India Fellows Years: Indian Fellows 2024-2025

Purbajyoti Phukon

Dr. Purbajyoti Phukon has been working as an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar since 2019. He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Dibrugarh University, Assam. He completed his Ph.D. jointly from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun and the Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Dr. Phukon’s research focuses on metamorphic petrology, geochronology, and continental tectonics, focusing on understanding the metamorphism, deformation, exhumation of deep-seated rocks in the Himalayan Orogen, and evolution shear zones. His research incorporates multidisciplinary approaches, including microstructural analysis, petrochronology of accessory mineral phases such as zircon and monazite, phase equilibria modeling, and the study of ductile deformation patterns in crystalline rocks. He has published his findings in several high-impact journals such as Lithos, GSA Bulletin, and Earth Science Review. As an assistant professor in Assam University, Silchar, he has secured two research grants – the Start-up research grant (SRG) project sponsored by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium project of NITI Aayog, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and UGC. Additionally, he received grants for attending international conferences from SERB Travel Support and won the Best Paper award in 2018 at WIHG, Dehradun.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, Dr. Phukon aims to discern the inherent characteristics, temporal extent, and quantitative estimations of metamorphic CO2 fluxes within the eastern segment of the Himalayan orogen. Furthermore, he seeks to ascertain the potential contribution of CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere during geologically distant epochs.

Sarvesh Pandey

Dr. Sarvesh Pandey is an assistant professor of computer science at Banaras Hindu University since November 2020. At BHU, he has been actively involved in teaching, research, and administration activities. Dr. Pandey obtained his MTech and Ph.D. degrees from the Computer Science and Engineering Department of Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur. His broad research areas include blockchains, cloud computing, and database systems. In 2014, he secured 33rd rank in the CSIR-NET examination for engineering sciences. Under the CSIR scheme, he worked as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and subsequently as a Senior Research Fellow (SRF) during his Ph.D. He has also qualified for the GATE entrance examination in computer science and information technology.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Pandey will explore two crucial research directions: efficient data management utilizing blockchain technology, and blockchain application in crowdsourcing. As the current decentralized data processing and retrieval landscape is transitioning, his plan involves optimizing blockchain performance, specifically addressing query retrieval efficiency and facilitating rich queries. Additionally, he aims to incorporate access control mechanisms within the blockchain framework. The research outcomes will be seamlessly integrated into existing crowdsourcing applications, capitalizing on the strengths of both domains

Gaurav Pandey

Dr. Gaurav Pandey earned his Ph.D. from the National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2023. His doctoral research focused on utilizing halloysite nanotubes loaded with various guest molecules for diverse biological applications. Throughout his Ph.D. journey, he consistently addressed environmental concerns, including heavy metal remediation, waste reduction, and pesticide sensing. He holds a master’s degree in forensic nanotechnology with a specialization in nanobiotechnology from Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu. He was awarded gold and silver medals for his master’s and bachelor’s degrees, respectively. Dr. Pandey has qualified national-level exams, namely UGC NET JRF (in forensic science) in 2019 and GATE (in biotechnology) in 2016. He has authored over 30 publications, including research papers, review articles, a co-authored book, and book chapters.

Dr. Pandey’s research interests encompass leveraging naturally occurring clay-based nanomaterials to tackle contemporary environmental challenges, including mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, combating plastic pollution, and addressing water contamination issues.

As a Fulbright Nehru Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Pandey’s project is investigating the degradation of plastic waste using halloysite nanotube-based nanocomposites. The outcomes of this research have the potential to aid India in reducing its plastic waste burden and working towards the goal of becoming a low-plastic waste producing country by 2050.

Shameer Modongal

Dr. Shameer Modongal completed his Ph.D. in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. He also holds M.A and M.Phil. degrees in international relations from the same institution, as well as an M.A in political science from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. Dr. Modongal’s scholarly achievements include qualifying for the Junior Research Fellowship and the National Eligibility Test of the University Grants Commission in international and area studies, as well as the National Eligibility Test in political science.

In the realm of academic publications, Dr. Modongal has made significant contributions, notably publishing two books in 2022: Islamic Perspectives on International Conflict Resolution: Theological Debates on the Israel-Palestinian Peace Process (Routledge) and Religion and Nuclear Weapons: A Study of Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan (Vij Books India). Additionally, he co-edited the book Counterterrorism and Global Security: Genesis, Responses and Challenges (Vij Books India) in 2021. He also serves as an editor or reviewer for many prestigious international journals, including the British Journal of Political Science (Cambridge University Press) and Cogent Social Sciences (Taylor and Francis).

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the American University, Washington, D.C., Dr. Modongal is engaged in exploring the dynamics between American Islamic scholars and organizations amidst conflicting interests of pro-Israel U.S. government policies and pro-Palestinian Muslim community interests. His research examines how the Islamic discourse in the U.S. shapes perceptions regarding the formation of Israel and the friendly relations of Muslim countries with it, as well as the discourse among Islamic scholars and organizations surrounding the support that the U.S. extends to Israel.

Gargi Kundu

Dr. Gargi Kundu is an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow at Philipps University of Marburg, Germany. She obtained her B.Sc. from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal in 2015, and her master’s from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 2017. She then received her Ph.D. in 2022 at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, Maharashtra, with CSIR-UGC NET fellowship.

Dr. Kundu specializes in the chemistry of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes, focusing on small molecule activation, stabilization of carbon-based diradicals, and NHC-boron chemistry. She has published numerous articles in esteemed international journals, and has received various accolades during her Ph.D., including the NCL RF Keerthi Sangoram Memorial Endowment award for ‘the best research scholar’, and the Best Thesis award in chemical science from CSIR-NCL and AcSIR, respectively. Notable achievements also include the RSC Best Poster award by Poster Twitter Conference, and the Best Oral Talk award at ICMGSC-2023.

The diradical field, despite intriguing electronic properties, lacks extensive study. Boron-doped PAHs are gaining attention for being low in toxicity, cost-effective, with high π-affinity, photoluminescence, and redox properties. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, Dr. Kundu is synthesizing stable boron-based diradicals, combining open-shell diradical character, luminescence, and redox properties. The focus is on exploring their potential applications as super-electron donors, photo-/electro-catalysts, redox switches, functional chromophores/ fluorophores in photovoltaic cells, and artificial light-harvesting systems with a special emphasis on hydrogen activation.

Naveen Kumar Tailor

Dr. Naveen Kumar Tailor is working as a research associate in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He completed his M.Sc. in physics from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. His Ph.D. research focused on the comprehensive description of lead-free perovskites and double perovskite single crystals, including growth and investigation of fundamental properties, structure-property relationships with cation and anion transmutation, carrier dynamics, and excited state physics using optical and electrical spectroscopy techniques, as well as applications in photodetection and X-ray detection. His Ph.D. research was recognized with the Excellence in Doctoral Research award. Additionally, he has gained experience in perovskite solar cells and explored carrier dynamics in perovskites using impedance spectroscopy, as well as fundamental photophysics in perovskite nanocrystals. Recently, he has started working on CO2 reduction, focusing on the discovery of novel materials for efficient CO2 photoreduction and studying the fundamental mechanisms behind it.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Tailor’s has meticulously planned a project with the goal of developing cost-effective and stable X-ray detectors using solution-processed 3D/2D perovskite heterocrystals with exceptional sensitivity and low detection limits. This effort aims to increase the commercialization potential of this technology, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of X-ray detector manufacture in India and the U.S.

Ashish Jha

Dr. Ashish Jha is currently employed as Scientist C at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Prior to this, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali (2022-2023) and worked as a research associate at Kerala Agricultural University Thrissur (2021-2022). He has an MTech in biotechnology from IIT Kharagpur (2014) and a BTech in biotechnology from NIT Raipur (2012). He is a recipient of competitive national fellowships such as GATE, CSIR-NET and SERB-NPDF.

Dr. Jha obtained his Ph.D. from CSIR-CCMB Hyderabad for his work on biogeography and population genetics of South India endemic and globally threatened yellow-throated bulbul (Pycnonotus xantholaemus). After his Ph.D., he worked on the Kerala Bird Atlas project and studied avian diet via stable-isotope analysis. He is interested in avian conservation using multi-pronged approaches including genetics, long-term monitoring, field-based natural history studies and community outreach.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, Dr. Jha is empirically testing the core-periphery hypothesis using Nearctic birds as a model system. This study aims to generate empirical support for the core-periphery hypothesis by quantifying external phenotypes and genomic variation across populations in multiple avian species, leveraging the power of museum specimens.

Kavita Haribhau Kadu

Dr. Kavita Haribhau Kadu is a chemical technologist with a bachelor’s degree from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. Following her undergraduate studies, she embarked on a research journey as a Junior Research Fellow at BITS Pilani – K. K. Birla Goa campus. She pursued her Ph.D. from BITS Pilani – K. K. Birla Goa campus on the synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and investigation of their interaction with biomolecules.

Transitioning to the TNBC Precision Medicine Research Group at Tata Memorial Centre Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Dr. Kadu delved into studying the short-term chemotherapy effect on the expression of the GPX4 gene on triple-negative breast cancer subtypes. She showcased her research acumen by securing the Lalit Memorial award at the 18th National Research Scholars Meet held in ACTREC. Throughout her research journey, she demonstrated a commitment to scholarly dissemination, publishing eight papers and actively participating in conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Dr. Kadu is developing Aptamer-siRNA Chimera as a novel targeted therapy for pediatric medulloblastoma. Investigating the roles of AXL and interferons, she aims to contribute significantly to understanding and treating this aggressive brain tumor. With interdisciplinary expertise and a passion for impactful research, Dr. Kadu is set to make substantial contributions to cancer biology and precision medicine, shaping the future of innovative therapeutic interventions.

Shikha Dixit

Dr. Shikha Dixit received her B.Sc. degree in agriculture from Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur in 2010. She obtained her postgraduation degree in plant biotechnology from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. She received an ICAR fellowship during her graduation and a DBT fellowship for her postgraduate studies after securing ninth position in a national-level exam. She received her Ph.D. in molecular biology and biotechnology in the year 2020 from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Her Ph.D. research was focused on understanding the defense molecular signaling pathway in response to fungal pathogens. During her postdoctoral research, she worked on DBT-funded and ICAR-funded projects, focusing on improving tolerance against necrotrophic pathogens by finding unique signaling factors in response to pathogens. She has published her research in prestigious journals and has also presented her findings at numerous national and international conferences. Apart from the academic fellowships, she is also the recipient of the IARI merit medal in 2020 and the ITS grant in 2023.

Adverse climatic conditions affect both plants and pathogens. Given their rapid adaptation ability, fluctuations in the weather pattern provide pathogens with more favorable conditions to thrive and increase the possibility of intense disease breakouts. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, Dr. Dixit is identifying genes conferring favorable root architecture and pathogen tolerance under the dual-stress situation.

Deblina Dey

Dr. Deblina Dey is an associate professor of sociology and the assistant director of the Centre for Law and Humanities at the Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat. She was a Hunt Postdoctoral fellow with the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, based in New York. The University Grants Commission, Government of India, awarded her the Junior and Senior Research fellowships for doctoral research in sociology at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Dr. Dey writes on contemporary socio-legal issues and has published in edited volumes and reputed international journals on topics such as dispute resolution forums for older people, custodial neglect of older political prisoners, and religious norms related to end-of-life care. In 2022, she was awarded the Prof. Nirendra Chandra Choudhury Young Scholar award in social anthropology and sociology for her research contribution by the Indian Anthropological Society. She has been an alumna of academies and workshops organized by the Institute for Global Law and Policy, Harvard University, and is a team member for events at the Law and Social Sciences Research Network (LASSnet), a global platform to generate critical discourse on law in South Asia.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at DePaul University, Chicago, IL, Dr. Dey is studying different eldercare models in urban India, focusing on the interventions made by law, market and philanthropic institutions. Her ethnographic research highlights the experiences of marginalization in late life and suggests ways to evolve better mechanisms to address abandonment, elder abuse and neglect.