USA
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans have announced their 2023 awardees, and it’s an exciting time for Indian and Sri Lankan scholars! Out of the 30 recipients, 8 of them are from India and one is from Sri Lanka. The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans were established in 1998 by philanthropist and investor, George Soros, and his wife, Daisy Soros.
The fellowship is intended to support immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate studies in the United States. The program provides up to $90,000 in funding to each fellow, as well as opportunities for networking and professional development.
This year’s awardees include an impressive group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and academic pursuits.
Ashri Anurudran
MD student at Harvard University
Child of immigrants from Sri Lanka; emigrated from the United Kingdom and Malaysia; Harvard graduate; aspiring physician-advocate committed to advancing gender equity in global health.
Dhruv Gaur
PhD in economics at MIT
Child of immigrants from India; Brown graduate; won Jeopardy! College Championship tournament; studying the effects of severe marginalization on health.
MFA in writing for screen & television at the University of Southern California
DACA recipient from India; Harvard graduate; Brown Girl Joy Productions co-founder; creating films to uplift intersectional narratives of underrepresented communities.
Omair M. Khan
MD/PhD in stem cell biology & regenerative medicine at Stanford University
Child of immigrants from India; authored his first scientific publications in high school; Yale graduate; working in policy and venture capital while he pursues a career as a physician-scientist.
Nathan Mallipeddi
MD/MBA at Harvard University and Stanford University
Child of immigrants from India; UCLA graduate; founded Myspeech to connect people who stutter with critical speech therapy resources; biotechnology investor.
Arjun Menta
MD at Johns Hopkins University
Child of immigrants from India; UT Austin graduate; holds multiple patents; accomplished researcher leading multiple scienctific and translational efforts in neurosurgery.
Vaibhav Mohanty
MD/PhD in chemistry at Harvard University and MIT
Child of immigrants from India; Harvard graduate; accomplished composer; theoretical physicist aspiring to develop novel therapeutic approaches to combat evolving diseases.
Shyamala Ramakrishna
JD at Yale University
Child of Tamil immigrants from India; Yale graduate; focused on workers’ rights and future of work policy; lead vocalist in her band, FORAGER.
Shomik Verma
PhD in mechanical engineering at MIT
Child of immigrants from India; Duke graduate; working on improving reliability of renewable energy and on a power plant based on thermophotovoltaic power conversion.
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans are highly competitive, and the selection process is rigorous. Candidates are evaluated based on their academic achievements, leadership potential, and commitment to their field of study. The program is open to immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate studies in any field.
The 2023 awardees represent a wide range of academic interests and career aspirations, but they all share a commitment to excellence and a desire to make a positive impact on the world. We congratulate the Indian and Sri Lankan awardees on their well-deserved recognition and wish them all the best as they continue their academic pursuits.
