Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia Fellowship

Each spring the Saxena Center offers funding for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students of Brown University. The deadline for the 2022-2023 academic year will be Monday, March 4th at noon.  All applications are to be submitted via UFUNDS. 

Student Fellowship Overview

Graduate and Undergraduate fellows of the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia will participate as active members of the Saxena Center community for a period of one year. The fellowship will commence with a funded research or internship opportunity during the summer in which the fellowship is awarded or in special cases during the academic year. Upon their return to campus student fellows will give a presentation on their summer projects, attend South Asia seminars, and have opportunities to work closely with center faculty, if necessary. Fellows will also receive special invitations to attend lunches and dinners with guest speakers. Limited funding will be available during the academic year for returning fellows to attend conferences and/or organize events. Please contact southasia@brown.edu, with additional questions.

Undergraduate Research and Internships

The purpose of undergraduate summer funding is to facilitate research for a senior thesis or to provide internship experience with an academic or civil society organization. Students are invited to propose work with any organization or indicate their interest in one of the Center’s partners by contacting our Program Manger. Students who are unsure of where they would like to intern or are interested in one of the initiative's partners are encouraged to discuss their interests with a faculty member as early as possible. Students who already have made contact with an organization are required to attach a letter of interest from the organization. Details about the Center’s partners, such as Janaagraha (Bangalore) and Centre for Policy Research (Delhi), and PRADAN (various) can be found on our partners page.
Award: Up to a $5,000 maximum per project
Eligibility: Sophomores and Juniors (Brown University Only).
Deadline: Monday, March 4, 2024 at NOON
Application Requirements: A two page project proposal, unofficial transcript, resume, budget, and a letter from the organization (if proposing an internship). 
Apply at UFunds

Graduate Research, Internships or Language Training

Graduate funding can be used primarily for three purposes: research, internships, and language training. Proposals for either exploratory or advanced dissertation research will be considered. The first will cover the early years of graduate program; the second will facilitate completion of the dissertation. Language training will be for accelerated programs of language instruction. The American Institute of Indian Studies (Delhi) can assist in locating a center for specific language training. Other creative ideas are also welcome. 
Award: Up to a $7,500 maximum per project
Eligibility: PhD candidates in all fields dealing with contemporary South Asia can apply (Brown University Only).
Deadline: Monday, March 4, 2024 at NOON
Application Requirements: A three page project proposal, budget, resume, unofficial transcript, and one letter of recommendation.
Apply at UFunds

Faculty or Postdoctoral Research or Language Training

Applications will be considered from Brown University regular faculty or postdoctoral associates from any field to support research on contemporary South Asia or accelerated language training that is relevant to the region. Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the proposed research or training and the potential for the activity to lead to a long-term successful program of research on the region. Special consideration will be given to applications from junior faculty, especially those for whom South Asia is a new area of research.
Award: Up to a $10,000 maximum per project
Eligibility: Any regular Brown University Faculty
Deadline: Monday, March 4, 2024 at NOON
Application Requirements: A five page project proposal, budget, CV, and, for junior faculty, two letters of reference. Senior faculty need not send letters of recommendation. Awards are subject to additional university approval due to pandemic restrictions, read more in the travel policies section of the healthy Brown website.
Apply at UFunds