research will explore developing newer customized and personalized treatments options for patients.

Lokeswari Malepati

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Condition assessment of bridges using unmanned aerial vehicles with multi-modal images and computer vision
Field of Study:	Computer Science
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana
Host Institution:	University of Houston, Texas, UT
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Lokeswari is a direct PhD candidate at the Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana. Her research focusses on developing computer vision algorithms suitable for usage in combination with drones for assessment of structures. She leverages multi-modal imaging and deep learning models for quantification of surface and subsurface damages in infrastructure.

Lokeswari holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. She has two years of experience in L&T’s research and testing laboratory where she worked on evaluating the suitability of lightweight concrete for structural applications and developing alternative connections for precast wall panels.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at University of Houston, Texas, Lokeswari is implementing the developed algorithms in the field for bridge inspections using drones. This research aims to evaluate the performance of these algorithms under practical scenarios and propose modifications to their architecture and training strategies. This work contributes to advancing unmanned aerial vehicle-based technologies for faster and more efficient structural assessments. In her free time, Lokeswari enjoys playing volleyball and table tennis.

Jaya Mathur

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Evidence, differences and the clinic: Ethnographic reflections on chronic pain medicine in India
Field of Study:	Sociology
Home Institution:	Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Boston University, Boston, MA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Jaya Mathur is a PhD Candidate at the Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds an MA in sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University and a BA in philosophy from Hindu College, University of Delhi. Her research interests include ethnographic and historical studies of evidentiality and truth-making practices in medicine, cultures of expertise, practices of the body and quantification, patient-centeredness, global pharmaceutical trajectories, medical technologies, and contested disease categories.

She has worked as a researcher with public health and health policy projects examining urban women’s experiences with assisted reproduction, social inequality and access to medicinal substances among Adivasi communities in central India, and the role of unqualified medical practitioners in rural healthcare. As an associate researcher at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi, Jaya studied how technologies and practices of digital health re-configured forms of medical and psychological expertise.

For her PhD, Jaya explores how non-cancer chronic pain is constituted as a diagnostic and therapeutic category in biomedicine amidst conditions of epistemic and ontological uncertainty. To this end, she documents the translational, ethical and relational thinking as well as labor undertaken by medical experts in collaboration with their patients.

During the Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship, Jaya is affiliated to the Department of Sociology at Boston University, working with Prof. Jane Pryma. She is expanding her research on the varying strains of expertise mobilized around chronic pain, and the medicalization of pain in India and the U.S.

Sreejith Ajithkumar Nair

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Testing general relativity using gravitational waves
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Host Institution:	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Grant Start Month:	March 2026
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Sreejith Ajithkumar Nair is a PhD candidate at the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. His research centres on gravitational waves, black hole physics, and constraining possible modifications to general relativity. By combining theoretical modelling with observational data, he investigates gravitational wave events, seeking evidence of new physics.

Sreejith holds a BS-MS dual degree in physics from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship and has presented his work at several national and international conferences. He has published in top journals and received fellowships such as KVPY and INSPIRE.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Sreejith is investigating how gravitational-wave observations can place stringent constraints on modified theories of gravity. His research aims to shed fresh light on the nature of black holes and explore possible deviations from general relativity in the strong-field regime. The study strives to enrich the understanding of gravitational phenomena. Outside of research, Sreejith enjoys classical music and photography.

Rutwij Nakhwa

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Rethinking the State: Hegel, Beckett, Poetry
Field of Study:	Language/Literature/Linguistics
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Rutwij Nakhwa is a PhD candidate in philosophy at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. His dissertation is on Hegel’s political philosophy. His research interests lie in Marx, psychoanalysis, film and literary theory, and B. R. Ambedkar. Since 2018, he has taught and guest-lectured at the Mass Media Department of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. For years, Rutwij covered India’s film festivals as a journalist and in various other capacities. He has written on cinema for The Hindu. He holds a post-graduate diploma in critical theory, aesthetics, and practice from Jnanapravaha Mumbai (2018) and a bachelor’s degree in Mass Media (Journalism) from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai (2017).

In 2024, Rutwij’s paper, ‘An Absolute Hegelianism for Postmodern Times: Hegel with Lacan after Bataille and Derrida’, was published in the Filozofija i društvo/Philosophy and Society journal. He has presented his work on Hegel at several conferences including those organised by Hegelian and philosophical societies, and on Ambedkar at the Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Rutwij’s interdisciplinary work will interface Hegel’s philosophy with poetic and literary work, primarily that of Samuel Beckett. His research aims at a philosophical-literary examination of (conceptual and figural) endings and beginnings in relation to our time of repetitive crises, a time in which even the imagination of alternatives seems impossible. In response, this project’s wager is to think of a different repetition, which will pinpoint the peculiar conditions of possibility for imagination and creation of alternatives, allowing for a transformative reactualization of Hegel’s philosophy, for our present.

Arpan Pal

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	A bias-free radio polarimetric imaging
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	National Radio Astronomical Observatory, Socorro, NM
Grant Start Month:	November 2025
Duration of Grant:	Seven months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Arpan Pal is a PhD candidate at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics – Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR), Pune, Maharashtra. His doctoral research focuses on studying the interaction of merger shocks with the intra-cluster medium in galaxy clusters. He uses a technique called radio interferometry which combines data from different radio antennas to form a large and sensitive radio telescope to study these objects in detail. His research also focuses on optimizing radio interferometry techniques to get a much clearer and sharper picture of the universe.

Arpan holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Burdwan Raj College, Burdwan and a master’s degree in physics from NCRA-TIFR. He collaborates actively with many national and international research groups and played an important role of projects that use both ground and space-based telescopes ranging from radio to X-rays.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at the National Radio Astronomical Observatory, Socorro, Arpan is exploring how several biases affect radio polarimetric imaging and, in turn, the conclusions in general. This is possibly the first attempt to characterize the radio polarimetric biases in the wide-band era of radio interferometry. He is part of the Algorithms Research and Development Group at NRAO. Arpan loves fishing, cooking and exploring new fishing spots and recipes.

Chinmaya Panda

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Total chemical synthesis of biosurfactant surfactin-inspired amidine peptides for anti-amyloid and anti-microbial applications
Field of Study:	Chemistry
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam
Host Institution:	Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Chinmaya Panda is a PhD candidate and a Prime Minister’s Research Fellow at the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam. His doctoral research focuses on using surfactants, surfactant-derived small peptides, and plant extracts as bioexcipients to reduce insulin aggregation. He utilizes various biophysical and biochemical techniques, alongside in silico simulations and in vitro cell culture assays, to assess the bioexcipient-mediated insulin aggregation inhibition.

Chinmaya holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from the National Institute of Technology Patna and a master’s degree in biological engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat. During his master’s, he was awarded a DAAD fellowship to investigate the impact of Alzheimer’s tau-PHF6 peptide aggregates on inflammasome and autophagy assembly at RWTH Aachen, Germany.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at Iowa State University, Chinmaya is exploring the use of natural lipopeptide-derived peptide moieties to reduce the physicochemical parameters-induced aggregation propensity of insulin. His research employs solid-phase peptide synthesis together with other characterization techniques, emphasizing the development of novel bioderived excipients to enhance the stability and effectiveness of insulin formulation, with the goal of benefiting the pharmaceutical industry and the millions of diabetes patients worldwide. Chinmay enjoys trekking and cycling along trails that delve into the dialectology, heritage, culture, and local cuisine of different regions.

Mandavi Pandey

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Understanding the nutrient-lipid profiling of DGDG synthase gene to understand the growth - stress trade off in rice (Oryza sativa)
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences (Plant-related)
Home Institution:	National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Mandavi Pandey is a PhD candidate at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi, India. Her research focuses on enhancing low phosphate tolerance among high-yield rice varieties that struggle in phosphate-deficient soils. To accomplish this, she is examining the galactolipid biosynthetic genes. She aims to improve elite rice cultivars by engineering beneficial non-lipid biosynthetic genes that promote low phosphorus tolerance and enhance phosphorus utilization efficiency. To gain deeper insight into the mechanisms involved, she has developed CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines to study their impact on root development under phosphate starvation conditions.

Mandavi earned her bachelor’s degree in science, majoring in botany with combined studies in zoology and chemistry, from the Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU). She completed her master’s degree from the Botany Department at BHU.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University, Mandavi is investigating the nutrient-lipid profiling of the DGDG synthase gene to explore the growth-stress trade-off in rice (Oryza sativa). She employs robust methodologies for chloroplastic ionome analysis and measures radioactive phosphorus acquisition efficiency in Dr. Hatem Rouached’s lab. In addition, she utilizes advanced lipidomic facilities, which significantly support her doctoral research. The results are expected to provide valuable insights into the relationship between photosynthetic development, nutrient balance, and plant growth, potentially paving the way for genetic innovations that enhance soil phosphorus utilization.

Mandavi enjoys painting, singing, and dancing, is passionate about English and Hindi literature and enjoys writing.

Seema Rani

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Development of All-2D retinomorphic hardware for advanced artificial vision systems inspired by the human retina
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	Institute of Nano Science and Technology Mohali, Mohali, Punjab
Host Institution:	The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Seema Rani is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali. Her current research focuses on developing novel 2D metal chalcogenides-based sensors, electronics, and memory devices, aiming to contribute innovative solutions to advance these fields. Her research also extends to micro-electrochemistry methods and micro-electrocatalysis. Over the course of her doctoral studies, she has published more than ten research articles in reputed journals and presented her findings at numerous national and international conferences.

Seema holds a bachelor’s degree in science from BPS Women’s University, Khanpur Kalan, Haryana and a master’s degree in physics from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana. She has been a recipient of various scholarships throughout her academic journey and ranked fifth in her master’s program. Additionally, she qualified in the CSIR-UGC NET examination in physical sciences with an all-India rank of 141 and was awarded the CSIR-JRF fellowship. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, meditation, cooking, and reading.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Seema is aiming at developing advanced biomimetic eye systems with in-sensor computing capabilities, specifically mimicking the functionality of bipolar cells essential for visual processing.

Aditi Barman Roy

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Speculative biologies: Investigating bioethics and posthumanism in select speculative fiction of the (post-)genomic era
Field of Study:	Language/Literature/Linguistics
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Aditi Barman Roy is a PhD candidate and a teaching assistant at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Roorkee. She completed her graduation and post-graduate studies in English from the University of Calcutta and Delhi University respectively. In addition, Aditi has completed her MPhil in gender studies from Jadavpur University. Currently, as a Senior Research Fellow in English at IIT Roorkee, Aditi delves into the bioethical complexities of modern biotechnological innovations through the lens of literary fiction.

Aditi’s research on bioethics has been published in well-known journals such as the English Academy Review (Taylor and Francis) and Symposium: A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures (Taylor and Francis). She has also contributed chapters to academic books related to her field of study and presented her research at various international conferences. Among her accolades is the prestigious Indian Council of Social Sciences Research grant for presenting her work at Brunel University in London and full funding to pursue her research at the University of Oklahoma for six weeks.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at Harvard, Aditi is working in the field of science and technology studies (STS) to address the complex bioethical challenges arising from the recent biomedical advancements in the 21st century. Her research is focused on the narratives of speculative fiction that investigate the bioethics of medical practice from the lens of critical posthumanism. In her free time, Aditi enjoys painting, reading, trekking, and exploring new genres of cinema.

Samriddhi Saxena

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Development of solid-state sodium batteries via melt infiltration
Field of Study:	Materials Science
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Host Institution:	Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Samriddhi Saxena is a PhD candidate in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore, focusing on the development of oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries. Her doctoral research focuses on designing efficient and eco-friendly alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, addressing the critical need for sustainable and scalable energy storage systems. She has expertise in synthesizing and characterizing air-sensitive materials using various structural and electrochemical techniques.

Samriddhi holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree from IIT Indore, where she received the Institute Silver Medal for her work on biphasic layered oxide cathodes. She has been awarded the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship and has presented her research at various conferences, publishing in top journals. She has also worked as a Process Engineer at Hindustan Zinc Limited, leading a Six Sigma project on magnesium removal from ZnSO4 solutions.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at Georgia Institute of Technology, Samriddhi is hoping to develop technologically relevant sodium-ion-based solid-state cells by employing melt infiltration of solid-state electrolytes into electrodes. Her research seeks to achieve performance metrics comparable to liquid electrolyte-based cells at practical charge/discharge rates, addressing key challenges in solid-state energy storage. This work contributes to global advancements in renewable energy technologies by tackling the scalability and performance barriers of sodium-ion-based solid-state batteries. Samriddhi is passionate about teaching and enjoys traveling, cooking, and gardening.

Tarun Sharma

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	TIWN: A framework for enhancing transformer inference using wireless NoC
Field of Study:	Computer Science
Home Institution:	Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	, Fairfax, VA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Tarun Sharma is a PhD candidate at the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi. His doctoral research focuses on improving the performance and sustainably of heterogeneous CPU-GPU based multicore architecture. He also focuses on customising the open-source RISC-V architecture for various applications.

Tarun holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology, Delhi and a master’s degree in microelectronics from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Hyderabad Campus.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Tarun is aiming to enhance transformer inference using Wireless Network-On-Chip (WNoC) and Machine Learning-based DRAM prefetcher. The proposed framework is expected to improve transformer inference while reducing the power required for off-chip DRAM access, while not requiring any changes in the software and is independent of any CPU, GPU, or accelerator hardware.

Charu Sharma

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Cryopreservation of Persea americana using Micrografting for Regeneration
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences (Plant-related)
Home Institution:	Panjab University, Chandigarh
Host Institution:	The Huntington, San Marino, CA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Charu Sharma is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, with expertise in plant tissue culture, cryopreservation, and the production of secondary metabolites. Her research focuses on high-altitude medicinal plants, with the primary aim of developing robust conservation protocols. By integrating molecular insights and antioxidant profiling, she investigates changes in cryopreserved tissues to ensure long-term viability.

Charu holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, and a master’s degree in Botany from Punjabi University, Patiala. During her PhD, she contributed to peer-reviewed publications that integrated methodological precision with conceptual clarity. Her passion for science goes beyond experimentation; she excels at translating complex research findings into visually compelling and academically rigorous outputs. She brings in a thoughtful balance of analytical detail and narrative coherence, reflecting her commitment to conservation-driven research.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Charu is currently advancing a pioneering study on cryopreservation of avocado at The Huntington. The project aims to optimize tropical germplasm conservation through vitrification-based techniques, contributing to broader ecological restoration efforts and sustainable agricultural practices.

Sehajpal Singh

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Unveiling Martian climate dynamics: A comprehensive study of spiders
Field of Study:	Earth Sciences
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Sehajpal Singh is a PhD candidate at the Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, IIT Bombay. His doctoral research focuses on studying water and dry ice’s impact in Martian climate using modeling and data analysis. He is a planetary science enthusiast and believes one should explore the cosmos, for there might be a compelling reason for its vastness. He is also a Board Member at OpenPlanetary, an international non-profit organization.

Sehajpal holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), Patiala, Punjab. He also co-founded the Thapar Amateur Astronomers Society, a TIET student club dedicated to the love of space and astronomy. This keen interest in space science motivated him to pursue an MTech in remote sensing and GIS (specialization: water resources) from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), ISRO, Dehradun. In his MTech research project, he studied the spatio-temporal dynamics of Mars’ north polar ice cap and subsurface water ice detection on Mars.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech, Sehaj is understanding the role of volatile ices in the Martian climate. His research will characterize the substrate and frost surrounding the araneiforms (spider-like features) present near the south pole of Mars. The study strives to contribute to the knowledge of araneiform morphologies and their correlation with local environmental conditions, which can provide insight as to whether there is ground ice within the topmost layer of the substrate.

Sreelakshmy Thekkekara

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Fundamental studies of earth-abundant materials-based cathodes for sodium-ion batteries
Field of Study:	Energy Studies
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Host Institution:	SLAC- National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Sreelakshmy Thekkekara is a PhD candidate in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram. Her doctoral research focuses on the development of cathode materials for high-performance sodium-ion batteries. She is passionate about innovations in energy storage devices and is actively seeking new methods to improve battery materials and discover new systems with enhanced electrochemical performance.

Sreelakshmy holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Vimala College, Thrissur, and a master’s degree in physics from the Central University of Kerala. She is a Prime Minister’s Research Fellow and began her PhD at the School of Physics, IISER, in August 2022.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center, National Accelerator Laboratory, Sreelakshmy is conducting scientific research focused on the fundamental studies of earth-abundant materials for cathodes used in sodium-ion batteries. This research area is crucial to advance sodium-ion battery technology, which is considered a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the abundance and lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. Her work will also involve understanding electrochemical processes and structural changes using various spectroscopy and imaging techniques, including electron, X-ray, and neutron methods. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, and exploring new places to discover food and culture.

Rishabh Yadav

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	India’s foreign policy in the post-Cold War period: Constructing identity, interests and (in)securities
Field of Study:	Political Science
Home Institution:	Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Hoover Institution, Stanford, CA
Grant Start Month:	November 2025
Duration of Grant:	Seven months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Rishabh Yadav is a PhD candidate at the MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. His research focuses on drawing linkages between the construction of state identity and state interests with the foreign policy and security issues. In his doctoral thesis, India’s Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War Period: Constructing Identity, Interests, and (In)securities, Rishabh is examining the contestations in state identity and its effect on India’s foreign policy in the post-Cold War period. His broader areas of interest are foreign policy and security issues in South Asia, constructivist international relations theory, populism and politics of rising power.

Rishabh’s work has been published on popular media platforms such as The Diplomat, East Asia Forum, and The National Interests. His review essays have been published in academic journals such as India Quarterly and Cambridge Review of International Affairs. He is a Network for Advanced Studies of Pakistan (NASP) Fellow 2024-25. Rishabh enjoys fiction, sports and popular culture. He plays tennis and football.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Rishabh is planning to work on a section of his doctoral thesis in which he will examine the underlying norms, beliefs and perceptions that have shaped India-US relations in the post-Cold War period.

Sheetal Mary Arockiamani

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Higher Education Administration
Home Institution:	Vinayaka Mission’s Law School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	June 2025
Duration of Grant:	One year

Brief Bio:

Ms. Sheetal Mary Arockiamani is a higher education professional based in Chennai, with extensive experience across diverse facets of the education sector. Over the past eight years, her work has encompassed pre-service teacher education, language and literacy program implementation for primary school students, and academic program management.

Sheetal has played a pivotal role in building two emerging higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu and has contributed significantly to shaping their academic journeys. As a founding team member at Sai University, Sheetal played a crucial role in establishing the Admissions Office and the Academics Office. At Vinayaka Mission’s Law School, she managed the Academics Office and facilitated a communication skills lab for students. Sheetal earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Anna University and completed the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University.

As a recipient of the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship, Sheetal is exploring the factors that drive student success in higher education. She is committed to fostering inclusive educational environments and creating impactful learning experiences that empower students to achieve their full potential.

Gunanka Dundanayakanahally Basavaraju

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Administration
Home Institution:	Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, Meghalaya
Host Institution:	Columbia University, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Two years

Brief Bio:

Mr. Gunanka D. B., an Indian Forest Service officer, has served as Additional Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, with over 16 years of experience in technology and public administration. He has led state-wide programs in natural resource management, climate resilience, and digital governance.

Gunanka spearheaded the World Bank-financed Community-Led Landscape Management Project, which pioneered the Village Community Facilitator model, training more than 14,000 local champions in community-led natural resource management, spring mapping, bamboo resource assessments, and seedball-based afforestation. He led the launch of GREEN Meghalaya, India’s first state-scale Payment for Ecosystem Services program, empowering communities to conserve over 1,000 sq. kms of forest. He championed the conservation of over 150 living root bridges through cooperative federations and community co-nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status. Under the JICA-financed MegLIFE program, he strengthened community-based forest management, cooperative livelihood models, and climate-resilient bamboo value chains.

Gunanka advanced geospatial governance by promoting the State Geo Portal and UAV Centre, expanded open data policies, and developed agile management information systems with real-time monitoring tools. He played a key role in integrating service delivery, grievance redress, and community data collection through the MeghalayaOne digital governance platform.

An electronics and communications engineer from R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, Gunanka is pursuing the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship to deepen his expertise in sustainable development, institutional reform, and technology-enabled governance. He aims to leverage this training to design scalable, community-driven governance systems that enhance climate resilience, inclusive growth, and data-driven policymaking in India’s public administration.

Anviti Chaturvedi

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	International Legal Studies
Home Institution:	Ministry of External Affairs, Tokyo, Japan
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	One year

Brief Bio:

Ms. Anviti Chaturvedi is an officer of the Indian Foreign Service, with over 10 years of work experience in law, policy and diplomacy. Currently, she is posted as Political & Media Officer in the Embassy of India, Tokyo.

Anviti graduated with a BA LLB from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. Thereafter, she worked as a senior analyst with PRS Legislative Research, New Delhi, supporting Members of Parliament with research across a range of sectors including external affairs, defense and home affairs.

As part of her diplomatic duties, Anviti was deployed as Liaison Officer at the G7 Summit, Hiroshima, and the G20 Summit, New Delhi, in 2023. She also had the opportunity to be a part of the Indian delegation in various high-level bilateral (India-Japan) and Quad (Australia-India-Japan-US) dialogues in Tokyo. Concurrently, with her role as Political and Media Officer, she served as the officer-in-charge of bilateral relations with the Republic of the Marshall Islands. While posted in Tokyo, Anviti also studied the Japanese language, and attained a high-level of proficiency.

Under the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship, Anviti is pursuing an LLM focusing on the intersection of law of the sea, technology regulation, and national security law. After completing the course, she intends to work in areas relating to international law and India’s policy initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region, while serving with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Nivedhitha Kalyanaraman

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	International Legal Studies
Home Institution:	Independent Lawyer, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	One year

Brief Bio:

Nivedhitha is a Lawyer specializing in Constitutional Law. She graduated with a BA LLB from Alliance University, Bangalore in 2014, where she secured the gold medal for academic excellence.

She served as a Law Clerk and Research Associate to Dr. Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, the former Chief Justice of India, for nearly four years. She worked on crucial constitutional issues. She assisted the Chief Justice on the cases relating to the challenge to Electoral Bonds, the sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes, the right to marriage of queer persons, the special status of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University, the challenge to the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the ban on Media One, among others. During her clerkship tenure, she also worked on drafting the Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes and the Sensitization Module for the Judiciary on LGBTQIA+, both published by the Supreme Court of India. She is currently working on a project on electoral democracy at the Vidhi Center for Legal Policy, New Delhi.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Nivedhitha is studying constitutional law and philosophy with a focus on the law of democracy. She wishes to identify the social, political, and legal structures that dilute electoral democracy during her study in the United States. After returning to India, Nivedhitha plans to work towards strengthening the democratic process through impactful legal and policy interventions.

Sampada Mehta

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Administration
Home Institution:	Government of India, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Columbia University, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Two years

Brief Bio:

Ms. Sampada Mehta is a career civil servant with the Indian Administrative Service. She has worked in challenging geographical areas including the insurgency-affected district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. She has delivered upon diverse public service objectives which included managing centralized procurement of medicines and medical equipment for public health institutions and promoting integrated development of indigenous communities.

Sampada has led the World Bank-funded Maharashtra Agricultural Competitiveness Project and focused on promoting farmer producer companies. In her current assignment as Private Secretary to the President of India, she plays an important role in enhancing the interaction and engagement of the common man with the highest office of the Republic of India.

Sampada is a chartered accountant by training. Prior to joining the civil services, she rendered consultancy services in accounting, auditing, and taxation to various entities.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Sampada is pursuing a Master in Public Administration degree with the sub-specialty of public financial management. She hopes to gain advanced insights into efficient resource mobilization and optimum resource utilization. She looks forward to contributing to making fiscal policies that promote growth with equity and sustainability. As a cultural ambassador from India, Sampada is keen on sharing the Indic knowledge of yoga and meditation with her cohort and making friends with students from diverse backgrounds.

Twisha Mehta

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Women’s and Gender Studies
Home Institution:	Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights, Asia & Pacific, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Host Institution:	The New School, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Two years

Brief Bio:

Ms. Twisha Mehta is a researcher, designer, and educator. Trained as a designer in visual communication design, her pedagogies and practice lie primarily in democratic rights and social and ecological justice and in centering feminist principles of resource sharing.

She currently works with the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights, Asia & Pacific as a strategic communications facilitator, where she leads a political and anthropological inquiry into conceptualizing storytelling techniques to amplify feminist resistance in Asia and the Pacific. Twisha has studied communication design at MIT Institute of Design, Pune and has a post-graduate diploma in human rights law from the National Law School of India University. In earlier projects with the Society for Informal Education and Development Studies, Jatan Sansthan, and South Asian Women’s Foundation India, Twisha explored the role of design in shaping and shifting cultural narratives and recognizing its potential in driving social change.

Twisha’s experiences with feminist activist-led communities proved that as part of movements, communities thrive in spaces of care, convening, and critique. In late 2021, she ventured into teaching critical systems thinking to undergraduate students of design and her endeavor culminated in creating learning communities through co-organized initiatives such as ‘Visual Fossils’ and the ‘Learning Circle: Decolonial and Feminist Knowledge Production’ with the Swiss Anthropological Society’s Interface Commission for Engaged Anthropology.

Through her Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellowship, Twisha is working on tracing the complexities between designer and anthropological traditions and the ecological crisis through the lens of sociocultural and feminist struggles around rights, care, and vulnerability.

Renu Raj

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Health
Home Institution:	Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	One year

Brief Bio:

Dr. Renu Raj is a medical doctor and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, currently serving as Director of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala. She has held key roles, including District Collector of Wayanad, Ernakulam, and Alappuzha, as well as Director of Kerala’s Urban Development Department. Her work spans governance, development, and public health, with a focus on welfare programs for over 3,300 tribal settlements, implementing the Aspirational Districts Program, urban infrastructure projects under AMRUT, and managing COVID-19 responses effectively.

Dr. Raj earned her MBBS degree from Government Medical College, Kottayam, and an MA in Public Management from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has also completed leadership and governance training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, which honed her administrative capabilities.

Recognized for her outstanding contributions to governance, Dr. Raj has received several honors, including a Good Service Entry from NITI Aayog and the GFiles Governance Award. She was ranked second in the 2015 UPSC Civil Services Examination and featured in India Today’s prestigious List of Doers and Makers, highlighting her impactful career.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Dr. Raj is pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. She seeks to combine her expertise in public administration and medicine to strengthen global healthcare systems, bridge public health and policy gaps, and improve healthcare access worldwide.

Shreyashi Ray

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Health
Home Institution:	Lawyer and Public Policy Professional, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Boston, MA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	One year

Brief Bio:

Ms. Shreyashi Ray is a lawyer and policy professional with experience in health, disability, and queer rights. As part of her work at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi between 2021 and 2025, she has advised union and state governments on legal frameworks for public health emergencies, disability inclusion, and the right to health in India. She has also worked with CSOs and the medical community to recommend policies prioritizing ethical end-of-life care and queer-affirmative healthcare.

Prior to this, she worked with the District Administration of Ranchi from 2018 to 2020 to implement critical health initiatives in under-served areas. During the COVID-19 epidemic, she devised the district’s health and welfare plan with the district machinery and civil society, and established helplines for mental health, domestic violence, and migrant support.

Shreyashi graduated from The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata with a BA, LLB (Hons.) degree in 2016, after which she worked at the National Law University, Delhi till 2018 on the first comprehensive open science report in India.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Shreyashi is studying public health with a focus on health policy and aims to implement rights-based health policies in India that build a culture incentivizing inclusion and sharing of relevant, authentic data. Through this, she hopes to make the public health system in India more transparent, collaborative, inclusive of marginalized communities, and responsive to social needs.

Tanaya Singh

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Journalism and Mass Communication
Home Institution:	The Better India, Bangalore, Karnataka
Host Institution:	New York University, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Two years

Brief Bio:

Ms. Tanaya Singh has been a writer, editor, and content strategist for 12 years, and has extensively reported on individuals developing solutions to challenges in their communities. Most recently, she served as Chief Editor at The Better India, Asia’s largest solutions-based publication, where she led a team of journalists covering changemakers, unsung heroes, and development initiatives, with particular emphasis on human rights, social justice, and gender equity. Previously, Tanaya was the Executive Editor at Youth Ki Awaaz, a media platform empowering young citizens to voice their concerns.

Through her work, Tanaya has seen transformative stories reach millions around the world. These reports showcase the good in India shaped by civil society interventions. She has designed editorial strategies in collaboration with organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and EkStep Foundation on topics such as sustainability, girls’ education, and women empowerment. She played a key role in shaping content strategies that foster collaboration within India’s early childhood development ecosystem, other than hosting discussions on ‘Bringing Girls Back to Schools after COVID-19’, and ‘Women at Workplaces’.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Tanaya is expanding her understanding of the first principles of reporting and communication for social change. She is interested in exploring how solutions journalism can be shaped as an ethically grounded and socially responsible field in India, while reviving its nuances and potential for impact. She aspires to contribute to the training of young journalists in this field, especially in Indian media.

Midhun Vijayan

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Journalism and Mass Communication
Home Institution:	Down To Earth, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	New York University, New York, NY
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	1.5 years

Brief Bio:

Hailing from Kerala, Mr. Midhun Vijayan has been working for the last four years as a video journalist and producer at Down To Earth magazine in New Delhi. Apart from producing reports on science, technology, agriculture, health and public policy, he has travelled across India to make documentaries on climate change adaptation and mitigation from the perspective of rural communities.

Midhun has been honored with a Special Jury Mention at the India International Science Film Festival for a report that explored the solid waste management practices of India’s megacities. He was part of the team that received the Ramnath Goenka Award for Broadcast Journalism in the Environment and Science category, one of the highest journalism honors in the country.

Midhun has more than five years of experience producing documentaries, explainers and ground reports for India’s traditional media, new media as well as not-for-profit organizations. Based on his extensive experience, he was chosen to be a part of PSBT’s prestigious Doc_Commune cohort in 2024-25. He started his video production career with The Better India, Bangalore after graduating from the Mass Communication Research Department of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, with a university rank and gold medal.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, Midhun is working to expand his craft to explore complex concepts of empathy, duty, morality and social justice in the backdrop of contemporary news topics. In the long run, he aims to contribute to the new wave of documentary culture in India through mentorship programs for India’s youth.

Atanu Betal

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Sub-nanometer Channel Length Vertical Organic FET (VOFET) for high-performance Neuromorphic applications
Field of Study:	Physical Sciences
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Host Institution:	Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Grant Start Month:	March 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twelve months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Atanu Betal is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. He earned his BSc in 2014 from Garhbeta College, affiliated with Vidyasagar University, West Bengal, and completed his MSc in 2017 at Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. In September 2023, he was awarded a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur. He was a Senior Research Fellow from January 2024 to March 2024 at IITJ.

Dr. Betal’s research interests are in the field of experimental condensed matter physics, primarily focused on the fabrication of resistive memory, neuromorphic synaptic devices using organic materials, and scanning tunneling microscopy of low-dimensional materials. He has published 34 research articles (eight as the first author and 26 as a co-author) in reputable international journals.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at GIT, Georgia, Dr. Betal is focusing on the fabrication of vertical FETs and their application in neuromorphic synaptic devices — an area of growing interest among scientists for advancing artificial intelligence hardware. During his fellowship, Dr. Betal aims to explore different organic semiconducting materials for the FET with sub-nanometer channel length.

Arin Bhakat

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Sustainable production of Nitric Acid from Nitrogen/Air in Water Droplets
Field of Study:	Chemistry
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam
Host Institution:	Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Arin Bhakat is currently a project staff member (SRF-Direct) at the Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam. He earned his BSc in 2016 from Haldia Government College under Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, and completed his MSc in 2018 at Presidency University, Kolkata. In July 2024, he was awarded a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Assam.

Dr. Bhakat’s research interests are primarily in the field of crystal engineering, especially 2D crystals and moiré superlattice, design, synthesis, characterization, and self-assembly of nanomaterials (QDs, metal NPs, NCs & Janus structure) and organic-inorganic molecular microcrystals for optoelectronic devices and sensors, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. He has published many research papers in various internationally reputed journals and has an Indian technology transfer patent. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the Stanford University, Dr. Bhakat is working with Prof. Zare and focusing on water micro-droplet assisted catalytic synthesis of nitric acid directly from nitrogen/air in the ambient conditions. He aims to explore sustainable water micro-droplet catalysis, scaling up the synthesis, and investigating reaction pathways.

Indranil Chakraborty

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Exploring the implications of gravitational wave memory effects in cosmology and modified gravity
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Indranil Chakraborty is currently an institute postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, where he has been working since May 2023. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, affiliated with University of Calcutta, in 2015. He then completed both his master’s degree in physics (2017) and PhD (2023) at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal.

Dr. Chakraborty’s research interests lie in gravitational physics, particularly in the study of gravitational wave memory effects — a subtle and yet-to-be-detected phenomenon predicted by general relativity. Over the years, he has authored several research articles, including a single-author publication in reputed international journals.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, Dr. Chakraborty is investigating how gravitational wave memory effects manifest in cosmological settings. His project also aims to develop a formalism for calculating memory effects in modified theories of gravity. This research is crucial for next-generation gravitational wave detectors, as they are expected to probe potential deviations from general relativity — currently the best-verified theory of gravity.

Swati Mehta Dhawan

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Exploring urban migrants' financial firsts: How financial systems can affect long-term financial health
Field of Study:	Sociology
Home Institution:	Independent researcher, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Host Institution:	Tufts University, Medford, MA
Grant Start Month:	January 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Swati Mehta Dhawan is a development sector researcher and consultant with 15 years of progressive experience advising financial service providers, international development organizations, and governments on inclusive finance. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics in 2007 from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, and completed her post-graduate diploma in forest management with a major in development management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. In January 2023, she earned a PhD in economic geography from the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany.

Dr. Dhawan’s research interests are primarily in the fields of digital financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, financial capability, and consumer protection in the context of global phenomena such as migration, climate change, and digitalization. Her work spans developing market economies in Asia and Africa. Her doctoral research focused on understanding the financial lives of refugees and asylum seekers. She has published several research articles in reputed international journals. She received the Microfinance Research Award 2018 at the European Microfinance Network for her research in Germany.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr. Dhawan is working closely with the leading researchers in this field, Prof. Katrina Burgess, a Professor of Political Economy and Director of the Henry J. Leir Institute of Human Security, and Prof. Kim Wilson, senior lecturer in Human Security at The Fletcher School. Dr. Dhawan is exploring how newly arrived immigrants in the US use informal, formal, and digitized financial systems to optimize their incomes, build assets, and improve their financial health.

Abhishek Dixit

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Investigating river response to mass waste: Implications for flood risk in a warming Himalaya
Field of Study:	Earth Sciences
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Host Institution:	Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Grant Start Month:	October 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Abhishek Dixit is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He earned his BTech in 2015 from JSS Noida, affiliated to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, and completed his MTech in 2018 at IIT Guwahati. In March 2024, he was awarded a PhD from IIT Guwahati. As part of his doctoral research, he worked as a guest PhD student at the University of Goettingen, Germany, under the NAMASTE+ program funded by DAAD and the German Ministry of Education and Research.

Dr. Dixit’s research spans fluvial sedimentology, groundwater, glaciers, and oceans, with publications in leading international journals. He has also visited the University of Leeds under the BRAINSTORM project, funded by the university’s International Strategy Fund, to advance collaborations on Himalayan research.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Dixit is studying the impacts of large mass-wasting events, such as landslides and ice-rock avalanches, on river dynamics and flooding risks in the Brahmaputra River basin. His work combines geochronology, remote sensing, and numerical simulations to evaluate the consequences of these events in a warming Himalayan environment.

Karen L Donoghue

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Cultural Continuity and Community: An Oral History of the Mizo Diaspora in the United States of America
Field of Study:	History
Home Institution:	North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya
Host Institution:	Baylor University, Waco, TX
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Karen L. Donoghue is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong, Meghalaya. She obtained her BA from St. Anthony’s College, Shillong, which is affiliated with North-Eastern Hill University, in 2007 and completed her MA at Sikkim Manipal University in 2010. In July 2021, she was awarded a PhD by North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong, Meghalaya.

Dr. Donoghue’s research interests primarily lie in the fields of media representation, gender, and oral history, focusing on the intersection of media and self-representation, with oral history as a central method. She has published several research articles in reputable national and international journals. She was awarded a gold medal by North-Eastern Hill University for achieving first rank in her BA program.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Baylor University, Texas, Dr. Donoghue is focusing on the experiences, values, and practices of the Mizo diaspora in the United States through their oral histories. During her fellowship, she will examine migration patterns, community formation, and socio-political integration through lenses such as community collectives known as ‘pawls’ and the Mizo song tradition, as well as the role of technology and social media in preserving the cultural identity of the Mizo in the United States. Given the Mizo community’s predominantly Christian faith and the sizeable Christian population in the U.S., this project offers a unique perspective on transnational identity and solidarity.

Mamatha Gandham

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Pathways to collective action: Gendered dynamics and Labor mobilization in India's Gig economy
Field of Study:	Women’s and Gender Studies
Home Institution:	Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Mamatha Gandham is an independent researcher whose work delves into the intersection of labor, gender, and social movements. She holds an MA in History from the University of Hyderabad and earned her PhD in Women’s and Gender Studies from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi in December 2023. Her doctoral research was supported by the ICSSR Institutional Doctoral Fellowship (2017–2019).

Dr. Gandham’s research focuses on the organization of women workers within labor movements, examining how the interconnected realms of production and social reproduction shape women’s participation in these movements. Her work sheds light on the structural challenges and opportunities for women’s labor mobilization in India.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Gandham is investigating the experiences of women workers in the gig economy. Her research delves into their working conditions, and their efforts to collectivize and build bargaining power. In an era where the gig economy is reshaping employment patterns, Dr. Gandham’s work critically explores its gendered dimensions and the potential for labor mobilization within this sector. Through this fellowship, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the pathways for collective action among women gig workers in India.

Rajes Ghosh

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Beyond Einstein’s theory: Understanding the Nature of Compact Objects and Gravity
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Host Institution:	Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Grant Start Month:	January 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

After finishing his PhD in June 2024 from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Dr. Rajes Ghosh is currently pursuing a one-year postdoctoral position at the Department of Astrophysical Relativity in the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru. He earned his BSc in 2017 from Burdwan Raj College, affiliated with Burdwan University, and completed his MSc in 2019 at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Dr. Ghosh was a Prime Minister Research Fellow (PMRF) during his PhD and a recipient of the Inspire fellowship during his BSc and MSc. The national PMRF website showcased his scholarly works as commendable research. During his MSc, he received the award for Outstanding Research Performance along with the President’s, Director’s, and Institute gold medals from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar.

Dr. Ghosh’s primary research interests include probing gravity in strong field regimes, gravitational wave signatures of modified gravity, physics of ultra-compact objects, and quantum aspects of gravity. He has published 14 research articles in several reputed international journals, including Letters and Rapid Communications in Physical Review D.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at Krieger School of Arts and Science, Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Ghosh is exploring the gravitational properties of ultra-compact objects, both with and without horizons, such as black holes and compact stars. By studying their gravitational wave and shadow signatures, he aims to explore and constrain potential new physics beyond general relativity.

Jyoti Gupta

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	MoS2/MXene nanocomposites as bifunctional electrocatalysts for water electrolyzers
Field of Study:	Energy Studies
Home Institution:	Independent researcher, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Host Institution:	University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
Grant Start Month:	March 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Jyoti Gupta is an independent researcher from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. She earned her BSc (physics & mathematics) in 2013 and her MSc (physics) in 2015 from Udai Pratap Autonomous College, affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. In June 2024, she was awarded a PhD from the University of Hyderabad, Telangana State. Dr. Gupta was a visiting research fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-BHU), Varanasi from January 2024 to October 2024.

Dr. Gupta’s research interests are primarily in the field of development of earth-abundant electrocatalysts for energy conversion application with a focus of hydrogen evolution reaction application. She has published several research articles in reputed international journals. She was also recognized for one of her publications under the University of Hyderabad’s Incentive of Excellence scheme.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Dr. Gupta is focusing on the development of MoS2/MXene nanocomposite using fluorine-free synthesis method and its utilization as bifunctional electrocatalyst for water electrolyzers. During his fellowship, Dr. Gupta aims to explore cost-effective bifunctional electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting.

Mohit Gupta

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Sustainable Fisheries Management: A study of regulatory policies for dealing with the issue of Bycatch in India and the U.S.
Field of Study:	Public Policy
Home Institution:	Gujarat Maritime University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Host Institution:	Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Grant Start Month:	December 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twelve months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Mohit Gupta is an assistant professor at Gujarat Maritime University, Gujarat, India. He earned his BA LLB(Hons.) degree in 2016 from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow and completed his LLM in international law in 2018 from South Asian University, Delhi. In 2023, he was awarded a PhD from the Gujarat National Law University, Koba, Gujarat. Dr. Gupta has received prestigious fellowships from the Korea Maritime Institute and the University of the Faroe Islands to attend the Yeosu Academy on the Law of the Sea and the Academy on the Continental Shelf. He has been a fellow at the United Nations Regional Course in International Law.

Dr. Gupta’s research interests lie in international law and the law of the sea, with a focus on international fisheries governance. He has published research articles in international journals, including Ocean Development and International Law (Taylor and Francis), International Journal on Minority and Group Rights (Brill), and the Indian Journal of International Law (Springer). His performance at the Yeosu Academy on the law of the sea earned him a diploma with magna cum laude.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the U.S. Naval War College, Dr. Gupta is conducting a comparative analysis of fisheries bycatch regulations in India and the United States. The issue of bycatch is posing a substantial challenge to sustainable fisheries management. Dr. Gupta aims to develop and present policy recommendations to address the challenges associated with bycatch.

Aarthi Kannan

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Eco-Forward Phosphorus monitoring: Zirconium-based Hybrid Mxene and Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane modified Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle membrane for Dual-Selective Phosphate Sensing in soil and water
Field of Study:	Material Science
Home Institution:	Sorbonne University, Paris, France
Host Institution:	Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Aarthi Kannan is currently an Ingenieur de recherche (research engineer) at the Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, Sorbonne Université, France, since December 2024. She got her PhD degree from SASTRA Deemed University, Tamil Nadu, in August 2024. Aarthi earned her MTech in medical nanotechnology (integrated) from the same institution in May 2019.

Dr. Kannan’s research primarily focuses on nanotechnology, particularly in materials science (hybrid and 2D nanomaterials) and electrochemical nanosensors for environment and health applications. She has published 10 research articles in reputed scientific Q1 journals and holds two Indian patents. She is also the co-founder and innovator of SENSOIL, a start-up incubated at ABLEST-TBI, SASTRA.

Dr. Kannan was awarded the UGC-Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship for Single Girl Child to pursue her PhD. Also, she was awarded the prestigious Mitacs-SICI Globalink research (Indo-Canadian) grant to pursue her research internship at McMaster’s University, Ontario, Canada. She has actively participated in national and international conferences, delivering both oral and poster presentations.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Kansas State University, Dr. Kannan is working with Dr. Suprem R. Das in the Micro/Nano Materials and Device Manufacturing Group. During this fellowship, her research will focus on developing two-dimensional, atomically thin nanoscale materials to fabricate innovative dual-selective phosphate electrochemical sensors for soil and water analysis in neutral pH conditions.

Chandan Pradhan

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Higher-order spectral shift functions
Field of Study:	Mathematical Sciences
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Karnataka
Host Institution:	University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Chandan Pradhan is currently an NBHM postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. He earned his BSc in 2016 from Midnapore College, West Bengal, affiliated with Vidyasagar University, and completed his MSc in 2018 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. In July 2023, he was awarded a PhD from IIT Guwahati, Assam, under the supervision of Dr. Arup Chattopadhyay. Dr. Pradhan was an IoE postdoctoral fellow at IISc (October 2023–July 2024).

Dr. Pradhan’s research interests are primarily in the field of operator theory, with a focus on the trace formulas and spectral shift functions. He has published several research articles in reputed international journals. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, Dr. Pradhan is working on higher-order spectral shift functions (SSF) using the theory of multiple operator integrals. During his fellowship, Dr. Pradhan aims to study higher-order SSFs for pairs of self-adjoint operators, especially in the realm of differential operators, and their connections to noncommutative geometry. He is primarily focusing on the existence of SSFs.

Suvra Roy

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	CRISPR/Cas-9 mediated multiplex genome editing of myostatin gene in catfishes to compare the knockout for growth and disease resistance
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences (Animal Science)
Home Institution:	ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal
Host Institution:	Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Grant Start Month:	January 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Suvra Roy is a senior scientist at the Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Kolkata, India. She received her Bachelor of Fisheries Science (BFSc) degree from the College of Fisheries, Central Agricultural University, India, in 2010. She obtained a master’s in fisheries science (MFSc) degree in fish biotechnology from ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE), Mumbai. She qualified in the ICAR Agricultural Research Service examination and joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, DARE, Government of India, in 2014. She was awarded a PhD from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium.

Dr. Roy’s research interests lie in the genetic, molecular, and biotechnological aspects of improving fish growth and health. She has over 50 peer-reviewed publications in reputed international journals (total impact factor >100) and has already received over 2,000 citations, leading to an H-index of 21. She has received several awards, including the University Gold Medal for Master in Fish Biotechnology, DST INSPIRE fellowship, Netaji Subhas ICAR-International fellowships for PhD, Young Scientist Awards, International Achievement Award, and Best Oral and Poster Awards in seminars/conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at Auburn University, Dr. Roy is working on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome editing in catfishes, a pioneering study area introduced by Professor Dr. Rex A. Dunham. During her postdoctoral research, Dr. Roy aims to explore the CRISPR technology to create disease-resistant catfish lines with improved growth.

Monika Saini

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Establishment of novel secretory organelles in Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells
Field of Study:	Bioengineering
Home Institution:	Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Host Institution:	California State University, Chico, CA
Grant Start Month:	February 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Monika Saini is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Czech Republic. She pursued her bachelor’s in biomedical sciences from University of Delhi in the year 2012 and later completed her master’s in biotechnology from All India Institute of Sciences, New Delhi in 2014.

Dr. Saini joined Prof. Shailja Singh and Dr. Soumya Pati at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR for her PhD in Plasmodium falciparum where she evaluated functional roles of Prohibitin proteins in mitochondrial biology. During this period, she was also awarded the DAAD Sandwich Programme fellowship where she worked with her German collaborators on the PhD project. She is a recipient of various national and international travel awards to present her work at conferences. She has published several research articles in recognized international journals during her PhD.

Dr. Saini’s primary research focus is parasitology and studying organellar biology with special emphasis on their functional importance in parasite growth and development. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the California State University, Chico, Dr. Saini is evaluating Maurer’s clefts establishment and function. More than a century after their discovery, the genesis and exact functions of Maurer’s clefts remain a mystery. Dr. Saini, therefore, wants to investigate the fundamental biological processes associated with these organelles’ establishment and function in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells which will be a significant step towards malaria elimination.

Subhamita Sengupta

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Majorana braiding using Magnetic Force Microscopy for Topological Quantum computing
Field of Study:	Physics
Home Institution:	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Subhamita Sengupta is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. She completed her BSc in 2013 from Asutosh College, Kolkata affiliated with the University of Calcutta) and earned her MSc in 2016 from Jadavpur University. She was awarded her PhD in June 2022 from the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata. Additionally, she served as a visiting fellow at the same institution from August 2021 to July 2022.

Dr. Sengupta’s research focuses on low-temperature electrical and magnetotransport, vortex dynamics in superconductors, and interface phenomena in complex oxides. She has published in reputed international journalsand received the INSPIRE scholarship during her undergraduate studies.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Harvard University, Dr. Sengupta is leveraging advanced techniques developed by Prof. Jennifer Hoffman’s team, combining scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM), to study superconducting vortices hosting Majorana zero modes — a cornerstone of topological quantum computing. Her research focuses on detecting magnetic field gradients between proximate vortex cores using MFM to determine the parity states of overlapping Majoranas, a critical step toward achieving stable qubit operations and topologically protected quantum logic.

Potlannagari Roopa Sowjanya

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Pan-Genome analysis for important fruit traits in pomegranate
Field of Study:	Agricultural Sciences
Home Institution:	ICAR-National Research Centre on Pomegranate (NRCP), Solapur, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	West Virginia State University, Institute, WV
Grant Start Month:	December 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Roopa Sowjanya is currently working as a Scientist (Senior Scale) in Genetics and Plant Breeding at ICAR-National Research Centre on Pomegranate, Solapur, Maharashtra, India. She earned her BSc in 2012 from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka and completed her MSc in 2014 from College of Agriculture, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka. In August 2020, she was awarded a PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding from University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru with a dissertation on the genetics of grain crude protein, yield and related traits in maize.

Dr. Roopa Sowjanya’s research interests lie in pomegranate genomics and molecular breeding, with key accomplishments including completion of a reference-quality genome assembly of cultivar Bhagwa, comparative chloroplast genome sequencing and transcriptome profiling of pomegranate. She has been honored with the Young Scientist Award by BRNS, DAE, GOI (2022) and Society for Advancement of Research on Pomegranate (2021) for her outstanding research contributions. She was also awarded the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship by the UGC in 2014.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at West Virginia State University, Dr. Roopa Sowjanya is focusing on pan-genome analysis, a transformative framework that over the past decade has redefined how intraspecific genomic diversity is captured in crop species, thereby enabling precision breeding. She is building a pomegranate pan-genome to identify alleles for key traits for fruit quality, and biotic and abiotic stress via comparative genomics.

Arjun Bindu Sunil

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Myoelectric Augmentation for Sensorimotor Restoration (MASTER) System for Reanimation of Limbs
Field of Study:	Biomedical Engineering
Home Institution:	Gokul Shirgaon, Tamgaon, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Arjun Bindu Sunil is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Sahas Labs, a product development company developing deep-tech robotics and instrumentation solutions based in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. He also leads Embedite, another startup working on healthcare and sustainability, as the Chief Executive Officer. He completed his BTech in mechanical engineering at Government Engineering College Barton Hill in Trivandrum. He gained his master’s in research and PhD from the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in June 2024 with the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship. His research was focused on developing an intraoperative probe that integrates multimodal tissue characterization and soft robotics to enhance brain tumor margin delineation.

Dr. Sunil has made several significant contributions to neural engineering and biomedical engineering with skillsets in microfabrication, robotics and product design. He has 12 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, four granted patents and eight patent applications. He received the BIRAC SITARE-GYTI Award 2021 and Sun Pharma Science Foundation Science Scholar Award 2022, among others, and is the national winner of James Dyson Award 2022. He represented India at the BRICS Young Scientist Forum 2024 as a young innovator.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow under the guidance of Prof. Shriya Srinivasan, Dr. Sunil is aiming to develop a myoelectric prosthesis that can be implanted in the upper limbs through modular surgical techniques. The technology used in the proposed prosthesis seeks to improve upper limb control in patients, providing a more accessible and less invasive alternative to existing solutions.

Shamini Warda

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Evaluating the role of attention in the internal clock model of timing
Field of Study:	Psychology
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	University of California Berkeley, , CA
Grant Start Month:	March 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Shamini Warda holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. She earned a master’s degree in Cognitive Sciences from the Centre for Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Allahabad, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. Following PhD, she served as an Institute of Eminence Postdoctoral Fellow affiliated with the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT Bombay. She has also been an Academic Research Visitor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.

Dr. Warda’s research interests lie at the intersection of cognition and action, with particular emphasis on human timing and time perception. Her PhD work investigated how various predictive processes influence the human perception of time. During her postdoctoral tenure at IIT Bombay, she integrated her knowledge of experimental psychology with motor control research and addressed questions pertaining to how timing affects whole-body movement and, conversely, how movement can influence temporal judgments. She has published articles in reputed international journals. She is a recipient of the Kuppuraj-Bishop study visit award from the Experimental Psychology Society.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of Prof. Richard Ivry, Dr. Warda is seeking to advance the understanding of attentional influences on the internal clock model, examining how distinct sub-processes of attention modulate parameters of the internal clock and is investigating contributions of sub-cortical structures, particularly the cerebellum and basal ganglia.

Anuradha Marwah

Grant Category:	Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Theater
Home Institution:	Zakir Husain Delhi College, Delhi University, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Hollins University, Roanoke, VA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Four months

Brief Bio:

Anuradha Marwah, novelist, playwright, and professor of English at Zakir Husain Delhi College, Delhi, is known for her insightful exploration of contemporary issues, storytelling, and building enduring characters in the world of literature.

Her latest novel, Aunties of Vasant Kunj (2024) was shortlisted for the Ruskin Bond Best Fiction Award at the Banaras Lit Fest and long listed for the Times of India Best Fiction AutHer Award 2025. Her play Ismat’s Love Stories (2016) continues to be performed and had six housefull shows in Bengaluru last year. Her Hindustani adaptation of Euripedes’ Medea (2019), that she also directed, had fifteen shows and featured in India’s first community-curated theatre festival at Studio Safdar, New Delhi.

Anuradha’s work is taught in academic courses across American and Indian universities and schools. Her short story Womanscape in Tis Hazari is included in the Indian School Certificate textbook Treasure Chest. An excerpt from her novel The Higher Education of Geetika Mehendiratta (1993, 2025) is part of Voices: An Anthology of Indian Women Writers, prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training.

Anuradha was awarded the prestigious Charles Wallace Writer’s Residency (2001) in the UK and the Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence (FNAPE) Fellowship to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2017), where she served as Visiting Faculty at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Study of Global Change.

In Hollins University as Fall 2025 Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence she will teach a special interest course on her adaptation of Medea and engage the broader Roanoke community in a reading-performance project.

Suddhasatwa Basu

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Co-production of hydrogen and furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from biomass derived 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) using an electrolyzer
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Grant Start Month:	January 2026
Duration of Grant:	Six and a half months

Brief Bio:

Prof. Suddhasatwa Basu completed PhD in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) Chair Professor on Clean Energy at IIT Delhi. He was the Director of CSIR-Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar and the Director of Central Institute of Mining & Fuel Research, Dhanbad. He has vast work experience on development of materials for energy conversion and storage devices – green H2 generation & fuel cell technologies and Na/Zn ion battery, electro-synthesis, and waste-to-wealth technologies for a circular economy. He has published more than 280 articles in high-impact journals with H-index 53, applied for 16 patents of which 10 were granted and transferred to technologies. He is a Fellow of National Academy of Science of India, Indian National Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry UK. He has received many awards. He has been editor, associate editor and editorial board member of several international journals.

During the fellowship at Washington University in St Louis, Prof Basu is working on development of technology for conversion of biomass/stubble-derived chemicals to hydrogen and furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) using an electrolyzer. The simultaneous production of FDCA alongside hydrogen in an electrolyzer will not only help to establish hydrogen economy but disrupt the polymer industry by producing monomers of bioplastics. The electrolyzer stack development envisaged will be operated under ambient conditions, making it environment-friendly and less energy-intensive by utilizing electrical power from solar photovoltaic resources.

Salvador Lyngdoh

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Understanding climate-driven consumptive and non-consumptive responses between wolves, prey and habitat
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Host Institution:	Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Grant Start Month:	March 2026
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Salvador Lyngdoh, Scientist E and Associate Professor, is a wildlife biologist specializing in carnivore ecology, movement ecology, habitat conservation, and human-wildlife interactions. With extensive research experience in the Indian Himalayas and other biodiverse regions, he has contributed significantly to understanding lesser-known species such as Himalayan wolves, dholes, snow leopards, pangolins and clouded leopards. He is a member of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) specialists’ groups on cats, canids, pangolins and small carnivores.

During his Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship for Academic and Professional Excellence, Dr. Lyngdoh is studying the dynamics of wolf predation, prey behavior and habitat change in the context of climate change. Grey wolves play essential roles in most of their ranges by exercising top-down cascade effects on ecosystems. The proposed study aims to understand how climate change (past, present, and future) can affect predation by wolves (consumptive effects). It also aims to examine, if otherwise, climate-driven manifestations (environmental stressors) of non-consumptive nature can influence predation behavior (bottom-up cascades).

Rajani Panchang

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Understanding effects of ocean acidification on marine calcifiers: An approach to sustainably mitigate impacts of climate change
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra
Host Institution:	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Rajani Panchang is an Assistant Professor at Savitribai Phule Pune University. She was recruited under UGC’s prestigious Faculty Recharge Program. She earned her PhD from CSIR – National Institute of Oceanography, Panaji, Goa, and secured tenured appointments as Woman Scientist at Agharkar Research Institute, Pune and SERB Fast-Track Scientist at IISER Pune under various research programs of the Government of India’s Department of Science & Technology. She is a geological oceanographer specializing in marine micropaleontology. While her forte remains Recent Benthic Foraminiferal taxonomy, her research interests are reconstruction of past climates, understanding human-climate interactions, monitoring coastal ecosystems and changing ocean dynamics, particularly coastal processes and ecosystems in light of climate change. She has research grants from the Ministry of Earth Sciences to study ocean acidification in the Arabian Sea. She is an ardent teacher and a PhD supervisor passionate about society-centric ocean research.

Dr. Panchang is a recipient of the Mani Shankar Shukla Gold Medal & Research Fellowships from DAAD, CSIR, Lila Poonawalla Foundation and Hindustan Unilever. She has been felicitated by former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam for being an outstanding LILA Fellow in the field of Oceanography.

During her fellowship, Dr. Panchang is quantifying the responses of marine bio-calcifiers, essentially coral reef foraminifera, to ocean acidification through field studies in the Florida Reef Tract and laboratory experiments. Her work will also integrate analysis of atmospheric data and bio-calcifying specimens collected since the 1980s.

Revathi Ponnuswamy

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships (Research)
Project Title:	Climate-smart rice hybrids and their clonal propagation by synthetic apomixis
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, Telangana
Host Institution:	University of California, Davis, CA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Revathi Ponnuswamy is a Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Hyderabad, India with 17 years of rich experience in rice research. She was awarded a PhD in Genetics from the premier agricultural research institution, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. She is one of the meritorious scientists who as Principal Investigator successfully spearheaded multi-disciplinary research projects by securing competitive research grants from various organizations, including Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and ICAR.

Her achievements as a successful researcher and plant breeder are reflected in her peer-reviewed publications and development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and stress-tolerant rice varieties and hybrids to smallholder farmers of India. She has received several awards and fellowships. In her capacity as an educator, she has mentored and guided the academic pursuits of several MSc and PhD students.

During her fellowship at University of California, Davis, Dr Revathi is training in a breakthrough synthetic apomixis technology from the lab where it was invented. Her research project aims to enhance rice production and productivity amidst rapidly changing climatic conditions through synthetic apomixis, which could save on rice hybrid seed cost of millions of resource-poor farmers in India.

Sujatra Bhattacharyya

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Understanding the mechanisms governing the dominant modes of seasonal cycle of rainfall over India
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Host Institution:	Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr Sujatra Bhattacharyya is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. He has a keen interest in understanding the physics behind the large-scale dynamic and thermodynamic processes associated with tropical systems, such as the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and monsoons. Currently, he is conducting research on South Asian monsoons.

Sujatra’s research aims to identify and understand the mechanisms behind the dominant modes of the seasonal rainfall cycle over India. Simultaneously, he is examining the zonal and meridional shifts of precipitation bands during the boreal summer in the South Asian region using an energetics approach.

As a Fulbright-Kalam fellow, Sujatra is investigating the roles of MJO (Madden-Julian Oscillation) and ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) in Indian monsoons after the onset phase is established. He is also comparing the influences of various Intraseasonal Oscillations (ISO) on the development of the spatio-temporal moisture field over India.

Sujatra earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons.) in Physics from the University of Delhi and MSc Tech) in Geophysics with a specialization in meteorology from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He has been awarded the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) since August 2022. He also teaches various Mathematics and Physics courses on national platforms such as NPTEL and Andhra University as part of the PMRF program. He has presented his work at several international and national conferences. He enjoys teaching, table tennis and travelling.

Rinu Fathima

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Decoding Indian monsoon variability using a multiproxy approach and core top foraminiferal trace metal/Ca calibration from the Andaman Basin
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Panaji, Goa
Host Institution:	Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Brunswick, NJ
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Rinu Fathima is a PhD candidate at the CSIR National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India. After finishing her master’s in Applied Geology from Pondicherry University, her passion for marine sciences took her to the National Institute of Oceanography in Panaji, Goa. Her research focuses on understanding past monsoon variability using marine microfossils known as foraminifera. She uses their assemblage and shell geochemistry to understand past climate. She studies the ecology of foraminifera in surface samples and further calibrates the proxies before using them in paleoclimate studies.

Rinu has published her work in multiple research journals and presented it at several national and international conferences. She was one of the two recipients of the American Geophysical Union-Berkner travel grant in 2024. During her master’s, she also received the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology-sponsored summer trainee grant, which helped her study tree rings to decode past climate. She has also participated in ocean expeditions onboard the research vessel Sindhu Sankalp.

At Rutgers during her fellowship, Rinu is using trace element geochemistry of the core top samples from the Andaman basin as a proxy calibration and will use this to understand past monsoon variability in a sediment core. Rinu is an avid consumer of fiction, cinema, and books. You can also find her watching sunsets or hiking during her free time. From one coastal city to the next, Rinu is looking forward to exploring the beaches of New Jersey during her time at Rutgers.

Ayan Sarkar

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Coupling machine learning and crop simulation models to identify low-emission, sustainable production pathways for rice-based systems
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Delhi
Host Institution:	Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Grant Start Month:	January 2026
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Ayan Sarkar is a PhD candidate at the Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He completed BSc in Agricultural Sciences from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (BCKV), West Bengal, in 2020, and MSc in Agronomy from ICAR-IARI in 2022. During MSc, he worked on evaluating new-generation fertilizers such as nano-urea and herbicide mixture-based weed management in wheat, publishing his findings in reputed journals. He has also co-authored a number of publications and presented papers at various national and international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Doctoral Research Fellow, Ayan is working on knowledge-guided machine learning, i.e., coupling machine learning with crop simulation models to identify low-emission and sustainable production pathways in rice-based systems. This innovative approach aims to optimize yield-emission trade-offs and develop climate-resilient agricultural strategies, particularly for small and marginal farmers.

Beyond academics, Ayan is passionate about cricket, badminton, fine arts, and cooking. He donates blood and promotes blood donation awareness. Through his research, he aspires to empower farmers with practical, climate-proofing solutions, contributing to a future where agriculture balances profitability and environmental sustainability.

Shailina Srivastava

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Doctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Elucidating the complex interplay between aerosol, water vapor, and UV radiation in the subsaturated regime
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Host Institution:	Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Grant Start Month:	September 2025
Duration of Grant:	Nine months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Shailina Srivastava is a PhD scholar in the Aerosol Group of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. Under the mentorship of Prof. Sachin S. Gunthe, her research focuses on the intricate interactions between aerosols from diverse regions across the Indian subcontinent, water vapor, and UV radiation under subsaturated conditions. She has conducted extensive measurement campaigns, ranging from southern India to the Himalayan region, collecting ambient aerosol samples to investigate how variations in aerosol properties influence cloud formation, precipitation processes, and the atmospheric evolution of these particles.

Shailina holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences (Environmental Technology) from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and a bachelor’s degree in Botany and Industrial Microbiology from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The unique climatic conditions of India inspired her to delve into this critical area of research, contributing to a better understanding of the nation’s climate dynamics. Beyond her academic pursuits, she enjoys reading and traveling.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Fellow, Shailina is conducting experimental work at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, under the supervision of Dr. Pengfei Liu. Her experiments focus on generating atmospherically relevant organic aerosols from various precursors and examining their interactions with water vapor and UV radiation. She employs advanced techniques and instruments, including the quartz crystal microbalance, to gain deeper insights into these processes.

Anubhav Preet Kaur

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Late Cenozoic climate change and implications for human adaptability in South Asia: Integrating marine and terrestrial proxies
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana
Host Institution:	University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Grant Start Month:	January 2026
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Anubhav Preet Kaur is a postdoctoral researcher at Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana. She completed her PhD at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali where she worked on human-environment interface during Early to Middle Pleistocene (2.58-0.4 Ma) in northern India. She was also a predoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Dr. Kaur has received numerous prestigious international grants throughout her doctoral and postdoctoral career from the Leakey Foundation, Paleontological Society, Royal Anthropological Institute, Lithic Studies Society, Society for American Archaeology and the Palaeontological Association. Additionally, she was a recipient of the John C. Graff International Paleontology Award given by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Her research endeavors have garnered recognition on national and international platforms.

During her Fulbright-Kalam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Arizona, Dr. Kaur is working on reconstructing prehistoric climate variability to understand evolution of human adaptability and resilience in the context of South Asian paleoclimate variability throughout the Late Cenozoic period (~3 million years) and current rapid climate change crisis.

Parth Dharmendrabhai Shah

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Past climates, present challenges: Understanding western Himalayan climate change through paleoclimate archives
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
Host Institution:	University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Grant Start Month:	October 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twenty-four months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Parth D. Shah is a Research Associate at the University of Haifa, Israel. He earned his BS-MS degrees in Chemical Sciences from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali and later pursued his PhD at the Department of Marine Geosciences, University of Haifa, Israel. His doctoral work focused on paleoclimate reconstruction in the southern Arabian Desert, with a special focus on understanding the impact of climate change on various ecosystem components.

Dr. Shah is the recipient of various prestigious scholarships, including the PBC scholarship from the Council for Higher Education, Israel, for his doctoral studies. During his PhD, he was also awarded the IAS 2023 Postgraduate Grant and NSF-funded Visiting Graduate Student Program (VGSP) at the University of Minnesota. Additionally, he received the INSPIRE fellowship from the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, during his BS-MS at IISER Mohali.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Postdoc Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Shah is focusing on reconstructing high-resolution climate variability in the Western Himalayas using lacustrine sediments from Tso Kar Lake. By employing a multi-proxy approach including geochemical, sedimentological, and isotopic analysis, his work aims to understand the connections between monsoon dynamics, atmospheric circulation, and regional hydrology during the Holocene. This work will provide vital insights into the drivers of past climatic shifts, their impact on human societies, and their relevance to addressing modern challenges in climate adaptation and mitigation.

Ananth Wuppukondur

Grant Category:	Fulbright-Kalam Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Project Title:	Improving coastal resilience under changing climate in India and USA: through hydrodynamic modelling of extreme flow interaction with mangroves and creation of US-ICoN (US-India Coastal Nature based solution) knowledge network
Field of Study:	Climate
Home Institution:	Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
Host Institution:	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	February 2025
Duration of Grant:	Twelve months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Ananth Wuppukondur is currently Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad (MNNIT), Uttar Pradesh. His research interests are in Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering, focusing on understanding the physics of natural hazards in coastal and riverine environments and exploring nature-based solutions for protection under changing climate. Prior to joining MNNIT, he was a postdoctoral scholar in a NASA-funded research project at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.

Dr Wuppukondur holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Sri Venkateswara University, and a master’s degree in Hydraulic Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He later obtained his PhD from the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. His research contributions in restoring the Great Barrier Reef have been published in BBC’s Unlocking Science series.

During his term as a Fulbright-Kalam Fellow at MIT, Dr. Wuppukondur is quantifying the role of mangrove forests in coastal protection and establishing a knowledge network between India and USA for using mangroves as a nature-based solution to diminish the flooding associated with storm surges. Coastal communities in India and USA are adversely impacted by the increasing intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones due to climate change. The results of this work will improve assessment of coastal flood risk and help in disaster mitigation and management in both countries.

Anirudh Gaurang Gudlavalleti

Grant Category:	Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Health Policy and Management
Home Institution:	Pragyaan Sustainable Health Outcomes Foundation (PRASHO), Hyderabad, Telangana
Host Institution:	Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Ten months

Brief Bio:

Dr. Anirudh Gaurang Gudlavalleti has a bachelor’s degree in dentistry, a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship, and is currently completing a PhD in public health from Maastricht University. He is passionate about community health and in 2024, he founded Pragyaan Sustainable Health Outcomes Foundation (PRASHO). His interests lie in utilizing technology and coaching community health workers to detect and treating diabetes, cancers, and eye diseases in India’s villages.

Dr. Gudlavalleti has won grants to develop a prototype for an AI diabetes screening tool. He was named as one of Asia’s 50 leading social entrepreneurs by DBS Bank.

During his fellowship, Dr Gudlavalleti is focusing on leadership and technical skills that will help him advance the mission of PRASHO. These include sharpening his project leadership skills, health economics and budget impact analysis skills, grant writing and partnership negotiation skills while working with mentors, faculty, peers and university partners.

Haulianlal Guite

Grant Category:	Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
Home Institution:	Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Host Institution:	University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Ten months

Brief Bio:

Mr. Haulianlal Guite is an IAS officer of the Indian government, currently serving as the Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Control in the Government of Rajasthan. In this assignment, he is tasked to ensure public health/hygiene within Rajasthan by regulating the manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and all food products. He has extensive governance experience over the last 13 years in sectors that include rural/urban development, healthcare services, law and order, and e-governance initiatives at the rural, municipal and state government levels in Rajasthan and Manipur.

Haulianlal graduated in Philosophy, completed a master’s in Sociology, and recently submitted his doctoral dissertation to MNIT, Jaipur, India, in Political Science. He has also published a philosophical non-fiction work titled Confessions of a Dying Mind.

During this fellowship Haulianlal will be studying the workings of U.S. local governments, imbibing the best practices and examining their replicability in India. He will also be engaging with other academic interests at the interface of policymaking and theorizing, particularly in the area of religion-state relations, and the place of civil liberties in the age of social media and AI.

Mamu Hage

Grant Category:	Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Project Title:	NA
Field of Study:	Urban and Regional Planning
Home Institution:	Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
Host Institution:	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Grant Start Month:	August 2025
Duration of Grant:	Ten months

Brief Bio:

Ms. Mamu Hage is the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of West Siang District in Arunachal Pradesh. She is a 2017 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer. Her previous stints have included being Collector and District Magistrate of North Goa District with additional charge as MD & CEO of Panaji Smart City Corporation. As District Magistrate and Collector in various districts and states she has conducted two Legislative Assembly Elections and Parliamentary Elections, ensured implementation of key Government schemes and initiated several developmental projects.

During her stint in West Siang, Mamu focused on district developmental goals such as Clean Aalo Initiative and urban transformation through a range of measures. She has been instrumental in securing various awards and accolades for the district in urban innovation, health and wellness and election management.

Mamu is the first Apatani Tribe IAS officer and only the second from Arunachal Pradesh to be selected as a Humphrey Fellow under the Fulbright Scholarship.

Mamu is also a swimming enthusiast. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, and a master’s in Applied Psychology from South Campus, Delhi University. As a Humphrey Fellow, Mamu is studying urban sanitation, urban roads and mobility, and how to make cities smart.