Student from region gets prized Swiss fellowship

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Oct 23

Having been selected for fellowship at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich University in Switzerland, Surya Gupta, a postgraduate in Agricultural Engineering, aspires to work for debt-ridden farmers of Punjab on completion of the offered project.

Residents of the town, including proud parents of the scientist, feel proud of the fact that he (Surya) has now been associated with the world-famous university that has produced many famous scientists in its short history, including Albert Einstein and over 20 Nobel laureates.

Surya Gupta too is anxious to join the assignment after a fortnight and complete the three-year project so that he could return and serve debt-ridden farmers of the border state. “I am extremely lucky that I have been chosen out of seven shortlisted scientists from various countries,” said Surya, maintaining that the opportunity was open position published on the university’s website. After being shortlisted on the basis of his profile, Surya was asked to send two recommendations from his teachers and all interviews were conducted through Skype conversation.

Surya did his MTech from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing Dehradun after completing BTech from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, in Agricultural Engineering.

Till now, he has published four research papers in association with his professors and senior colleagues. He has worked on various projects related to sustainable agriculture and groundwater dynamics during his tenure as a senior project associate at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and other organisations.

Adarsh Gupta, Surya’s mother, says, “I am really proud that Surya intends to work for farmers of his own land after completing the offered project.”