Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation

The Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation gives young Indians of exceptional talent, character and motivation scholarships, fellowships, awards, art residencies, internships and grants. Its stated aim is to find and support such people so that each person's achievement benefits both the individual and the wider world. The Foundation dates from 1976. Its namesake, Indoo Shivdasani (1918-1979), was an entrepreneur who credited his Cambridge education with broadening his commercial and cultural horizons and wanted to give others a similar opportunity. He believed overseas higher education was a way for young Indians to develop their talent and their ability to contribute to society. Over five decades the Foundation has supported people across a wide range of subjects and fields, both overseas and in India.

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Major Areas of Work

• Higher education: Support for talented young Indians to pursue advanced study, with a long-standing focus on study at universities overseas.

• Visual arts: Awards, grants and art residencies for Indian artists, including work on archives and critical art practice.

• Social engagement: Fellowships for people working on issues, projects or research that have a positive impact on society.

• Alumni community: A network of past awardees across five decades and all its opportunities, brought together through events and exhibitions.

Major Initiatives and Programmes

• Inlaks Scholarships: Support for young Indians to pursue postgraduate study at leading universities abroad.

• Inlaks Fellowship for Social Engagement: Supports graduates and early to mid-career professionals working on issues, projects, endeavours or research with a positive social impact, under a mentor of their choice.

• Inlaks Fine Art Awards: Annual awards for young Indian artists, chosen by a jury and presented at a ceremony with alumni and members of the art community.

• Inlaks - Asia Art Archive Art Grant: A grant run with Asia Art Archive that invites artists to respond to the question "What shall we do with the archive?", treating the archive as concept, as system and as medium.

Impact

The Foundation states that since 1976 more than 1,400 young Indians have received its scholarships, awards, fellowships, art residencies, internships and grants, overseas and in India. It says many of its alumni are now leaders in their chosen fields. It runs its art grant in partnership with Asia Art Archive.

The Foundation's work centres on finding talented people early and backing them through study, creative practice or social impact work. Staff work with applicants, juries, mentors, partner institutions and an alumni network that spans academia, the arts and the social sector. The roles suit people interested in philanthropy, higher education, arts management, talent selection and alumni relations who want to see how long-term support for individuals plays out over a career.