Chennai, Feb 26: The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) announces the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships.  Funded by the U.S. Department of State and India’s Ministry of External Affairs, such exchanges have helped bring the people of India and the United States closer together through opportunities that enrich fellows’ academic, research, teaching, and professional capacity.  Alumni of exchange and scholarship programs administered by USIEF have demonstrated strong leadership in their academic disciplines and professions.  Outstanding Indian students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellow Gowthaman Ranganathan shares that “The generous support from the U.S. and Indian governments made it possible for me to pursue my LL.M. in the United States. My time at the University of Texas at Austin was a life-changing experience.  In addition to excellent classes and my association with research centres at the law school, I benefitted from taking courses in history and government, which broadened my perspectives on law.” 

For Akarsh Verma, the Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellowship at Pennsylvania State University enabled him to “conduct research that will help improve capability to desalinate water.  The exposure to high-quality research and academic infrastructure in the United States helped me gain a global exposure to tackle engineering problems.”  

Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence scholar Abid Banday “made new contacts and learned novel techniques for target-specific chemotherapy of cancer cells using antibodies as drug delivery vehicles.  This will enable me to forge collaborations that can help in solving issues surrounding global public health.  On a personal front, the interactions with the local community have helped me understand the ways I can contribute to make the world a better place.” 

This year, the Fulbright program participants, partners, and friends celebrate the 75th anniversary of the U.S. government’s worldwide Fulbright program and its mission to forge lasting connections, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.  This celebration renews USIEF’s commitment to fulfil Senator J. William Fulbright’s goal of bringing “a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs,” as well as increasing “the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.” 

USIEF is now accepting applications from Indian citizens for the 2022-23 academic year.  Selection committees comprising American and Indian subject-matter experts and Fulbright alumni award these fellowships to students, academics, teachers, policy makers, administrators, and professionals in a variety of disciplines across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields.  USIEF urges you to consider whether you or someone you know would be a good candidate to represent your country as a cultural ambassador in the United States and experience this opportunity firsthand.  For more details, visit www.usief.org.in.   

Applicants may also send any queries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact one of the USIEF offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, or Mumbai.  Prospective applicants from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territories of Lakshadweep Islands, Puducherry, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands can write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.