Applications open for VAIBHAV Fellowship Program (India)

VAIBHAV Fellowship envisages a collaboration between scientists of Indian Diaspora with Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), Universities and/or public funded Scientific Institutions. The VAIBHAV Fellow would identify an Indian Institution for collaboration and may spend up to two months in a year for maximum 3 years.

Focus Areas

• Quantum Technologies: Quantum Communication; Quantum Computing; Quantum Sensing and Metrology; Quantum Materials and Devices
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Foundation of AI/ML; AI/ML and Signals; AI for Social Good; AI and Robotics
• Computational Sciences: High Performance Computing Architectures; Computational Atmospheric Sciences; Cyber Physical Systems
• Data Sciences: Data Science Project Management; Data Science Infrastructure, Deployment and Hosting; Data Privacy and Security; Data Science Education; Data Science Applications
• Photonics: Photonic Devices; Optical Imaging and Bio-photonics; Photonic Materials and Sources; Nano-photonics; Integrated Photonics and Communication
• Energy: Future Electricity Systems; Sustainable Mobility Technologies; Advanced Fossil Technologies; Sustainable Future Fuels
• Electronics and Semiconductor Technologies: Semiconductor Materials and Process Technologies; Semiconductor Devices: Physics and Technology; Electronic Circuits and System Design
• Communication Technologies: Cellular Evolution 5G and Beyond (THz Comm); Communication Technologies for IoT/CPS; High Speed Optical Communication – backbone networks; Cognitive Technologies for Futuristic Communication
• Aerospace Technologies: Aerospace Systems and Design; Propulsion Technologies; Flight Structure and Integrity; Modeling and Simulations; Unmanned Aerial Systems and Countermeasures
• Materials and Processing Technologies: Structural Materials; Materials Recycling & Purification; Advanced & Functional Materials; Catalytic Materials & Processes; Computational Materials Science
• Earth Sciences: Atmospheric Science; Polar Science; Ocean Science/Technology; Geo Science/Technology
• Environmental Sciences: Air Quality Management; Water Quality Management; Soil and Waste Management; Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity Conservation; Climate Change
• Advanced Manufacturing Technologies: Smart Manufacturing, IoT, Digital Manufacturing; Additive Manufacturing; Precision/Micro-nano Manufacturing/Surface Engineering; Industrial Machines, Robotics/Automation; Speciality Products Manufacturing
• Health, Medical Sciences and Biomedical Devices: Advanced Technologies in Health Care; Precision Health; Holistic Health; Remote and Rural Health – Reaching the unreached
• Pharmaceuticals and Bio-Technology: Biotherapeutics and Biosimilars; Industrial Biotechnology; Infectious Diseases/Disease biology; Drug Discovery, Repurposing and Drug delivery
• Agricultural Sciences: Precision Agriculture; Sustainable and Climate Smart Agriculture; Food Safety and Nutritional Security; Climate Resilient Livestock, Veterinary Therapeutics and Zoonoses control, Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture and metabolic biology, Modern Fisheries and Aquaculture and seed production, Genome editing, Robotics, farm automation, Digital Agriculture
• Social Sciences for SDGs: Behavioral Community Approaches & its impact on Societal Development; Societal aspect of Technology Development with cause; Socio-Economic aspect of Development
• Management: Fostering academic collaborations; Mechanisms to increase R&D outputs from Indian institutions; Business innovation; Entrepreneurship for growth; Management of New-Age (Knowledge) Organizations; Making India R&D center of the world / Making India Center of Practice-Oriented Management Knowledge

Funding Information

• Emoluments for the Fellow:
  • Fellowship in INR 4 Lakh per month, for minimum 01 month and maximum up to 02 months per year (in a single stretch) for a period of maximum 03 years,
  • International Travel from place of work in parent institute to place of work in India in business class once a year,
  • Fully furnished Accommodation in guest house or hotel up to Rs.7500/- per day.
  • Contingency Rs.1,00,000 per year for research expenditure in India.
  • Domestic Travel (economy class) for academic purposes up to two Indian academic/scientific institutes in a year.
• Institutional Financial Support:
  • In addition to the emoluments to VAIBHAV fellow, the financial support (up to Rs 5.00 lakhs per year for 03 years) will be given to host institution to facilitate the VAIBHAV fellow for research work as per DST norms. This funding will cover the following expenses in connection with a project:
    • Consumables and Accessories,
    • Contingency
    • Institutional Overhead

Expectations

• VAIBHAV Fellow:
  • Sharing the Best Practices on research and translation of research, incubation etc.
  • Build long term connections,
  • Connect Indian Students to the foreign faculty/scientists
  • New approaches to Research processes and futuristic technologies
• Host Institution:
  • The host institute will host the scientist and provide office/lab facilities, consumables, access to lab equipment and facilitation for various infrastructure support. The following activities will be done by the host faculty/scientist:
    • Will start a project/technology translation/start-up/incubation which should be aligned with the priorities area of the country.
    • The VAIBHAV fellow would collaborate with the Indian scientist team during his visit and beyond via online meetings.
    • The host institution would implement the project within 3 years in consultation with VAIBHAV fellow.
    • The host Institution would submit the progress report and financial documents to DST at the end of each year and a project completion report at the end of 3rd year. The reports need to be jointly prepared by the host and the VAIBHAV fellow.
    • Host institute will adapt the shared best practices.
    • Will build the long-term research connections with the fellow.
    • Will develop a new approach to research processes and try to develop new technologies/innovation etc.

Eligibility Criteria

• For applicants – VAIBHAV Fellow:
  • Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), currently working abroad
  • Ph.D/M.D/M.S/M.Tech degree from a recognized University
  • Engaged in active research
  • Working/worked in foreign Institute/University (in regular/tenure employment as a faculty) for at least 5 years or more.
  • [Desirable: top-200 QS World University Ranking (subject-wise)]
  • Working in foreign Industry or Research Laboratories of repute in abroad for at least 5 years or more
  • It is to be noted that experience of PhD and Post-doctoral fellowship period shall not be counted as experience.
  • The applicant should not be PhD/ Post-doctoral fellow.
• For host Indian Institutions:
  • Higher Educational Institutions/University ranked in top 200 in NIRF overall rankings or having NAAC ‘A+’ grade or above.
  • Public funded Scientific Institutes/National Laboratories.

For more information, visit DST.