PANAJI: Learning to treat leachate from solid waste; gathering expertise that can alter behaviour of high-risk HIV patients; studying what drives volunteering-culture in the West; analyzing the causes of suicides - these are a few interesting topics that the Indian Fullbright scholars are planning to research on this year.
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Indians are increasingly utilizing the United States-India Educational Foundation's (USIEF) Fulbright scholarships to improve social conditions in their homeland. The USIEF's scholarships promote academic, professional and cultural exchange between fellows from India and the US each year. This year, 175 Fulbright scholars from across the country, including 139 Fulbright-Nehru fellows, are preparing to leave for the US.
From among the scholars, 130 of them gathered at Cavelossim-based resort for a three-day pre-departure orientation and brainstormed on how to better living conditions in India and help resolve social issues. TOI caught up with some of them to get a glimpse of their interests.
"Bangalore, where I live, is known as the suicide capital of India. Tere is a lack of research on the molecular marker causing patients to commit suicide," says Dr Hari Prasad, who will pursue a doctorate in public health. He will also focus on the relationship between poverty and infectious diseases and apply it to the Indian scenario on his return to NIMHANS in Bangalore.Doctoral student of Anna University at Chennai, Suneethi Sundar, is concerned about the worsening problem of untreated solid waste in India. "The leachate from solid waste is essential to replenish ground water. I am looking at the use of bacteria to remove nitrogen from leachate before it reaches ground water and putting it back after treating it," says Sundar.
"There are numerous Indian fellows who have and want to make a difference," said USIEF executive director, Adam Grotsky remarking about the research done by Fullbright scholars .
Fellow Tarun Cherukuri is a unique case study himself. An engineer trained at Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani, Cherukuri gave up a high-paying job at Hindustan Lever to dedicate himself to the education of underprivileged children.
"I was thoroughly satisfied professionally and financially. My job at Hindustan Lever was to improve ice-creams. I found myself thinking what am I doing when there are millions who cannot afford an ice-cream a year in India," said Cherukuri. "In the US, community service is common. But in India we make a deal of volunteering. I want to learn what drives community activism and implement it in India."
April 1, 2010 Narela-Bawana to be the first scientific landfill site
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