The Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program funds the following activities:
- Masters Degree at an International University: The Program will fund one or two students to work towards a 1-2 yr Masters degree in a reputed academic program in ecology or conservation. The purpose of this Fellowship is to train the student recipients in the science and/or implementation of conservation; and to facilitate interaction with the larger international community of people involved in conservation science and practice.
Funding provided: stipend, course fees, one-way international travel. - Internship with a International Conservation Organisation: The Program will fund one or two recipients to carry out an internship of up to 1 yr with a university research group, NGO, government agency, or other organisation, known for its work in conservation science and practice in a country other than India. The purpose of the internship is for recipients of the fellowship to gain experience and insight in field ecology and conservation beyond what they would ordinarily gather from an academic degree program; and to facilitate interaction with the larger international community of people involved in conservation science and implementation.
Funding provided: stipend, internship fees (if there are any), to-and-fro international travel. - Small Grants program for a conservation research or implementation project within India: The Program will fund up to 4 recipients to carry out an initial project of up to 1 yr that is expected to lead to a longer-term conservation science and/or implementation project. Thus, this program provides “seed money” for what may ordinarily be viewed as an unconventional or risky project. Recipients of an initial Small Grant may apply for follow-up funding; when doing so, they must demonstrate the success of the pilot project and show how subsequent funding is essential to bring out the conservation benefits of the project. Activities funded by the Small Grants program should ordinarily be carried out in India. Where appropriate, applicants for a small grant are encouraged to consider and include the potential role that local communities can play in conservation.
Funding provided: stipend and project expenses (not exceeding Rs 2 lakh per year in total).
Note that Masters and Internship fellows are not eligible for project/research funding.