Archives: Meet Our India Fulbrighters

Anchal Sharma

Ms. Anchal Sharma is a PhD candidate at CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO), Chandigarh, India. Her doctoral research focuses on the photocatalytic degradation of indoor air pollutants, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using 2D material-based heterostructures. As an INSPIRE Fellow, she is driven to develop efficient, sustainable solutions to improve indoor air quality through innovative materials engineering.

Anchal completed her bachelor’s degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, followed by a master’s degree in physics from Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. She was a recipient of the DST Scholarship for Higher Education during both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. During the master’s program, she worked on the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications. She received the university gold medal for outstanding performance.
As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Connecticut, USA, Anchal is investigating 2D material-based heterostructures for VOC degradation under varying operational conditions such as humidity, initial pollutant concentration, and catalyst loading. Her work further delves into mechanistic insights using advanced characterization techniques, including in-situ DRIFTS and EPR spectroscopy, to identify reaction intermediates and elucidate the role of reactive species.
Anchal’s work aims to address critical challenges in indoor air quality through advanced materials design and sustainable remediation strategies for real-world applications, including self-cleaning coatings, photocatalytic air filtration systems, and portable air purification technologies.

Anam Sabir

Ms. Anam Sabir is a PhD candidate at the Satellite and Aerial Remote Sensing Lab, Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore. Her doctoral research focuses on the development of statistical change detection algorithms using time-series data. She applies these algorithms for efficient deforestation alerts, forest-fire scar monitoring and forest carbon monitoring.

Anam is an electronics and telecommunications engineer by training and has been awarded MTech degree in remote sensing and GIS with a specialization in satellite image analysis and photogrammetry from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing – ISRO, Dehradun, in 2022. Anam likes singing and sketching in her leisure time and likes to explore and experiment with world cuisines.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland, Anam is working on 3D forest degradation mapping. She is using NASA’s LiDAR onboard Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) and NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) to monitor vegetation dynamics. Her study aims at combining the two powerful active remote sensing techniques for 3D monitoring of the forests.

Amina Reem Vazhuthina Patta

Ms. Amina Reem Vazhuthina Patta is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science, University of Kerala. Her doctoral research focuses on the evolving contours of India-Taiwan relations in the context of the new geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific, employing insights from Regional Security Complex Theory. She was a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Taiwan Fellow in 2025 at National Chengchi University.

Amina holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram. Her keen interest in geopolitics and global politics motivated her to pursue a master’s degree in international relations and politics from Central University of Kerala, where she graduated as university topper. She has qualified for the UGC-NET and JRF in Political Science, the BHEL-FAEA Scholarship, and is as a student volunteer for the G20 University Connect program.

Amina’s research has been published in international Scopus-indexed journals such as Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs and China Report, as well as in peer-reviewed journals such as East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. She has co-edited a book on India’s foreign policy, contributed chapters to academic books related to her field of study, and presented her research at national and international conferences. She has also written analytical articles for newspapers including Taipei Times.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Amina is examining the transition from the US-China-Taiwan triangle to a U.S.-China-India-Taiwan quadrilateral construct in the Indo-Pacific regional security complex. In her free time, Amina enjoys reading fiction and listening to music.

Alok Sinha

Mr. Alok Sinha is a PhD candidate at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, and a recipient of the prestigious DST-INSPIRE Fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. His doctoral research addresses critical yield-emission trade-offs in the rice-wheat cropping system of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Banaras Hindu University where he specialized in sustainable weed management.

Currently, as an ICAR-AICE PhD candidate, Alok works on crop simulation modeling and greenhouse gas mitigation. In collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute-South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), his work utilizes the DNDC model to simulate methane and nitrous oxide dynamics. His research aims to establish a carbon credit framework that empowers farmers to adopt low-carbon production pathways while ensuring profitability and food security.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Alok is utilizing advanced digital agriculture tools to refine yield-emission models. His work strives to harmonize agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability for a carbon-neutral future. Beyond academia, Alok enjoys writing Hindi poetry, is an active National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteer and is an enthusiast of Hindi and Bhojpuri folk music, as well as of the traditional cuisines of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Aayushi Bengani

Ms. Aayushi Bengani is doing a PhD in the Department of Geography at the University of Delhi. Her doctoral research explores urban land management by Indian Railways using ethnographic and archival methods. It builds on her sustained engagement with urban informality through her study and work experiences in Mumbai. These consist of her MA in the School of Media and Cultural Studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, her internship with the daily The Indian Express, and her work with development organizations Azim Premji Foundation and YUVA.

A Senior Research Fellow at Delhi School of Economics, Aayushi has consistently presented her research on “vacant” railway lands in Mumbai at eminent urban workshops and conferences globally. These include Urban Theories Across Borders’s Workshop on Researching the Ordinary City, Bangkok and Urban Affairs Association’s International Conference on Urban Affairs, New York, for which she received a fully-funded international travel grant from Indian Council of Social Science Research.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Aayushi is undertaking a comparative study of the railways in the U.S. to understand the current framework of railway land monetization in India. She is analyzing how lands along the railroads in New York City are currently managed and have historically been monetized. Her research aims to provide insights into the changing role of the state with regard to public lands, contributing to the scholarship on land transformation and state-making. Her interest in learning through storytelling drives her in research and otherwise.

Aakash Gill

Mr. Aakash Gill is a PhD candidate in dairy technology at the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal. His doctoral research focuses on developing and optimizing composite protein systems by integrating milk proteins with kodo millet proteins to enhance nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties. His work advances sustainable, clean-label protein ingredients with potential application in functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Aakash holds MTech and BTech degrees in dairy technology from NDRI, where he demonstrated consistent academic excellence and competitive performance. He has qualified for several national-level examinations, achieving top all-India ranks. Aakash has research experience in dairy chemistry, food processing, and bioactive delivery systems. His earlier work includes developing protein-rich food products, studying microbial recovery methods at Kansas State University, and contributing to active food packaging research.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, Aakash is investigating the digestion behavior and bioaccessibility of milk-kodo millet composite protein complexes using standardized in vitro digestion models. His work will focus on understanding protein breakdown, peptide release, and the potential generation of bioactive peptides during gastrointestinal digestion. The study aims to evaluate how processing conditions influence digestibility and functional outcomes, contributing to the development of protein systems with improved nutritional quality and health benefits.

Keerthi Jalli

Ms. Keerthi Jalli is a 2013-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. Over the past 13 years, she has held multiple leadership positions in Assam, working on public health, nutrition, and women’s empowerment. She currently serves as Commissioner, Panchayat and Rural Development, Assam, and Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen.

As District Commissioner, Keerthi focused on improving maternal and child health, combating anemia and malnutrition, strengthening citizen participation, and enhancing service delivery in geographically challenging and socio-economically vulnerable regions. She played a key role in managing flood response and COVID-19 relief efforts. Her work has been recognized with the Chief Minister’s Karmashree Award for Excellence in Public Administration.

In her current role, Keerthi oversees rural development and sanitation programs. She is leading efforts to strengthen local self-governance institutions, promote sustainable sanitation, enhancing livelihoods, and building climate-resilient communities through decentralized development.

Keerthi holds a B.Tech. in computer science and engineering. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing large-scale public programs. As a Humphrey Fellow, she is focusing on technology policy and management. She aims to study how emerging technologies, data-driven governance, and digital public infrastructure can strengthen public service delivery and improve development outcomes, particularly for underserved communities.

Shashank Anand

Mr. Shashank Anand is a career law enforcement officer. He joined the Indian Police Service in 2006 and was awarded the Prime Minister’s Baton and Home Ministry’s Revolver for being the best officer-trainee at the National Police Academy, Hyderabad. In his parent cadre Haryana, he served as police chief of five districts and gained rich experience in public order management, counterterrorism operations and criminal investigations.

Shashank is credited with pioneering electronic filing of chargesheets, constituting community liaison groups for alternative dispute resolution and reducing road accidents as traffic police chief of Chandigarh. He is now Inspector General in the Border Security Force, the world’s largest border-guarding force.

An engineer by education, Shashank has a MTech in telecommunications technology and management from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and holds LL.B. from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He is a Chevening Gurukul Fellow. As a Humphrey Fellow, Shashank is studying international best practices in border management, particularly those related to human trafficking and contraband smuggling. He seeks to contribute to drafting effective, humane and technologically-enabled public policies in this field. On the personal front, Shashank is a bibliophile and an avid player of tennis and golf.

Rinni Singh

Dr. Rinni Singh is a Scientific Officer at Uttar Pradesh Council of Agricultural Research, Lucknow, with over a decade of experience spanning research, policy integration, and institutional management. She plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainable agriculture through the coordination of high-impact initiatives, including the Uttar Pradesh Millet Revival Program and international R&D collaborations with organizations such as ICRISAT, Hyderabad.

As Nodal Officer for UPCAR-SEED Incubation Centre, Dr. Singh leads the development of a vibrant agri-startup ecosystem in the state. She has spearheaded over 200 outreach-capacity-building events and serves as a core mentor to agri-tech startups and incubator communities. Her expertise in innovation management is underpinned by advanced training from SINE IIT Bombay, Venture Center Pune, and Nexus Startup Hub at American Center, New Delhi. Her insights on strengthening incubation models were featured in U.S. Embassy’s SPAN Magazine, reflecting her growing influence in this space.

Dr. Singh additionally serves as Member Secretary on Board of Directors of the ANDUAT Incubation Centre, Ayodhya, and contributes to a diverse portfolio of projects ranging from skill development under PMKVY 4.0 to climate-resilient crop variety research.

As a Fulbright-Nehru scholar, Dr. Singh is aiming to develop a comparative biotech incubation framework that bridges India’s frugal, mission-driven innovation with United States’ advanced university-led institutional innovation ecosystems. She aims to co-design a leadership curriculum and a bilateral incubation toolkit to equip the next generation of agri-entrepreneurs with skills and networks needed to drive transformative change.

Richa Patanjali Mishra

Dr Richa Patanjali Mishra is the Founding Chair and Head, Humanities and Social Sciences at the Institute of Technology, Nirma University. She leads an interdisciplinary department serving engineering students across all programs with the firm belief that the humanities are not optional in STEM institutions but essential to shaping reflective, ethical, and socially responsible engineers. A scholar of the teaching-learning process and digital humanities, Dr. Mishra explores how human-centered STEM education can cultivate critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and interdisciplinary learning within engineering education. Her research develops diagnostic instruments, reflective learning frameworks, and curricular models that examine how these capacities can be systematically embedded and assessed within engineering education.

Dr. Mishra is the John Sayers Visiting Fellow at the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, and has trained at Oxford, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University. As a Shastri Indo-Canadian Visiting Scholar, she researched higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in engineering classrooms, work that has anchored her sustained scholarship on critical thinking pedagogy. A prolific published author, she conceptualized India’s first digital humanities minor course for engineering students, authored the book Introduction to Critical Thinking, and is Principal Investigator of projects funded by agencies including ICSSR.

As a Fulbright-Nehru scholar, Dr. Mishra is co-designing and validating interdisciplinary STEM-humanities curricular frameworks within the computer science capstone sequence. Upon her return, she will establish a STEM-Humanities Curriculum Innovation Lab and launch a MOOC, Technology, Ethics, and Society, translating evidence-based models for human-centered engineering education aligned with India’s NEP 2020 and U.S. priorities for accountable science.