Agri Varsity Tops PM Fellowship List

PAU Leads Prime Minister’s Doctoral Fellowship Selections

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has emerged as the top-performing institution under the Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research, securing 13 selections, university officials announced. The list of awardees was recently released in two phases.

The Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme is a prestigious public–private partnership (PPP) initiative jointly implemented by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The programme aims to promote industry-oriented doctoral research by encouraging young scholars to work on research problems of national importance and commercial relevance.

Under the scheme, selected PhD fellows receive a monthly fellowship of around ₹1 lakh, with 50 per cent funded by the Union government and the remaining 50 per cent contributed by an industry partner. Each fellow undertakes research in close collaboration with the partnering company, ensuring practical application of academic work.

Among the PAU awardees, Deepti Jaswal is pursuing her doctoral research with Shivambu International (BDM Foods), while Renuka Sahu is associated with Mahalaxmi Seeds. Johar Singh is working with Aujla Seeds, Machhiwara, and Akshi Attri has partnered with Higgs Healthcare. Other selected scholars include Uday Kumar BV with Star Agriseeds Private Limited, Komal with Savannah Seeds Private Limited, Arti Gupta with Neva Plantations LLP, and Gurpreet Kaur with Onkar Seeds Private Limited.

Additionally, Sutej Singh Bains is collaborating with Rasi Seeds Private Limited, Aachal Mahadevrao Futane with Goldking Biogene Private Limited, Tarun Kumar Meena with IFSA Seeds Private Limited, Gaurav Augustine with Prasad Seeds Private Limited, and Dilpreet Kaur Mangat with Aquamasters.

PAU Vice-Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal highlighted that even when considering multi-campus institutions, PAU stands out as a single integrated university with the highest number of fellows, reflecting its strong research ecosystem. He attributed this achievement to continuous investment in postgraduate education, robust industry collaborations, and a research environment focused on addressing real-world agricultural challenges through applied science and effective faculty mentorship.