The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) announces the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships. Such exchanges have, over the years, helped bring the people of India and the United States closer together.

In 2008, the U.S. and Indian governments agreed to significantly increase the number of scholarships awarded each year. The Fulbright program offers opportunities in the United States that enrich fellows’ academic, research, teaching and professional capacity.

USIEF also invites applications for the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships. The fellowship is jointly funded by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of India to build long-term capacity in both countries related to climate research and education.

Feby Varghese, a 2015 Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellow at theAmerican University, Washington, D.C. said, “The Fulbright-Nehru experience has broadened my horizons by empowering me with knowledge, skills and self-confidence. I got the opportunity to work as a Congressional fellow on Capitol Hill. The fellowship has provided me with professional and development opportunities that would not have been otherwise possible.”

Debapriyo Chakraborty, a 2014 Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Duke University, Durham, NC observed, “As a Fulbright-Nehru fellow at Duke University, I received training in field sampling and infectious diseases, which helped me to construct ecological networks, build and interpret epidemiological models, and gain a deeper understanding of global health from an ecological perspective.”

Anant Kumar, a 2015 Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Scholar at Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said,“After returning from the U.S., I have started the process of developing linkages and partnerships with academic contacts whom I met during my Fulbright-Nehru grant. For me, it is a beginning of a new journey.”

USIEF alumni have demonstrated strong leadership in all fields, including agriculture, the arts, business, education, the environment, humanities and social sciences, public health, and science and technology. Outstanding Indian students, academics, teachers, policy makers, administrators, and professionals are encouraged to apply.

USIEF expects to offer approximately 100 Fulbright-Nehru and six Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships to Indian applicants in 2018. Fellowship details are posted on the USIEF website (www.usief.org.in) and the first application deadline is June 15, 2017. Applicants may send any queries to ip@usief.org.in or contact one of the USIEF offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, or Mumbai.