Harvard’s Mittal Institute Invites Applications For India Fellowship 2026-27

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute-Harvard Global Research Support Centre India has invited applications for the Mittal Institute India Fellowship (MIIF) 2026-27, offering two one-year postdoctoral fellowships for scholars pursuing independent research in India.

The fellowship, hosted at the Mittal Institute’s India office in New Delhi, provides recent Ph.D. graduates with access to Harvard’s academic resources while supporting self-driven research that advances scholarship and serves the public benefit of India.

Applicants from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, provided their research contributes to programs in and for India’s public benefit. Eligible fields include philosophy, law, religion, literature, history, cultural studies, visual arts, economics, linguistics, anthropology, public health, climate, education, gender studies, political science, sociology, human geography, and related disciplines.

Selected fellows will be mentored remotely by a Harvard faculty member and are expected to live in or around New Delhi throughout the one-year fellowship beginning in January 2027. In addition to conducting research, fellows will participate in the intellectual life of the Mittal Institute India office through activities such as seminars, grant reviews, and engagement with Harvard faculty and affiliates visiting India.

The fellowship carries a gross stipend of INR 1,00,000 per month, covering living expenses, medical allowance, books, and research materials. Fellows relocating from outside New Delhi will also receive reimbursement for economy-class round-trip travel between their hometown and New Delhi. The fellowship cannot be held alongside another fellowship during its tenure.

Research projects may focus exclusively on India or examine broader cross-country issues connected to India, provided they contribute to critical scholarship relevant to the country.

The fellowship is open to scholars who earned their Ph.D. between March 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026. Preference will be given to applicants who have primarily studied at institutions in India and have not previously had access to Harvard’s academic resources.

Applications must be submitted online through Harvard’s ARIeS portal by July 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Applicants are required to submit a two-to-three-page research proposal, a curriculum vitae, a writing sample, a Ph.D. degree or provisional certificate, and two letters of recommendation, including at least one from an academic referee.

The Mittal Institute said fellowship awards are subject to the availability of funding, with decisions expected approximately three to four months after the application deadline.

For additional information about the fellowship or application process, interested candidates may contact the Mittal Institute India office at mittalinstitutedelhi@fas.harvard.edu.