Microsoft Research India today announced its Ph.D. Fellowships in India. Instituted by Microsoft Research’s External Research & Programs Group, the Ph.D. Fellowships are aimed at encouraging students to take up research as a career, a key qualification for which is to get a doctoral degree. Each awardee will receive approximately $5,000 (U.S.) per year over four years, and also $5,000 for attending seminars and conferences during the term of the fellowship. The fellows will also have the option of a three-month to six-month internship at Microsoft Research India.

“There is plenty of world-class research talent in India, but India produces less than 50 Ph.D.s in computer science research every year. One of Microsoft Research’s objectives in India is to enhance the quantity and quality of Ph.D.s in the country, and the Ph.D. Fellowships are a step in this direction,” said P. Anandan, managing director of Microsoft Research India. “We are also providing funding for travel to conferences, because exposure to the community and the work it is doing in the subject area is critical for researchers.”