Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. As a Government of India enterprise, BIRAC endeavors to bring professionalism, transparency and efficiency into its functioning while providing support to catalyse the transformation of the emerging Indian bio-economy. It has a very special and unique governance structure and a very carefully developed workforce strategy that includes an enabling work environment, a work culture that is caring, fosters excellence and hires the most talented and professional workforce.
This fellowship has been instituted in memory of Padma Bhushan Prof. Maharaj Kishan Bhan, the renowned pediatrician, an eminent scientist and former Secretary, DBT and Chairperson, BIRAC, Government of India. Prof. Bhan was a luminary of Indian public health who contributed immensely to this field and revolutionize the biotechnology landscape in India. Prof. Bhan instituted various initiatives to foster research, collaboration and implementation capacity of India. Prof. Bhan believed in investing and encouraging biomedical research and innovation to derive excellence and leadership in science. Dr. Bhan continuously worked to encourage, engage and train the next generation of researchers and committed leaders of the science fraternity within India, who would steer and contribute to the improvement of public health in the country. To honor the legacy of Prof. Bhan and embolden his goals, the Grand Challenges India (GCI) partners have instituted the Prof. M. K. Bhan Mid-Career Fellowship Program, implemented by GCI at BIRAC.
Key Features of the Call
i) The Fellowship is designed specifically for well-established mid-career researchers with at least fifteen years of work experience post-Ph.D. in Global Public Health Research and Health Care Sector and are looking for financial support to derive transformational and innovative research
ii) The Fellowship is looking for excellent researchers with established track records as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications in leading scientific journals, technologies developed, patents (if any) and/or other societal impacts of their research.
iii) Fellows who have already established their scientific bona fides and are positioned to leverage this program to accelerate their careers into senior-level science leaders are encouraged to apply.
iv) Fellowship aim to support basic, translational and implementation research as well as product development within the fellowship duration.
The aim of the Fellowship is to continue Prof. Bhan’s vision for research and innovation in public health, by:
i) Identifying and supporting extraordinary emerging scientific leaders in India while solving country’s most pressing health and development challenges.
ii) Providing opportunities to mid-career researchers empowering them as independent investigators.
Who Can Apply?
• This RFA is exclusively India-led and the call is open to Indian researchers only (not including Overseas Citizens of India) and proposals are solicited from Indian nationals having good scientific record and working within the country in established academics, research institutions, medical research institutions.
• The applicant should possess a Ph.D. in any branch of Public Health/ Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/ Biomedical Engineering/ Nutrition/ allied areas with at-least fifteen years of work experience post-Ph.D in Global public Health research OR MD with at-least fifteen years of work experience in the Healthcare sector.
• The upper age limit will be 50 years as on the closing date of the submission of the application.
• The applicant may have a full-time regular position in an organization with established research set-up in India. In case the applicant doesn’t have full-time regular position in an organization, he/ she must identify a host institute where he/she proposes to do the Fellowship work. Fellowship costs will be sanctioned to the Fellow through the Host Institution.
• The applicant should be able to show:
i) Track record of holding independent funding such as project, programme or fellowship support, as a lead faculty or senior researcher.
ii) Important contributions to the proposed area of research, for example publications, patents, technology or product or software development or an impact on health policy or practice
iii) That the proposed work is important, original, contributing to the knowledge in the field and has impact in India.
iv) The work is aimed at improving the quality of life or health for people in India and comparable geographies.
• The Host Institute may be contacted separately as a part of the eligibility/due diligence process.
• Both the Fellow and the proposed Host Institute will have to satisfy BIRAC’s requirement of legal eligibility.
• The Host Institute should mandatorily be an organization with a legal entity in India and should have established research set up. The Host Institutions may be research institutions, society, trusts and foundations
• Please read the following carefully to understand the category you will be applying under and the documentation* required for legal eligibility.
• Indian institution/ universities/ public research organization
i) Any institution that is established by a Central or State Government Act.
ii) Academic institutions established in India and having NAAC/ UGC/ AICTE or any equivalent recognition certificate or any other Public/Government supported organization
• Society/ Trust/ NGO/ Foundation/ Association
• Society/ Trust/ NGO/ Foundation/ Association established in India under the relevant Indian Law having at least half of the stakeholders (partners/ trustees/ members/ associates etc.) as Indians.
• Applicants cannot have more than one fellowship at a given point of time.
Note :
• The legal eligibility check shall be based on the status of documents as on the closing date of the call.
• Further, in case of advancement in the review process additional documentation will be requested for financial due diligence and other processes.
Conditions :
• The Host Institute must administer the fellowship for the full duration of the Fellowship.
• The Institute shall commit resources in order to fulfill the objectives proposed in the fellowship application and will give the Fellow full access to research facilities
• The Authorization Letter that will be passed by the Organization during the stage of application or issuance of No Objection Letter or before final application, shall authorize the Fellow to be the signatory for all the documents that shall be required or executed with GCI-BIRAC.
The host organization must guarantee, through the No Objection Certificate that :
• Fellow is supported to lead his/her own independent research team under the Fellowship.
• The space and resources that the Fellow will need to carry out the sanctioned project
• The Fellow will be the primary driver of the project and will be authorized for submission, attending the scrutiny, presenting the application and all activities related to the functioning and implementing of the project.
• The Institution shall allow/permit GCI-BIRAC for financial audit, if required for project related expenditure.
Note : All above points should be mentioned clearly in No Objection letter that that must be submitted with the application. Submission of the NOC in the specific format is mandatory, failing which the application of the applicant will become infructuous and will be treated as withdrawn.
For queries, please contact :
Mission Director, Grand Challenges India, Email: mdpmubmgf.birac@nic.in
Senior Program Officer, Grand Challenges India, Email: user-24@birac.nic.in
Schedule : Key dates and deadlines
Call Opens IST : 2nd February 2024; 5:00 P.M. IST
Application closure : 30th April’ 2024; Application portal closes 5:00 P.M. IST
Application triage : May-June’ 2024
Selection Committee meeting with presentations : June-July’ 2024
Expected Announcement of selected Fellows : July-August’ 2024
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