541 Bangladeshi Students Awarded ICCR Scholarships for 2026-27; Indian Envoy Calls Them ‘Ambassadors of Bangladesh in India’

Photo: CNI

Diplomatic Correspondent: High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Shri Dinesh Trivedi, on Tuesday encouraged Bangladeshi students selected for the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships to become "Ambassadors of Bangladesh in India" and strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a send-off ceremony hosted by the High Commission of India in Dhaka for the 2026-2027 batch of ICCR scholarship recipients, Trivedi urged the students to make the most of their academic journey by excelling in their respective fields while exploring India's cultural diversity, building lifelong friendships, and serving as bridges between the peoples of Bangladesh and India.

The ceremony, held at the High Commission premises on August 4, brought together more than 120 students from Dhaka who will soon travel to India to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies in disciplines ranging from Engineering and Pharmacy to Fine Arts and Music at some of India's leading educational institutions.

This year, a total of 541 students from across Bangladesh were awarded ICCR scholarships. Of them, 500 students received the prestigious Subarno Jayanti Scholarship to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in both STEM and non-STEM disciplines. Additionally, 38 students were selected for the Lata Mangeshkar Dance and Music Scholarship to study music, dance and cultural subjects, while three students received the ICCR QUAD Scholarship to undertake undergraduate STEM programmes in India.

According to the High Commission, more than 7,700 applications were received from across Bangladesh this year. Following a competitive selection process, including proficiency tests and interviews conducted by the High Commission of India in Dhaka and its Assistant High Commissions, only 541 candidates were selected.

Addressing the scholarship recipients, Trivedi noted that only around six percent of applicants secured the highly competitive scholarships, describing the achievement as a remarkable accomplishment. He said India eagerly awaits the students and expressed confidence that their time in India would provide both academic excellence and valuable cultural experiences.

The High Commissioner also thanked the parents of the scholarship recipients for nurturing talented young minds and placing their trust in India for their children's higher education.

The ICCR Scholarship Programme is one of the Government of India's flagship educational initiatives, offering fully funded opportunities for outstanding Bangladeshi students to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD studies in premier Indian institutions across a wide range of disciplines, including Engineering, Science, Humanities, Literature and Fine Arts.

The scholarship covers full tuition and university fees while also providing a monthly stipend to help students meet their living expenses. Scholars have the opportunity to study at renowned institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), the University of Delhi, Visva-Bharati University, the University of Mumbai and Anna University, among others.