In a significant recognition of academic excellence, the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF) has selected political scientist Vidhu Verma for its prestigious annual fellowship for the year 2025.
A Prestigious Honor for a Distinguished Scholar
The announcement was made just ahead of the 136th birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. In an official statement released from Teen Murti House on November 10, the Fund expressed its pleasure in awarding the fellowship to Dr. Verma. She is a distinguished faculty member at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and has previously held esteemed positions such as Visiting Fellow at the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris and Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research.
Unpacking Colonial Modernity and Epistemic Injustice
Dr. Verma will undertake a research project titled 'Colonial Modernity and Epistemic Injustice: Politics, Ethics and Action in Gandhi, Ambedkar and Tagore'. Her work will delve into the ways these three foundational Indian thinkers—Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, and Rabindranath Tagore—confronted and responded to the violence and deep-seated inequities perpetuated under colonial rule. Her research expertise spans several critical areas, including Comparative Political Theory, feminist political theory, and social justice in India. She recently edited the volume Secularism, Religion and Democracy published by Oxford University Press.
Fellowship Details and Legacy
The Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship is a substantial award granted for a period of two years. It provides the recipient with a monthly stipend of Rs 1,00,000 and an annual contingency grant of Rs 75,000 to support research expenses. Established in 1964 in memory of Jawaharlal Nehru, the JNMF has a long history of supporting scholarly work, having awarded a total of 163 fellowships since its inception.
