Fulbright-Nehru Grant Category India: Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Sujata Singh

Dr. Sujata Singh is a technical analyst at Customized Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd., an energy sector-based consulting firm, in association with Indian Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). She obtained her Ph.D. degree from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Her doctoral research focused on studying the microstructure-property correlation of High Entropy Alloy-Carbon Nanotubes composites. She received her master’s degree in metallurgical and materials engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and bachelor’s degree from Birsa Institute of Technology, Sindri, Dhanbad.

Dr. Singh’s research interest is in the study of electrochemical behavior of advanced materials, understanding underlying electrochemistry in protective coatings/thin films, utilizing nanomaterials to achieve enhanced properties, electron microscopy, microstructure-property correlation, and failure analysis with applications in the field of corrosion and Lithium-Ion Battery. She has published several research articles in reputed international journals and received the Senior Research Fellowship issued by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India. She also received an award for the best all-round performance in 2013.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Singh is developing alternate battery technologies that enable sustainable, cost-effective, and reliable electrochemical energy storage. The focus of the study is to investigate new electrode architecture, exploring methods to mitigate issues such as capacity fading, mechanical degradation, dendrite formation and cyclability in Sodium-Antimony Intermetallic Battery. The project advances the field’s understanding of this promising energy storage technology.

Sujay Shekar Ganganakatte Chandrashekar

Dr. Sujay Shekar G. C. is an environmental researcher and a metaphysicist. He earned his bachelor’s degree (2015) in science from Sarada Vilas College, Mysuru, and his master’s degree (2017) in physics from St. Philomena’s College, Mysuru. He received his Ph.D. in Physics (2023) from the University of Mysore. In 2018, he worked as a university lecturer at Department of Science in Physics, University of Mysore, and later joined as an assistant professor in 2023 at RNSIT, Visvesvaraya Technological University. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Studies in Physics at St. Philomena’s College, and the Board of Examination in Physics at Karnataka State Open University and JSS Science and Technology University.

Dr. Sujay Shekar believes in understanding the natural world as a means of achieving spiritual enrichment. In this pursuit, he initiated his research on solar energy utilization to create a more sustainable future. He works in the field of physical chemistry and material science to develop advanced nanomaterials for cleaner and more efficient light energy conversion. Through his doctoral research projects, he contributed to semiconductor photoelectrochemistry by engineering nanomaterials for effective photocatalytic applications. He even demonstrated the usage of sunlight for more sustainable synthesis methods of functional materials. Many of his designed compounds exhibited better solar energy conversion efficiency and produced greener solar fuels.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Dr. Sujay Shekar is developing new photosystems for boosted photochemical tandem reactions and understand the underlying phenomena of charge dynamics.

Sucharita Sen

Dr. Sucharita Sen is interested in the politics of everyday life beyond the conventional epicenters of power, with her research methodologically anchored at the intersection of history and political anthropology. She completed her Ph.D. in 2022 from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Dr. Sen is a recipient of the Walter L. Arnstein prize for the Best Ph.D. Paper at the 68th annual Midwest conference on British Studies (a regional affiliate of the North American conference on British Studies), 2021, the prize for the Best Ph.D. Paper at the 2021 biennial conference of the New Zealand Historical Association, and a Certificate of Excellence from Oxford University Press (India) for being the winning contributor of the December (2021) issue of Tell Me Your Story Review. Her works have appeared in South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, Contemporary South Asia, Society and Culture in South Asia and Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities.

Currently, Dr. Sen is co-editing the December 2025 (special) issue of the New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, and a post-conference edited volume (with Sekhar Bandyopadhyay) comprising selected papers from the ones presented at an international conference which she convened at the University of Auckland in September 2023.

Dr. Sen is working on her first monograph. The project examines, within the frameworks of affect theory and the critiques of Orientalism, a world of intimate power vis-à-vis official animosities in British India. The monograph revises her Ph.D. thesis, brings in additional materials, and rewrites the already published materials afresh. She also plans to co-convene an international conference with the support of her mentor at OSU. The conference will specifically boost Indo-U.S. collaboration in the field of South Asian Studies.

Swayam Sampurna Panigrahi

Dr. Swayam Sampurna Panigrahi is an assistant professor in IFMR-GSB, Sri City. Before this, she worked with IPE Hyderabad, IMI Bhubaneswar, and Woxsen University. She holds a doctorate degree from XIMB, XIM University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha in supply chain sustainability. She was a TEQIP scholarship awardee from the Government of India during her MTech from VSSUT Burla, where she was also adjudged as the University Best Postgraduate in production engineering. She has a BTech in mechanical engineering.

Dr. Panigrahi’s research interests are business and human rights, e-waste management, and Industry 4.0 application in operations. She received the “MSME Fellowship” from NIMSME, Hyderabad, under the Ministry of MSME, Government of India in 2017. She has won two Best Paper awards at WIPRO Sustainability Summit in 2016 and at the 105th Indian Economic Association Annual International Conference in 2022. She received two consecutive Emerald Literati awards by the Emerald Publishing House, Bingley, UK in 2019 and 2020. She was also recognized as “LinkedIn Top Voice” in business management, business operations and lean manufacturing in 2023. She is an associate member of the Business and Human Rights Forum at Columbia University.

Human rights issues in global textile and apparel supply chains require joint attention from policy makers, civil society members, and supply chain researchers. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Dr. Panigrahi’s research is uncovering gross human rights violations. Her objective is to develop a generic framework to address these challenges through exchange of best practices across the U.S. and India.

Purbajyoti Phukon

Dr. Purbajyoti Phukon has been working as an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar since 2019. He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Dibrugarh University, Assam. He completed his Ph.D. jointly from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun and the Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Dr. Phukon’s research focuses on metamorphic petrology, geochronology, and continental tectonics, focusing on understanding the metamorphism, deformation, exhumation of deep-seated rocks in the Himalayan Orogen, and evolution shear zones. His research incorporates multidisciplinary approaches, including microstructural analysis, petrochronology of accessory mineral phases such as zircon and monazite, phase equilibria modeling, and the study of ductile deformation patterns in crystalline rocks. He has published his findings in several high-impact journals such as Lithos, GSA Bulletin, and Earth Science Review. As an assistant professor in Assam University, Silchar, he has secured two research grants – the Start-up research grant (SRG) project sponsored by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium project of NITI Aayog, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and UGC. Additionally, he received grants for attending international conferences from SERB Travel Support and won the Best Paper award in 2018 at WIHG, Dehradun.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, Dr. Phukon aims to discern the inherent characteristics, temporal extent, and quantitative estimations of metamorphic CO2 fluxes within the eastern segment of the Himalayan orogen. Furthermore, he seeks to ascertain the potential contribution of CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere during geologically distant epochs.

Sarvesh Pandey

Dr. Sarvesh Pandey is an assistant professor of computer science at Banaras Hindu University since November 2020. At BHU, he has been actively involved in teaching, research, and administration activities. Dr. Pandey obtained his MTech and Ph.D. degrees from the Computer Science and Engineering Department of Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur. His broad research areas include blockchains, cloud computing, and database systems. In 2014, he secured 33rd rank in the CSIR-NET examination for engineering sciences. Under the CSIR scheme, he worked as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and subsequently as a Senior Research Fellow (SRF) during his Ph.D. He has also qualified for the GATE entrance examination in computer science and information technology.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Pandey will explore two crucial research directions: efficient data management utilizing blockchain technology, and blockchain application in crowdsourcing. As the current decentralized data processing and retrieval landscape is transitioning, his plan involves optimizing blockchain performance, specifically addressing query retrieval efficiency and facilitating rich queries. Additionally, he aims to incorporate access control mechanisms within the blockchain framework. The research outcomes will be seamlessly integrated into existing crowdsourcing applications, capitalizing on the strengths of both domains

Gaurav Pandey

Dr. Gaurav Pandey earned his Ph.D. from the National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2023. His doctoral research focused on utilizing halloysite nanotubes loaded with various guest molecules for diverse biological applications. Throughout his Ph.D. journey, he consistently addressed environmental concerns, including heavy metal remediation, waste reduction, and pesticide sensing. He holds a master’s degree in forensic nanotechnology with a specialization in nanobiotechnology from Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu. He was awarded gold and silver medals for his master’s and bachelor’s degrees, respectively. Dr. Pandey has qualified national-level exams, namely UGC NET JRF (in forensic science) in 2019 and GATE (in biotechnology) in 2016. He has authored over 30 publications, including research papers, review articles, a co-authored book, and book chapters.

Dr. Pandey’s research interests encompass leveraging naturally occurring clay-based nanomaterials to tackle contemporary environmental challenges, including mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, combating plastic pollution, and addressing water contamination issues.

As a Fulbright Nehru Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Pandey’s project is investigating the degradation of plastic waste using halloysite nanotube-based nanocomposites. The outcomes of this research have the potential to aid India in reducing its plastic waste burden and working towards the goal of becoming a low-plastic waste producing country by 2050.

Shameer Modongal

Dr. Shameer Modongal completed his Ph.D. in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. He also holds M.A and M.Phil. degrees in international relations from the same institution, as well as an M.A in political science from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. Dr. Modongal’s scholarly achievements include qualifying for the Junior Research Fellowship and the National Eligibility Test of the University Grants Commission in international and area studies, as well as the National Eligibility Test in political science.

In the realm of academic publications, Dr. Modongal has made significant contributions, notably publishing two books in 2022: Islamic Perspectives on International Conflict Resolution: Theological Debates on the Israel-Palestinian Peace Process (Routledge) and Religion and Nuclear Weapons: A Study of Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan (Vij Books India). Additionally, he co-edited the book Counterterrorism and Global Security: Genesis, Responses and Challenges (Vij Books India) in 2021. He also serves as an editor or reviewer for many prestigious international journals, including the British Journal of Political Science (Cambridge University Press) and Cogent Social Sciences (Taylor and Francis).

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the American University, Washington, D.C., Dr. Modongal is engaged in exploring the dynamics between American Islamic scholars and organizations amidst conflicting interests of pro-Israel U.S. government policies and pro-Palestinian Muslim community interests. His research examines how the Islamic discourse in the U.S. shapes perceptions regarding the formation of Israel and the friendly relations of Muslim countries with it, as well as the discourse among Islamic scholars and organizations surrounding the support that the U.S. extends to Israel.

Gargi Kundu

Dr. Gargi Kundu is an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow at Philipps University of Marburg, Germany. She obtained her B.Sc. from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal in 2015, and her master’s from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 2017. She then received her Ph.D. in 2022 at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, Maharashtra, with CSIR-UGC NET fellowship.

Dr. Kundu specializes in the chemistry of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes, focusing on small molecule activation, stabilization of carbon-based diradicals, and NHC-boron chemistry. She has published numerous articles in esteemed international journals, and has received various accolades during her Ph.D., including the NCL RF Keerthi Sangoram Memorial Endowment award for ‘the best research scholar’, and the Best Thesis award in chemical science from CSIR-NCL and AcSIR, respectively. Notable achievements also include the RSC Best Poster award by Poster Twitter Conference, and the Best Oral Talk award at ICMGSC-2023.

The diradical field, despite intriguing electronic properties, lacks extensive study. Boron-doped PAHs are gaining attention for being low in toxicity, cost-effective, with high π-affinity, photoluminescence, and redox properties. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, Dr. Kundu is synthesizing stable boron-based diradicals, combining open-shell diradical character, luminescence, and redox properties. The focus is on exploring their potential applications as super-electron donors, photo-/electro-catalysts, redox switches, functional chromophores/ fluorophores in photovoltaic cells, and artificial light-harvesting systems with a special emphasis on hydrogen activation.

Naveen Kumar Tailor

Dr. Naveen Kumar Tailor is working as a research associate in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He completed his M.Sc. in physics from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. His Ph.D. research focused on the comprehensive description of lead-free perovskites and double perovskite single crystals, including growth and investigation of fundamental properties, structure-property relationships with cation and anion transmutation, carrier dynamics, and excited state physics using optical and electrical spectroscopy techniques, as well as applications in photodetection and X-ray detection. His Ph.D. research was recognized with the Excellence in Doctoral Research award. Additionally, he has gained experience in perovskite solar cells and explored carrier dynamics in perovskites using impedance spectroscopy, as well as fundamental photophysics in perovskite nanocrystals. Recently, he has started working on CO2 reduction, focusing on the discovery of novel materials for efficient CO2 photoreduction and studying the fundamental mechanisms behind it.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Tailor’s has meticulously planned a project with the goal of developing cost-effective and stable X-ray detectors using solution-processed 3D/2D perovskite heterocrystals with exceptional sensitivity and low detection limits. This effort aims to increase the commercialization potential of this technology, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of X-ray detector manufacture in India and the U.S.