The University of Chicago India Summer Fellows Program 2025 launched this July at the UChicago Center in Delhi, welcoming undergraduate fellows from varied disciplines from the College to explore themes of climate, sustainability, and inclusive growth in India. The program is a collaboration between the University of Chicago Career Advancement, the UChicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth, and Ahmedabad University.
The Delhi leg began with an opening session led by Katie Hrinyak, Associate Vice President at UChicago Global, who introduced the University’s global centers in Paris, Beijing, and Delhi, and its growing engagement with India across emerging areas like AI, education, and public policy. Leni Chaudhuri, Executive Director at the Center, highlighted its role as a hub for faculty, alumni, students, and partner institutions, and its ongoing partnerships with organizations like EPIC India, the Development Innovation Lab (DIL), and the International Innovation Corps (IIC).
Vaishnavi Prathap, India Head of DIL, presented the lab’s work in applying economic tools to co-create scalable, evidence-based solutions with Indian governments and civil society partners. Students also engaged with EPIC India and the World Resources Institute (WRI), exploring actionable research in air quality, urban planning, and sustainable transport.
The Delhi visit concluded with a special session on regional air quality policy led by Sayantan Sarkar from the World Bank. The cohort also visited Agra for a cultural excursion before continuing their fellowship journey in Ahmedabad.
Read more about the experiences of the students in Ahmedabad University here.
