Young India Fellowship

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#AshokaIsForAll: Anurit Kanti’s Path from Ashoka University to Global Impact

Dec 04 , 2023 12:12

The financial aid meant a lot to me, not only for the transformative year in YIF but also because, as…

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Ashoka News

#AshokaIsForAll: Unveiling Transformative Journeys: A Testament to Ashoka’s Financial Aid Impact

Dec 04 , 2023 12:12

In my three years at Ashoka, the experience has been nothing short of transformative writes Promiti Mitra

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Ashoka News

Spreading Smiles and Changing Lives

Nov 21 , 2023 12:11

Nitin Jain shares his journey with the Spread Smile Foundation, which is one of hope and transformation, driven by a…

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Ashoka News

BTS to YIF: Navigating a Path of Passion and Purpose

Sep 26 , 2023 03:09

Eshani Bora (YIF’24) recounts her experience at the Korean Art Foundation and all that led up to it

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Ashoka News

The boy who dreamt beyond the stars

Sep 03 , 2023 09:09

Aafaque R Khan, a Young India Fellow (YIF) from Ashoka's 2014 cohort, was one of the lead engineers in the…

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Ashoka News

YIF Chronicles: Gender, Leadership, and a Journey of Empowerment

Aug 31 , 2023 12:08

Nehal Agarwalla looks back on her YIF journey and teachings as she prepares to join SOAS University of London as…

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Ashoka News

Abhishek Lamba’s ‘AZADI’ wins the ‘Best Board Game’ at the 20th Games…

Aug 31 , 2023 12:08

YIF alum Abhishek Lamba (YIF '18) combines games and grit to make a mark in the field of games, entertainment…

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Ashoka News

Beyond Borders: YIF Graduate’s Pursuit of Learning Takes Her to Cambridge

Aug 31 , 2023 11:08

YIF alumna Arunita Mitash (YIF '18) will be pursuing LLM from Cambridge University in the coming months. She looks back…

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Ashoka News

YIF Alum’s Odyssey from Engineer to Social Impact Leader

Aug 31 , 2023 11:08

As Siddharth Premkumar prepares himself to join the University of Michigan for his MBA, he looks back on his journey…

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Ashoka News

Tawaifs: Their Descent and the First War of Independence

Aug 31 , 2023 10:08

This essay is excerpted from a larger paper written by Juhi Dhruva for the course, Women Society and Changing India

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Ashoka News

Programme Overview and Design

 

A multidisciplinary programme designed like no other.

Started in 2011, YIF grooms socially conscious leaders and change-makers for the 21st century. Offered as Ashoka University’s flagship residential postgraduate diploma in liberal studies, the YIF is unlike any other graduate academic programme. Fellows get access and exposure to diverse areas of study, research and practice within a year. This often helps Fellows (re)imagine themselves and discover or strengthen their passion and career trajectory. Fellows study a curated selection of courses taught by renowned educators, work on a team-based project to solve a real-world problem, and learn how to think critically and write effectively. They are also mentored by inspiring individuals, and live with a community of diverse individuals from many walks of life.

 

YIF Curriculum Structure

 

The multidimensional learning opportunities enable Fellows to build or hone 21st century skills that are in high demand, regardless of their past educational or professional backgrounds and their future goals: Collaboration, Communication, Problem-Solving, Critical Thinking, and Leadership. 

 

Learn More | Programme Overview and Design

 

Click on any of the sections below to learn about specific components of the YIF.

 

Faculty and Courses

Ever had an educator who profoundly influenced you? We bring together many.

The Young India Fellowship attracts renowned academicians, practitioners, and experts in the field to the classroom, and gives them the autonomy to innovate, create, and craft curricula. This is a rare freedom within academia and ensures an unparalleled teaching and learning experience, not just for YIF, but across all programmes at Ashoka University.

The diversity in courses is also reflected in the varied styles of teaching and assessment, which includes discussions, seminars, field visits, presentations, and group work. While catering to multiple learning styles, this allows you to learn from a range of perspectives, and prepare yourself to be a critical thinker who can connect the dots.

 

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Peer Diversity and Learning

Challenge and enhance your understanding of the world around you. Try the YIF classroom. 

Young India Fellows are a group of promising young individuals, selected through a rigorous and elaborate search for passionate achievers with a desire to bring about change. At the YIF, a gold medalist from IIT, a history major from LSR, a Kathak dancer, a banker from Goldman Sachs and a journalist from Reuters, all attend lectures together. This creates an unparalleled peer learning environment rich with multiple perspectives. From engineering to design, film to agriculture, medicine to art, and law to journalism, being amidst diverse peers will enable cross flow of ideas and learning – which will complement and challenge what you learnt in your previous experiences.

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Experiential Learning Module

Work on a project which has real-world impact. Explore interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Experiential Learning Module (ELM) is a core component of the YIF curriculum where the Fellows work in teams on real-world projects from diverse sectors in collaboration with organisations and institutions (Partner Organisations). The ELM compliments academic learning at the YIF by equipping Fellows with structured problem-solving techniques, while also training them in designing and implementing sustainable solutions. It helps students learn how to work collaboratively, solve complex problems with an interdisciplinary approach, and build domain knowledge.

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Critical Writing

The ability to think critically and express effectively is valuable. No matter what you do.

The YIF Critical Writing Programme has few visible contextual precedents within the Indian higher education system. Acknowledging the importance of writing as central to processes of knowledge acquisition, production, and consumption, the programme has developed a pedagogy geared towards building critical reading, writing, and thinking skills to help Fellows engage with the world of ideas and enable them to develop and express their own ideas in a well-reasoned, lucid, and engaging manner. We do this by helping students innovate with genres of writing across different disciplines to develop a metacognitive awareness regarding their own reading and writing practices. These skills act as building blocks for the liberal arts education they receive at Ashoka University and enhance their abilities to navigate academic, professional, and social spheres once they graduate from the Fellowship.

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Mentorship

Get mentored by eminent leaders and scholars of the 21st Century. 

Mentorship is one of the key pillars of the YIF, where the Fellows are connected to Mentors with strong personal, academic, and professional track records who positively impact and guide their journeys during and beyond the YIF.  The fellows have the opportunity to be mentored by not only a stalwart in academia or industry, but also by an alum who shares a similar background or interest. This allows the Young India Fellows to carve out a meaningful career path over time.

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The Crossover Series

Immersions with Stalwarts.

Several public intellectuals, industry leaders, artists and other dignitaries visit campus over the year, to engage with and enrich Fellows through their craft, journey and more.

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Alumni-in-Residence

The Fellowship Never Ends.

Several high-impact alumni visit campus over the year, to enrich and inspire Fellows through their personal, professional and/or academic journeys and areas of interest/expertise. This also serves as a way for alumni to reconnect with the Ashoka ecosystem.

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Life at YIF

The YIF programme’s residential experience gives students access to the entire Ashoka University ecosystem. Students become a part of a vibrant community and get the opportunity to engage with people and spaces beyond the YIF. The residential experience is accentuated by the multifaceted environment of the University which includes:

● World-class infrastructure and facilities
● Multiple Centres of excellence
● Comprehensive student support systems
● Fulfilling cultural and co-curricular engagement

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Life at YIF

Pathways of Possibility

Since 2011, over 2200 individuals from India and abroad have commenced their lifelong journeys as Young India Fellows. Fellows are equipped with perspectives, knowledge, and capabilities that help them understand the world better 
and engage with their field of study or practice through a multidisciplinary approach - essential for navigating leadership challenges in the 21st century. Fellows keep coming back to the Fellowship, and contribute to shaping and nurturing it further. They continue to support and collaborate with each other and with members of the larger Ashoka ecosystem in their professional and personal pursuits, regardless of what they do.

Campus Placements

The Career Development Office (CDO) facilitates campus placements for Ashokans and also organizes a career preparatory program. The CDO also looks for custom opportunities that match specific career interests, and often shares relevant work opportunities with the YIF alumni community as well.

The YIF Class of 2022 witnessed a 100% placements season. Recruiting organisations from the previous year include:

The University is a preferred destination for several leading recruiters across Consulting, BFSI, Conglomerate, IT, BPO, KPO, Research/Analytics, Social Sector, Internet, FMCG, Startup, Fintech, Pharma, Media and Advertising, Education/EdTech, and PR, and has a commitment to enhancing inclusion, diversity and social impact, and contributing to nation-building by preparing the leaders of tomorrow.

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Other Opportunities

Several opportunities exist within the Ashoka ecosystem for Fellows across graduate study, social impact and entrepreneurship. Fellows additionally also pursue further studies across leading academic institutions globally, through formal and informal support via the Ashoka community.

Start an Organization

Apply to the 5-month long holistic Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) programme at Ashoka University’s InfoEdge Centre for Entrepreneurship to incubate, develop and test your idea through a support structure that brings together a network of founders, entrepreneurs,…

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Create Social Impact

Apply to the Mother Teresa Fellowship, which allows you to pursue your goals in development by providing you mentorship, professional and personal support, along with a monthly stipend. YIF alumni have started national movements, built…

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Study Further

Several Fellows, either immediately after graduating from Ashoka or later, have gone on to pursue graduate and doctoral programmes at aspirational institutions and have also secured coveted scholarships.   

The YIF Alumni Community

Young India Fellows together form a community of diverse leaders and changemakers from all walks of life, driven to generate transformational impact on society. Fellows continue to make an impact across diverse spheres, whether as entrepreneurs, in the corporate world, development sector, research, journalists, policy, sports, academia or as professional artists. Members of the community continue to demonstrate a spirit of service towards the Fellowship and Ashoka.

Watch | Alumni Journeys of Transformation and Impact Watch | Pathways of Possibility | Career Conversations with Alums

 

Alumni have pursued and excelled in a diverse set of career paths. From completing further education across diverse disciplines and securing prestigious scholarships, to starting organizations and working with leading private and public sector institutions across the world, it is very likely that you will find a YIF alumnus or alumna who is pursuing a trajectory that you’d like to.

 

 

 

 

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Admissions

Become a Young India Fellow

The YIF follows a holistic admissions process, which takes into account the academic and non-academic journey, personal context, interests and potential of an individual. The online application is designed to be a reflective process.

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Alumni Speak

“The ELM initiated a transition for me: from being an engineer to being a passionate advocate for the environment. It helped me give structure to my interests, and I learnt what it takes to design a project from scratch. The support of my peers and professors, coupled with the learnings from courses, are key reasons for why I could ground myself in the environment sector.”

Radhika Sundaresan, YIF 2015-16
Program Analyst, Global Water Practice, The World Bank
Fulbright Scholar (Environmental Sciences), Yale University
BTech, Amrita University

Alumni Speak

“YIF made me realize the power of networks and how they can enable one to to build institutions and materialize projects. I felt immensely supported when 128 members of the community, including faculty and founders, came together to contribute to the fundraiser for my documentary project, ‘Borderlands’. Courtesy of  the fellowship, I can receive mentorship and advice from some of the most driven and experienced people across domains.”

Samarth Mahajan, YIF 2016-17
National award-winning Filmmaker
BTech and MTech, IIT Kharagpur

Alumni Speak

“YIF gave me the freedom to explore a diverse set of subjects and benefit from varied viewpoints presented by my peers and professors. The Critical Writing course ended up being one of my most formative academic experiences. It was while working on my final paper for this course that I discovered where my research interests lay. I’ve since explored these interests in my MLS thesis and am hoping to carry them with me in my PhD.”

Huzaafa, YIF 2016-17, MLS 2017-18
Ph.D. Candidate (Anthropology) and Knight Hennessey Scholar, Stanford University
BA Sociology, Literature and Education, University of Kashmir

Alumni Speak

The best thing I found about the YIF was the diversity of peers, their stories and perspectives, and the openness with which everybody discussed ideas. We had agreements, disagreements, and we agreed to disagree. The YIF gave me a completely fresh perspective. I have also gained a lot from the YIF after graduating, through collaborations on multiple projects with other alumni.

Pavneet Kaur, YIF 2013-14
Indian Administrative Service Officer, Government of India
BE, Pune Institute of Computer Technology

Explore the YIF Podcast

Video

The Professor Will See You Now Season 2 Ep 7 | A Conversation With Professor Dilip Simeon

Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University

10 March, 2021
Video

The Professor Will See You Now Season 2 Ep 6 | A Conversation With Professor Rudrangshu Mukherjee

Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University

Rudrangshu Mukherjee

3 March, 2021
Video

The Professor Will See You Now Season 2 Ep 4 | A Conversation With Professor Urvashi Butalia

Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University

Urvashi Butalia

17 February, 2021
Video

The Professor Will See You Now Season 2 Ep 3 | A Conversation With Professor Arun Kumar Singh

Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University

Arun Kumar Singh

10 February, 2021
View All Videos & Podcasts

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