O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), a university in Haryana, India, is a research-intensive university that is deeply committed to its core institutional values of impact, diversity, excellence, academic freedom and sustainability.
JGU introduced the Naveen Jindal Young Global Research Fellowship with a view to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and academic growth among young Ph.D. scholars and faculty members. This one-year fellowship is designed to host and cultivate a dynamic intellectual environment for researchers from diverse disciplines across the globe. Participants from all over Asia will attend research workshops conducted by leading experts in various fields online which will cover wide-ranging topics such as research methodology, academic writing, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Each participant will be thoroughly supervised by a senior faculty at JGU and given a chance to provide guidance and support to students and other participants. Mentors will help participants refine their research ideas, navigate academic challenges, and prepare for future career opportunities. Eligibility requirements include having a recognised undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any discipline from a potential partner university, must be under the age of 42 years, and demonstrate interest in research and publications.
Through the endorsement of my principal, Mr. Romel C. Navarro, I was able to be nominated for the fellowship. After several interviews with deliberators, I along with other JRU faculty members were accepted and given a contract which states that the fellowship duration will be for one year from June 2024 to 2025. JGU gave online research workshops via Zoom which we attended while in the Philippines. By November 2024, Dr. Rahul Bhandari, an officer in JGU, visited JRU to finalize and encourage the fellows to visit India for three months as per the contract. We negotiated with two months and communications were made by Ms. Karen Guillermo of JRU Linkages Office and Dr. Gokul Bhagabati from JGU. The fellows were given round-trip plane tickets from Manila to India on December 4, 2024 to January 25, 2025, with 20kg luggage allowance.
During the course of the fellowship, we were given free accommodation in the student housing and vegetarian meals and snacks at T-6 or the dining hall. There was a big adjustment in terms of diet, though there are delivery options using apps like BlinkIt and Zomato, which of course will be covered by the fellows’ own pocket. More or less, the fellows were left to themselves to roam around the campus freely since there were little to no students due to the winter break. There were some events like the Doctor of Education Conference and Family Movie Nights. We were able to use the many facilities provided by the university like the student and faculty lounges, pharmacy, gym, and coffee shops. We can also go outside of the university but only if we have an Indian companion and to make sure to be back by sundown for our own safety.
Eventually, the monotonous life inside the university became boring for us, especially during the holidays and being used to the liveliness of it in the Philippines. Mrs. Guevara’s mentor, Dr. Trivedi, invited us to travel up north to celebrate. We were able to go to Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Mussoorie to see different locations which displayed the diverse culture in India. We celebrated New Years back in Sonipat with the other fellows from Indonesia and Vietnam. The only JGU initiated travel was to the Taj Mahal, with stops for late lunch and souvenir shopping. They also invited us to restaurants that sold non-vegetarian meals twice such as TDI Club and 5 Monkey Restaurant around Sonipat. We were able to travel to different places with the other fellows out of our own pockets like in New Delhi, Haridwar, and Jaipur. The Filipino fellows initiated a courtesy call with the Philippine Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio through the connections of Mr. Aman Melad, a Filipino fellow from De La Salle University.
My sojourn in India proved to be a transformative experience, one that transcended the typical boundaries of travel. Through a series of engaging interactions and carefully planned excursions, preconceived notions were challenged and meaningful connections were forged. The nation’s profound hospitality and unwavering commitment to knowledge and cultural preservation were particularly striking. The Doctoral Education Conference, a gathering of international scholars, offered invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of higher education, ultimately fueling my own aspirations for doctoral studies. The opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals, all driven by a shared passion for research, proved immensely inspiring. Visits to the esteemed Forest Research Institute, the spiritual center of Rishikesh, and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jaipur provided a deeper appreciation for the enduring significance of scholarly inquiry and historical preservation. Immersion in India’s rich cultural tapestry—from the diverse culinary offerings, including pav bhaji, momos, and dosa, to the graceful art of saree draping, and praying at the shrines near the serene sanctity of the Ganges River—effectively dispelled any initial apprehensions. The ethereal winterline of Mussoorie and its natural splendor further underscored the vastness and beauty of our world. This experience served as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultivating intellectual curiosity and embracing the diverse perspectives of humankind. It highlighted the critical role of cross-cultural exchange and the pursuit of research in fostering global understanding.
Over all, it was an eventful fellowship. I hope that we could have maximized our stay of three months or even the whole year in India. Making an impactful research needs enough time and guidance for completion. With the adaptation that the fellows have to do when moving to a different country for some time, it was a whirlwind adventure of a lifetime.
I had a memorable experience with this collaborative endeavor of JRU and JGU. We hope that our exposure in this program will strengthen our linkages with JGU and other international universities and organizations, develop our personal and professional growth, and assist in putting importance to research, academic support, and cultural understanding.
Airah Murielle D. Antonio
LSS Department Chair, Senior High School Division