Amrita Bahri, former president of Delhi University is a social activist pursuing her Master’s degree in law at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She aspires to make a positive impact in Indian politics after the completion of her course.

Ankur Garg, 22, a BTech in environmental engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering had always dreamt of influencing environmental policy. Garg who is now pursuing an MPhil in technology policy at the University of Cambridge is clearly on the right path towards achieving his goal — to work towards better deployment of unconventional and renewable energy technologies in developing countries, within the United Nations framework. 

The common thread that binds Amrita and Ankur and helps them to pursue their dream studies is the UK’s Chevening scholarship.

Making a difference
Launched in 1987 in India, four years after they were introduced in the UK, Chevening is currently the second largest running scholarship programme in the UK. Under the scheme funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2,000 students are offered the scholarship in over 130 countries. Last year close to 70 scholarships were offered to Indian students. However, this year (2009-10) saw the numbers come down to 50, with a record 2,000 applications received!

Chevening offers two kinds of fellowships, joint fellowships ( see box below) with other agencies, which are open for candidates from all over the world and   special fellowships focused on particular countries. Generally  the local British Council  is the coordinating agency for the programme.

Instilling leadership skills
Not only does Chevening harness the potential within youngsters such as Ankur and Amrita, it also gives mid-career executives a chance to rediscover and rebuild their leadership skills through the Chevening Gurukul Scholarships awarded every year for a three-month professional training programme at LSE.

Shaffi Mather who was selected for the same in 2003, went on to found Dial 1298 in 2004, a nationwide network of Life Support Ambulance Service accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere, a year after he completed his course. “The programme gave me an opportunity to look at things from a new perspective. It was a transformation point to move from a corporate career into something completely unexplored: social entrepreneurship,” he shares.

Mather who now works as an independent lawyer says that being at the forefront of such a pathbreaking initiative made him realise how socially-relevant problems can be addressed through the private sector.

Only 20 scholarships, now
Starting 2010-2011, only 20 scholarships will be offered under the Gurukul scheme, as compared to last year when core scholarships were also being awarded for year-long postgraduate studies in the UK in the areas of economic governance, finance and public administration, sustainable development and science and innovation. These scholarships have been discontinued.

Chevening Gurukul Scholarships
The Gurukul scholarships are hugely popular amongst working executives owing to the short time frame of three months which is a good refreshing break from work, at the same time not foregoing it completely, says Gurukul scholar Arundhati Ghosh (2005) who is now the Deputy Director, Indian Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore. The scholarship was her window of inspiration, she says. “Studying at LSE, which in itself is a social, cultural and political hub, and connecting with the best of minds, helps rekindle new ideas and changes your perspective on the world,” she shares.

The curriculum for Gurukul
Classes are followed by field visits to organisations such as International Labour Organization, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union and also a thesis that is to be submitted at the completion of the programme.

“It gives one a perspective on different issues facing the world, be it climate change, the economic crisis etc. and helps one see the bigger picture,” shares Amitava Bhattacharya, Gurukul scholar 2008 and founder of Banglanatak.com, a theatre-based communication initiative that has a network in 23 states in India. It helps empower backward and marginal sections of people with knowledge, skills and resources to help them lead better lives.

Who is eligible
The programme is meant for working professionals, generally mid-career executives with four to five years of work experience, who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their respective fields, have good written and verbal English skills and are computer-savvy.

How to apply
Application forms will be available starting early December. Visit Britishcouncil.org/india for any further announcements.

What the scholarship covers

• Tuition fees
• Living expenses for the duration of the course (three months)
• A return trip from India to the UK
• UK student visa

A few words of wisdom
One should spend a little more time in the chosen field/profession before applying for the Gurukul scholarship, and also plan for the thesis that you need to do as part of the three-month programme. 

Please note: The Chevening scholarships are undergoing a restructure, following the discontinuation of the open scholarships. Information provided is to the best of our knowledge and is subject to further change. Log on to Britishcouncil.org/india, to keep a tab  on  future announcements.

More related stories:

Mombusho fellowships from Japan

Charles Wallace India Trust fellowships