New Delhi, 02 July: Ashoka University, India’s leading interdisciplinary and research university, has set a new institutional benchmark with sixteen of its students securing eighteen of the world’s most prestigious international scholarships in a single year– the highest ever in the University’s history. These scholarships will enable the scholars to pursue advanced studies at leading universities across the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and beyond, underscoring the growing global recognition of Ashoka University‘s academic excellence and its students‘ success in highly competitive international programmes.
Among the scholarships secured by Ashoka students and fellows are the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, alongside one each of the Gates Cambridge, Inlaks, Fulbright-Nehru Master’s, Chevening, Commonwealth Shared, ADB Bank Japan, Dr Hettie Elgood and Havells Wake Forest Scholarship, as well as three Felix and six Erasmus Mundus Scholarships. This landmark milestone reflects the growing global recognition of Ashoka students, whose exceptional interdisciplinary academic capabilities, leadership potential, and commitment to addressing complex societal challenges have enabled them to stand out in highly competitive international selection processes.
Among the awardees are Young India Fellows, Taif Altaf, who was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to pursue an MPhil in Socio-Legal Research and a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford; Surya A, who secured the Gates Cambridge Scholarship for an MPhil in Public Policy at the University of Cambridge; Sharanya Maity, recipient of the Felix Scholarship for an MA in Curating Cultures at SOAS University of London; Dharmendra Mahto, who received the Chevening Scholarship to pursue an MSc in Environment & Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science; Amarnath, recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for the Master Degree Programme in Brain and Data Science offered jointly by Bar-Ilan University in Israel, the University of Zagreb in Croatia, the University of Lisbon in Portugal, and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland; Trishala, who received the Dr Hettie Elgood Scholarship to pursue SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art at the SOAS University of London; and Reetesh Rajput, who was awarded the Havells Wake Forest Scholarship for an MSc in Management at Wake Forest University.
The University’s undergraduate students and alumni have also achieved remarkable success. Chandranshu Yadav, a History student from the Class of 2025, secured the Inlaks Scholarship for MSc South Asian Studies at the University of Oxford. Akshat Arora and Prateek Sibal, both Biology students from the Class of 2025, received Erasmus Mundus Scholarships for the International Master in Innovative Medicine, a joint programme offered by the University of Groningen, Heidelberg University, the University of Tartu, and Uppsala University. Prateek Sibal also received the Oxford-Felix Scholarship for MSc Integrated Immunology at the University of Oxford. Vineet Karlapalem, a Biology student from the Class of 2025, was awarded the Oxford-Felix Scholarship for MSc Genomic Medicine at the University of Oxford.
Further adding to this exceptional list of achievements, Ruth Gemechu, a Psychology student from the Class of 2025, secured an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for the Master’s Degree Programme in Brain and Data Science. Suchir Kalra, an Ashoka Scholar Programme alumnus from the Class of 2023, earned both an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for the EMJM Economic Policies for the Global Bifurcation programme and a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship for an MSc in Public Policy at the University of Reading. Nitya Devayya, also an Ashoka Scholar Programme alumna from the Class of 2023, received an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for the EMJM Education in Museums & Heritage programme at the University of Glasgow. Shivangi Sharma, a Young India Fellowship alumna, received the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship to pursue a Master’s in International Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University. Abhed Manocha, an undergraduate alumnus, was awarded the ADB Bank Japan Scholarship for a Master’s in Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
Commenting on the achievement, Professor Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University, Delhi-NCR, said, “This year marks a historic milestone for Ashoka University, with our students securing the highest number of prestigious international scholarships in the University’s history. These achievements clearly demonstrate the extraordinary talent, dedication, skills and intellectual rigour of our students, as well as the strength of the educational environment at Ashoka that encourages academic growth and excellence, curiosity, and global engagement. We are immensely proud of each scholar and look forward to the impact they will create across institutions and communities worldwide.”
The success of these students highlights the transformative power of an interdisciplinary education that encourages intellectual exploration, critical thinking, and leadership. It also underscores Ashoka University’s commitment to nurturing individuals who are prepared to contribute meaningfully to academia, public service, industry, and civil society on a global scale.