New Delhi, Aug 18 — Three outstanding PhD scholars will receive research support under the Padma Bhushan Prof Rajinder Kumar Research Fellowship with the Valliappa Foundation providing Rs 1 lakh per year to each scholar for three years, according to a statement on Tuesday.
The fellowship was launched to support doctoral research and encourage young researchers to pursue high-quality work in their respective fields and seeks to honour the research legacy of Prof Rajinder Kumar, while investing in the next generation of researchers and strengthening India's research and innovation ecosystem.
"The fellowship is open to full-time PhD scholars already registered and pursuing research at institutions ranked among the top 100 in the national institutional ranking framework (NIRF)," according to the statement.
The fellowship will provide a total support of Rs 3 lakh to each of the three selected scholars over the three-year period, it added.
In addition, the initiative has been welcomed as a meaningful way of carrying forward Prof Kumar's emphasis on research, education and translating scientific work into practical applications.
Moreover, the fellowship was proposed by Chocko Valliappa, managing trustee, Valliappa Foundation based on his own long professional association with Prof Kumar.
Prof KS Gandhi, former professor emeritus at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) said that the fellowship was a fitting tribute to Prof Kumar's rich research legacy by investing directly in the next generation of researchers.
“His emphasis on sincerity, modernising education and translating research into applications remains particularly relevant as India seeks to strengthen its research and innovation ecosystem,” Gandhi said.
Additionally, selection will follow a rigorous screening by an expert committee comprising experts from Sona College of Technology and Vee Technologies with applications for the inaugural fellowships closing on September 15.