Ravi Sankaran Fellowships are open to Indian nationals (who must also be resident in India at the time of applying) with a demonstrated deep interest in wildlife ecology and conservation through some sort of prior involvement in this field. Applicants must hold a Bachelors degree in any subject, and should normally be below 30 years of age on the first of July in the year of application.
Applicants must demonstrate their commitment to conservation and strongly justify how the fellowship will further conservation in India. Small Grant applicants must also submit a project proposal with budget. Full details accompany the application form for the specific activity.
All complete applications received will be screened by a committee, who will then shortlist candidates for interview. If you are shortlisted, we will send you details of travel, venue, etc. No interviews will be conducted for Small Grants applications. Interviews for Masters and Internship applicants usually take place in Mumbai or Delhi at the end of May or early June. Decisions on all three fellowship activities will be announced shortly thereafter.
Fellowship recipients must submit a detailed Interim Report every year, and a Final Report at the end of their term. All reports must contain an accounting of funds spent. Fellows retain all rights over information generated during their tenure. Fellows must acknowledge support received from the “Ravi Sankaran Fellowship” when and where they publish this work.
Application form should be downloaded, filled and send by post.
Apply
Application materials for 2016 are available below. The deadline for receiving completed applications is 15 April 2016.
There is a separate application form for each activity funded by the Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program. Please download and use the appropriate form for your application. All application forms are in Microsoft Word format.
Instructions on filling in and submitting the forms are contained within these files. Some fields have a word limit; please make sure you do not exceed this limit. In addition, please note:
- Type out your answers to all questions in the space provided (note that the space will expand if needed), then print out your form, add your signature and photograph, and courier a hard copy of the completed form to the Inlaks address below. The completed form should reach us on or before the deadline.
- Master’s and Internship applicants must enclose a letter of acceptance from the host institution.
- We will contact your referees directly — please ask them not to send their letters until they have heard directly from us.
- Application materials must be sent in hard copy. Emailed applications will be ignored.
Terms and Conditions
Fellowships for young conservationists
The Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program has several aims. One is to build capacity by facilitating the training of students in reputed international universities and institutions. This strategy is based on the recognition that a wide exposure to wildlife science and to conservation models from other parts of the world is needed to infuse Indian conservation with new ideas and approaches for greatest effectiveness. Such exposure includes, but is not limited to, work done towards an academic degree, which is why the Fellowship is offered for both Masters degrees and practical internships. An additional goal of the Fellowship is to provide small amounts of funding for the initial phases of new and perhaps controversial or risky work in conservation. This is based on the success of other small-grants programs, like the Rufford Small Grants, in kick-starting the work of large numbers of young, dynamic, and creative conservationists.
1. I am already pursuing a Master’s or PhD degree in India. Can I still apply for an international internship?
Yes, so long as you provide a letter from the head of your institution in India allowing you to take up your proposed internship.
2. Are host institutions for a Master’s degree abroad restricted to those in certain countries?
No, there is no restriction, but your host institution must have a track record of excellence in the discipline of your proposed Master’s degree.
3. What is the age restriction for applicants?
The age restriction for the Ravi Shankaran Fellowship Program is the same as that for the regular Inlaks Scholarships, which is that you must ordinarily be below 30 years of age on the first of July in the year of application.
4. Are applications accepted by email or in other electronic form?
No, applications must be completed, printed and sent in hard copy to the Inlaks Foundation office in Mumbai.