Faculty
 

Why this Fellowship?

Drive meaningful impact

Tackle real-world challenges, empower communities and create sustainable, scalable solutions.

Guidance & Networks

Get expert feedback from ISDM’s review panel, access valuable resources, and connect with a diverse network of mentors, researchers, and sector leaders.

Financial & Learning Support

Receive a milestone-based stipend, attend curated masterclasses, and showcase your work on ISDM’s Knowledge Portal.

Alumni & Ecosystem Access

Join bi-annual Guftagu meetups with ISDM alums and present your work at the annual Fellowship Showcase.

Skill & Career Growth

Enhance your leadership, research, and implementation capabilities to deepen your impact and advance your journey in the development sector.

Duration, Support
& Commitments

Duration: 9 months

Financial Support
  • Up to INR 6 lakh per project
  • Up to INR 12 lakh per Digital Open Solution (DOS) for relevant projects
Filling the Gap in Leadership and Management
evolve
Themes

Each year, our Fellowship addresses critical global and local challenges, aligning with ISDM's strategic focus areas.

To know about this year’s theme Click Here.

Research outputs

Fellows will contribute to a range of outputs, including but not limited to:

  • Research and implementation reports
  • White papers
  • Products, frameworks, or tools
  • Curriculum or course designs
  • Case studies
  • Short films
  • Program interventions
Engage
Enrol
Digital Open Solutions (Exclusive to the Data Science theme)

Fellows working on data science projects will:

  • Develop open-source software, AI/ML models, or datasets
  • Release them under open-source licenses (e.g., MIT, Apache, GPL, Creative Commons, or Public Domain)
  • Share them on platforms like GitHub, ISDM’s website, Google Play, or the App Store

These solutions will be made freely accessible to maximise data science adoption and promote data-driven decision-making in the sector.

Please note: While Fellows retain their IP rights to the deliverable, they must acknowledge ISDM in all future uses and publications.

Mentorship structure

Each Fellow must identify their own mentor—a seasoned expert with a minimum of 10 years of demonstrated leadership experience in the chosen thematic area and at least 15 years of overall professional experience. The mentor will play a critical role in offering strategic guidance, ensuring adherence to research ethics, and supporting the Fellow in shaping high-quality, impactful work throughout the Fellowship journey. Mentor details must be included as part of the application.

To know more about mentor eligibility and commitments, Click Here.

Engage
 
 

How it’s different

Tailored for experienced professionals ready to deepen their impact and contribute meaningfully to the development sector.

Fellows have the autonomy to choose research topics that align with their interests, expertise, and sectoral priorities.

Produce outputs—like tools, frameworks, interventions, or research—that address real-world challenges in development management.

Receive a stipend and benefit from one-on-one mentorship with sector experts, ensuring both financial support and strategic guidance throughout your journey.

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India First of its Kind Institute for Development Management