Postgraduate & Research Scholar Fellowship
Research with Purpose. Action with Integrity. Nation Building with Impact.
Build SAFIT Villages. Strengthen Rural India. Power Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
This fellowship invites India’s postgraduate students and research scholars to step beyond classrooms and laboratories—into villages, institutions, and communities where the nation is built every day. Here, your research becomes a force for Safety, Health, Environment, Rural Education, Sustainable Livelihoods, and conscious community transformation.
You won’t just study development. You will deliver it—through SAFIT Villages inspired by Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Transformation. Because Aatmanirbhar Bharat begins when knowledge turns into service, and service turns into measurable impact.
Overview
The National SHE Postgraduate & Research Scholar Fellowship is a national research-to-action fellowship for:
- Postgraduate Students (Master’s Programs)
- M.Phil. / Ph.D. Scholars
- Research Associates & Early-Career Academics
Fellows work on real national priorities by designing and implementing measurable solutions in:
- Safety
- Health
- Environment
- Rural Development
- Rural Education
- Sustainable Livelihoods
- SAFIT Village Transformation
- Donations, CSR & Fundraising Leadership (aligned with National SHE Projects)
Why This Fellowship for Aatmanirbhar Bharat
A self-reliant India is built when villages are empowered with:
- Safe systems and resilient infrastructure
- Preventive health and wellness awareness
- Sustainable livelihoods and local enterprise
- Quality education and digital inclusion
- Environmental stewardship and climate resilience
- Ethical governance and community harmony
Every Fellow becomes a nation-building contributor—not by intention alone, but by measurable outcomes.
Foundation: Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Transformation
SAFIT Villages are inspired by Integral Transformation across five planes:
- Physical: safety, infrastructure, resilience
- Vital: health, energy, livelihoods
- Mental: education, awareness, knowledge systems
- Psychic: ethics, values, compassion, cohesion
- Spiritual: unity, harmony, collective progress
This fellowship ensures development is holistic, ethical, and sustainable.
What is a SAFIT Village?
SAFIT = Safe • Aware • Fit • Integrated • Transformative
A SAFIT Village is a model rural ecosystem where progress is integrated across:
- Safety & resilience
- Health & wellness
- Environment & sustainability
- Rural education & digital access
- Livelihoods & local entrepreneurship
- Values-based governance & community participation
Fellowship Pillars
S — Safe & Resilient Villages (Physical Transformation)
What Fellows Do
- Risk mapping and safety audits
- Disaster preparedness frameworks
- Occupational/agricultural safety improvement
- Women & child safety systems
Key Outputs
- Safety audit + village risk map
- Emergency SOPs and preparedness plan
- Community safety committee model
A — Aware & Healthy Communities (Vital Transformation)
What Fellows Do
- Preventive health surveys and gap mapping
- WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) initiatives
- Nutrition and maternal-child health support
- Mental health awareness and well-being models
Key Outputs
- Health baseline report + intervention plan
- Awareness modules and outreach model
- Local health linkage support roadmap
Environment & Climate Action (SHE Sustainability)
What Fellows Do
- Audits for waste, water, energy
- Water conservation and restoration planning
- Composting and circular economy pilots
- Climate resilience mapping and action plans
Key Outputs
- Environmental audit report
- Climate-resilient village roadmap
- Measurable sustainability pilot results
Rural Development & Infrastructure Planning (Integrated Growth)
What Fellows Do
- Map services, infrastructure, and gaps
- Create participatory development plans
- Build governance support tools for implementation
Key Outputs
- Village development assessment
- Project designs ready for execution
- Stakeholder coordination framework
For Society & Nation
What Fellows Do
- Assess learning access and education gaps
- Support digital literacy and learning models
- Train youth leaders in SHE awareness and life skills
Key Outputs
- Education gap report
- Digital learning support model
- Youth leadership toolkit
Sustainable Livelihoods & Green Entrepreneurship (Vital Self-Reliance)
What Fellows Do
- Livelihood mapping and income diversification
- Women SHG strengthening and micro-enterprises
- Skill development aligned with local economy
- Waste-to-wealth and green entrepreneurship pilots
Key Outputs
- Livelihood enhancement blueprint
- SHG/micro-enterprise toolkit
- Pilot livelihood model with impact metrics
Transformative & Conscious Communities (Psychic & Spiritual Growth)
What Fellows Do
- Ethical leadership and community dialogue facilitation
- Inclusion, harmony, and collective problem-solving models
- Cultural stewardship and community ownership frameworks
Key Outputs
- Community leadership & values framework
- Social cohesion and stewardship plan
- Continuity model for long-term sustainability
Donations, CSR & Fundraising Leadership
Funding SAFIT Villages with Ethics and Transparency
This fellowship builds fellows’ capacity to mobilize responsible resources for village transformation—aligned strictly with verified National SHE Projects and institutional guidelines.
What Fellows Do
- Design CSR-aligned project frameworks for SAFIT Villages
- Develop funding proposals and budgets (as needed)
- Create impact dashboards and reporting systems
- Support ethical fundraising strategy and transparency
- Assist partners in measuring outcomes and sustainability
Where CSR & Funding Can Support
- Rural education improvement
- Water, sanitation, hygiene systems
- Preventive health programs
- Renewable energy & waste management
- Livelihood and skill development
- Disaster resilience and emergency preparedness
Impact
On Fellows: Development finance + ESG/CSR skills, proposal writing, accountability
On Institutions: Stronger partnerships, funded pilots, social impact visibility
On Villages: Faster implementation, sustainable programs, measurable outcomes
How It Works (Step-by-Step)
Fellowship Journey
- Apply & Get Selected
- Choose Your Focus Track (Safety/Health/Environment/Education/Livelihoods/SAFIT/CSR)
- Adopt a Village or Cluster (SAFIT implementation focus)
- Conduct Baseline Assessment (data + stakeholder consultations)
- Create SAFIT Village Blueprint (goals, indicators, roadmap)
- Run a Pilot Intervention (small, measurable, scalable)
- Measure Before–After Impact (evidence + community feedback)
- Translate into Policy & Replication (brief + toolkit)
- Showcase & Certification (institutional + national recognition)
Group of Fellows Deliverables
Each fellow contribute and completes:
- Baseline Assessment Report
- SAFIT Village Transformation Blueprint
- Pilot Implementation Documentation
- Impact Measurement Report
- Policy Brief / Recommendations
- Publication / Presentation (where applicable)
- CSR / Funding Strategy Note (where applicable)
Impact
Impact on Fellows
- Research-to-action leadership portfolio
- Field credibility + policy experience
- ESG/CSR exposure and grant readiness
- Stronger career pathways (academia, policy, CSR, ESG, development)
Impact on Institutions
- Higher research output with social relevance
- SDG/ESG alignment and accreditation value
- Stronger community partnerships and national visibility
Impact on Villages & the Nation
- Safer and more resilient villages
- Improved preventive health and WASH systems
- Sustainable livelihood growth
- Stronger rural education support
- Replicable SAFIT models for national scale
- Stronger foundation for Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Who Can Apply?
- Postgraduate students (any discipline)
- M.Phil./Ph.D. scholars
- Research associates and early-career faculty (as applicable)
- Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.
Certification & Recognition
Fellows receive:
- National SHE Postgraduate / Research Scholar Fellowship Certificate
- SAFIT Village Impact Recognition
- Digital credential + leadership portfolio
- National showcase opportunities and leadership pathways
