Rustgi Fellowships

The award had a significant impact on my academic plans. It served as a vital stepping stone for my Ph.D. research by allowing me to conduct foundational empirical work. The experience of working directly in the field, engaging with communities, and managing the logistics of a research project has provided me with the practical skills and contextual knowledge necessary to conduct more detailed, policy-relevant research. The insights gained from this project will directly contribute to my broader research on technology adoption, decision sciences, and energy policy implementation in India and the wider South Asian region.

Prajna Cauvery Kotera Pooviah, PhD Student in Environment

2025 Rustgi Fellow - "Cooking with Power, Cost, and Choice: Behavioral Insights into Clean Cooking Adoption in Rural India"

My experiences have improved my understanding of the subcontinent and will inform my work on my senior thesis on India’s political economy. In the long run, I hope for this project to develop into an expansive study of a critical political question – and attempt to derive lessons for developing governments internationally from the study of political-policy mechanisms. The opportunity offered by the Rustgi Fellowship to conduct research on South Asia has made an invaluable contribution these research efforts and in helping make these policy aspirations a reality.

Bilal Moin, B.A. Student in Economics and Global Affairs

2023 Rustgi Fellow - "Politics and the Paradox of Poverty: Electoral Strategy, Political Logic, and Pro-Poor Policy in the Indian Democracy"

As a performer, it is very rare for me to be able to dedicate time so fully to developing my ethnographic research skills and exploring new research areas. I am so grateful to have been able to do that with the support of this fellowship. As I reflect on the opportunities to explore research questions and connect with mentors, I can see that this fellowship has been invaluable in clarifying my own path as I continue working toward a multifaceted career combining performance and research across varied musical genres.

Mahima Kumara, MM Student in Choral Conducting

2024 Rustgi Fellow - "The 'Classical' in Context: Stories of Carnatic and Hindustani Musicians in the United States"