2 PhD scholars of Palampur secure INSPIRE fellowship

Two meritorious PhD scholars from Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV), Palampur, have been awarded the coveted INSPIRE fellowship under the flagship Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Aashin Sharma, pursuing her doctorate under the guidance of Dr Narender Sankhyan, Professor and Head, Department of Soil Science, and Isha Goswami, a PhD scholar under the mentorship of Dr Vijay Rana, Professor, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, have been selected for this prestigious fellowship.

Congratulating the scholars, Prof Naveen Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of CSKHPKV, lauded their achievement and acknowledged the dedication of their mentors.

“This accomplishment not only brings recognition to our university but also inspires other students to strive for excellence in agricultural research,” he said. “It is a reflection of our continued commitment to nurturing scientific talent and promoting high-quality research.”

The INSPIRE fellowship is one of the most competitive research fellowships in India, awarded to postgraduate students who rank among the top of their class (with batch sizes exceeding 10). The programme is designed to recognise academic brilliance and support promising research in basic and applied sciences, including agriculture.

The achievement by Aashin Sharma and Isha Goswami underscores the university’s growing prominence in agricultural science education and research and highlights its role in shaping the next generation of scientists.