India Fellows Years: Indian Fellows 2023-2024

Saikatul Haque

Dr. Saikatul Haque is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad since 2021. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2021, under the supervision of Prof. Sandeep Kunnath, at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research – Centre for Applicable Mathematics (TIFR-CAM), Bengaluru. He earned his master’s in 2016 from TIFR-CAM after completing his bachelor’s in 2014 at R K Mission Vidyamandira, University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

Dr. Haque’s research work focuses on the study of well-posedness and regularity for elliptic and time dependent partial differential equations. He has published several research articles in reputed international journals. He also qualified IIT JAM in 2014 and CSIR UGC NET held in December 2015. He has been selected for the INSPIRE faculty fellowships in 2023 by Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Haque is studying mainly three partial differential equations: the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS), a modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation, and a related heat equation. The main focus of this project is to understand the global time behavior of the energy-critical focusing inhomogeneous fractional NLS. This includes research into local and global well-posedness, variational estimates for elliptic problems, linear profile decomposition, and rigidity. For the cubic NLS, mKdV and nonlinear heat equation, Dr. Haqueis investigating well-posedness and ill-posedness in modulation spaces.

Ansuman Halder

Dr. Ansuman Halder obtained his B.Sc. degree from Scottish Church College, University of Calcutta, in 2011 and then joined the M.Sc.-Ph.D. dual degree program at the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai. He pursued his Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Shaibal K. Sarkar and received his dual degree in 2020. His research work was focused on understanding the structural and opto-electronic properties of various hybrid halide perovskite materials for photovoltaic applications.

Besides publishing several research articles in reputed international journals, Dr. Halder filed a patent for development of perovskite based thermochromic photovoltaic devices during his Ph.D. He was awarded the prestigious Bhaskara Advanced Solar Energy (BASE) fellowship in 2017 for a 3 month internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Colorado. After finishing his Ph.D., Dr. Halder joined Bar-Ilan University, Israel in 2020 as a postdoctoral fellow and worked with Prof. David Cahen to understand the electrical and electronic properties of hybrid perovskite materials.

Use of solar power for energy generation is highly advantageous as it is abundant and pollution free. In recent times, perovskite based solar cells have emerged as one of the most promising technologies to provide solar generated electricity at lower costs. During his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship, Dr. Halder is focusing on understanding the growth dynamics of the large-scale perovskite thin film formation that is essential for development of perovskite based solar cell technology.

Sujoy Ghosh

Dr. Sujoy Kumar Ghosh is Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow at Laboratorio NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR, Pisa, Italy. Previously, he was Post doctoral Research Associate at UNIST, South Korea. Dr. Ghosh completed his Ph.D. in 2019, M.Sc. in 2012, and B.Sc. in 2010 from the Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Dr. Ghosh has published 45 scientific articles in peer reviewed journals, several book chapters, and he possesses h-index of 29 (Google scholar). He has won several awards and recognitions, such as Young Scientist Award in “International Virtual Conference on Advances in Functional Materials (AFM 2020)”, Newton Bhabha Fellow (2017), Best Poster Award in “Fourth International Symposium on Semiconductor Materials and Devices (ISSMD-4)” (2017), DST Award for 66th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, Germany (2016) among others. The design and experimental study on piezo-, pyro- and ferro-electric properties of synthetic and natural polymers as well as investigation of their resulting energy harvesting device towards the applications of self-powered healthcare monitoring are leitmotifs of his research.

In recent years, the integration between medicine and technology qualitatively extended new designs of implantable biomedical devices (IBDs), allowing competitive advantage for medical treatment of human body. However, nearly all classes of active IBDs rely on battery powers, which not only have limited lifespan, but also increase patient’s health risks and expanses. During his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship, Dr. Ghosh is designing ultrasonic waves stimulated piezo-electrically-powered miniature wireless IBDs using biodegradable natural polymer materials in a non-invasive approach.

Rabindranath Garai

Dr. Rabindranath Garai is Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, where he works on the fabrication of semi-transparent PSCs for building integration. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in 2014 from Midnapore College, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore and his M.Sc. degree in 2016 from the Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad. He then earned his Ph.D. in 2022 under the supervision of Dr. Parameswar K. Iyer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. His research work focuses on the investigation of multifunctional molecules for efficient and durable polymer and perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Dr. Garai has published several research articles in recognized international journals and filed three patents in solar cell technology. He also received the “Chemical Science Best Poster Presentation Prize” at ChemSci2021: Leaders in the Field Symposium organized by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Bangalore in association with the Chemical Science journal. His other scientific recognitions include the Award of Sakura Science Program-2019 held at Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan.

Dr. Garai is pursuing his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship at the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department, Rice University. He is working under the mentorship of Dr. Aditya D. Mohite, who is recognized as one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of perovskite-based solar cell devices. Dr. Garai’s project aims to develop high-performance and durable PSCs through structural phase and interface engineering.

Rajkumar Dhakar

Dr. Rajkumar Dhakar obtained his B.Sc. in agriculture from the College of Agriculture Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth Rahuri, Maharashtra in 2008. He obtained his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in 2010 and 2020, respectively, from the Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Currently, he is a faculty member at IARI. In his doctoral research, Dr. Dhakar focused on developing a novel spatial field scale wheat yield forecasting system through integration of satellite remote sensing derived leaf area index into agroecosystem model along with weather forecast. He has published about 30 research papers in journals of national and international repute. Currently, he is working on projects such as mapping tillage patterns in rice-wheat cropping systems using satellite data, crop yield forecasting, and precision nitrogen management in wheat using smartphone and satellite data.

Dr. Dhakar is a recipient of the ICAR JRF Fellowship (2008), IARI Merit Medal for M.Sc. (2011), CSIR-UGC JRF Fellowship (2010), DST-INSPIRE fellowship (2011), Best M.Sc. thesis award from the Association of Agrometeorologist (2011), IARI Merit Medal for Ph.D. (2021), Best PhD thesis award from the Association of Agrometeorologist (2021), Best Oral Presentation awards from ISRS (2016) and from the Association of Agrometeorologist (2014).

During his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship, Dr. Dhakar is assessing general epidemiological models of airborne fungal infections for the prediction of diseases in apples; mapping and detecting diseases through small unmanned aerial system using artificial intelligence techniques; and evaluating economic feasibility of precision fungicide applicators over conventional ones.

Anilkumar Chandrappa

Dr. Anilkumar Chandrappa is a scientist at the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, who is focused on genetic gains in rice breeding. He graduated from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. While pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Chandrappa studied classical genetic studies in chilli, which earned him a university gold medal for outstanding research in 2019. He was a recipient of a national fellowship to support his Ph.D. from the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India. His research interests include incorporating novel breeding approaches into traditional breeding methods in order to increase genetic gain in a limited amount of time. He is also interested in understanding the basis of complex traits with quantitative genetic approaches. Currently, he is working on genomics assisted rice breeding for stress resilience and grain traits, which includes utilization of genomic predictions and haplotype-based breeding along with classical breeding approaches.

Dr. Chandrappa’s research during his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship is aimed at investigating the impact of targeted recombinations over random recombinations in maximizing genetic gain in crop improvement. In this project, he is tackling significant corollary queries, including: firstly, how targeted recombinations are superior to modulated recombination frequencies across the genome in maximizing genetic gain; and secondly, how the varied number of chromosomes with targeted recombination impact the genetic gain against altered recombination frequencies across the entire genome.

Sandeep Bose

Dr. Sandeep Bose is a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University, Montreal. He obtained his B.Sc. from Gangadhar Meher University, Sambalpur, Odisha in 2011 and his master’s from the School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad in 2014. He then received his Ph.D. in 2021 under the supervision of Prof. T. Pradeep at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Dr. Bose’s research work focuses on the synthesis of functional nanomaterials using electrospray deposition technique and their various applications. Dr. Bose has published several research articles in reputed international journals and has been granted one patent in the field of sustainable nanomaterials. He has qualified the CSIR-UGC NET and GATE examinations. His other scientific recognitions include the Best Poster Award at the 21st National Symposium in Chemistry conducted by the Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI), Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad in 2017. He also received an International Travel Support Award at IIT Madras from the Government of India to attend the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Clusters and Nanostructures, Les Diablerets, Switzerland in 2019.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is a common form of skin cancer that develops in the squamous cells that make up the middle and outer layers of the skin. Untreated, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can grow large or spread to other parts of the body, causing serious complications. However, it can be treated successfully if detected early. During his Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship, Dr. Bose is addressing this issue by developing early detection strategies for squamous cell carcinoma by using a combination of photography, mass spectrometry and machine learning.

Parvaiz Ahmad Shiekh

Dr. Parvaiz A. Shiekh is DST INSPIRE Faculty at the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), New Delhi. He obtained his bachelor’s in science from Sri Pratap College, University of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, followed by a master’s in biotechnology from the Central University of South Bihar, Bihar. He received his Ph.D. in biological sciences and bioengineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) under the supervision of Prof. Ashok Kumar, where Dr. Sheikh designed and evaluated bioactive, oxygen-releasing, and antioxidant polymeric biomaterials for therapeutics and translational medicine.

Dr. Parvaiz qualified for CSIR-UGC NET JRF (2013), DBT JRF (2013), and GATE 2013. He has published several peer-reviewed articles in reputed journals, including Biomaterials, Chemical Engineering Journal, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Bioactive Materials, European Polymer Journal, and Biomacromolecules. His work has also resulted in two granted patents.

Dr. Parvaiz has received several national and international awards. He received the DST AWSAR Award from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the ILBS-TATA Emerging Leader fellowship from the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. His doctoral thesis was awarded the Innovative Student Project Award 2021 at Doctoral Level by the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), New Delhi. His thesis work was also awarded the Outstanding PhD Thesis Award from IIT Kanpur and the Best PhD Thesis Award from the Society for Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, India. His other scientific achievements include IITK-SIIC Student Innovation Award (SSIA), TERMIS-AP Golden Award 2021, SYBS Young Researcher Award, SBAOI – Bajpai-Saha Student Award, Torrent-ISHR Young Scientist Award, and Dr. S K Maulik Award. He has also received international travel support from IITK, DST-SERB, and INSA/CSIR/DAE-BRNS-CCSTDS for presenting his work at international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research scholar at UCLA, Dr. Parvaiz is developing smart microneedle patches to deliver on-demand oxygen and cell instructive molecules for therapeutics and regeneration.

Ayaz Ahmad

Dr. Ayaz Ahmad is Associate Professor at the United World School of Law, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar. He began his academic career at National Law University Odisha, Cuttack and moved to Glocal University, Saharanpur to establish Glocal Law School as the founding faculty. Dr. Ahmad completed his B.A.LL.B degree from the Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University and his LL.M from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi in 2011. He received his Ph.D. in 2018 under the supervision of Dr. Yogesh Pratap Singh at Glocal University, Saharanpur.

Dr. Ahmad qualified UGC NET and Junior Research Fellowship exams in his first attempt. He was selected by the International Academy for Leadership (IAF) to participate in an international workshop on liberalism in Gummersbach, Germany. He was also selected to participate in an International Summer School: “Pluralism, Development and Social Change” in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Dr. Ahmad teaches constitutional law, jurisprudence, environmental law, and interpretation of statutes. His research interests include constitutional theory and practice, higher education, and social justice. He also seeks to understand the interplay of social, cultural, and political practices in the domain of law and justice administration. He has published several research papers, book chapters, and opinion pieces.

Dr. Ahmad’s Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellowship project focuses on the constitutive functions of minority rights based on religion by deconstructing the judicial discourse around it. He draws from the socio-political developments in America, which led to the judicial annulment of ‘separate but equal doctrine’ in order to secure democratic educational space.

Dinesh Kumar

Mr. Dinesh Kumar teaches biology to grades 11 and 12 at a Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School in Ajnala, Amritsar, Punjab. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, he oversees the functioning of the science and biology laboratory in the school. He has a double master’s in zoology and English.

Mr. Kumar received the Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar in 2018 from the Vice President of India for his contributions to the field of education. He participated in a professional development program at the University of Toronto sponsored by the Punjab Government. He served as a mentor teacher and a master resource person for teacher training programs. He actively participated in national and international training sessions, workshops, and seminars, covering a wide array of subjects and objectives.

Mr. Kumar sees the Fulbright TEA program as a transformative opportunity to enhance his teaching skills and bring new perspectives to his students and colleagues. During the program, he is exploring innovative approaches to biology education, incorporating technology in the classroom, and understanding global best practices.

Upon his return to India, Mr. Kumar plans to integrate the knowledge gained from the Fulbright TEA program into his teaching methods with a focus on creating a more engaging and interactive learning environment for his students. He envisions sharing his experiences with his fellow educators and contributing to the improvement of biology education in the local community and beyond.