{"id":622332,"date":"2019-12-09T10:30:01","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T18:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/?post_type=msr-academic-program&#038;p=622332"},"modified":"2025-01-07T06:38:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T14:38:26","slug":"research-fellows-program-at-microsoft-research-india","status":"publish","type":"msr-academic-program","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/academic-program\/research-fellows-program-at-microsoft-research-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Fellows Program at Microsoft Research India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/jobs.careers.microsoft.com\/global\/en\/job\/1798899\/Research-Fellow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apply<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/x5qWq0dS7A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MS Form<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"research-fellows-program\">Research Fellows Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"2020 Microsoft India Research Fellows group photo\" class=\"wp-image-706825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-16x9.jpg 16w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-1066x600.jpg 1066w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-655x368.jpg 655w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-343x193.jpg 343w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-640x360.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-960x540.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons mb-0 mt-0 is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/jobs.careers.microsoft.com\/global\/en\/job\/1798899\/Research-Fellow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apply<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/x5qWq0dS7A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mandatory MS Form<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Research Fellows (RF) Program at Microsoft Research India (MSRI) exposes bright, young minds in India to world-class research and the state-of-the-art technology. The program prepares students for careers in research, engineering, as well as entrepreneurship. MSR India has some of the best researchers pushing the frontiers of computer science and technology. Research Fellows have contributed to all aspects of the research lifecycle, spanning ideation, implementation, evaluation, and deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People at Microsoft Research India: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/lab\/microsoft-research-india\/people\/\">Link<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"msr-research-fellows-alumni\">MSR Research Fellows Alumni:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Joined top PhD programs at universities such as MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, CMU, IISc, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Started companies such as Everwell, Capillary, and Ola!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are working at Microsoft (India and US) in development positions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"eligibility\">Eligibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Candidates should have completed BS\/BE\/BTech or MS\/ME\/MTech in Computer Science or related areas, graduating by summer 2025. We evaluate candidates based on a combination of factors including academic performance, raw smarts, development skills, and proven ability or aptitude for research and software development. Microsoft offers an inclusive work environment, and we value diversity in our workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"research-fellows-roles\">Research Fellows Roles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected candidates spend 1 to 2 years at MSR India. Different roles require a different combination of skills. Current and past RFs have worked on: solving deep theoretical problems, pushing the boundaries of AI, designing new programming languages, field work in rural India, prototyping communication and sensing hardware, optimizing database queries, and building software systems. Regardless, they all consistently aim to create academic, industry and societal impact. Be sure to tell us what excites you most!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:0; padding-top:0\" class=\"wp-block-msr-immersive-section alignfull row has-background has-blue-20-background-color has-text-color has-black-color wp-block-msr-immersive-section\">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-msr-immersive-section__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>Hear from&nbsp;<a class=\"msr-external-link glyph-append glyph-append-open-in-new-tab glyph-append-xsmall\" href=\"https:\/\/shrutirij.github.io\/\">Shruti Rijhwani<\/a>, a graduate of MSR India\u2019s Research Fellow program who is currently doing her PhD at the Carnegie Mellon University on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/lab\/microsoft-research-india\/articles\/podcast-helping-young-students-build-a-career-in-research-through-the-msr-india-research-fellow-program-with-shruti-rijhwani-and-dr-vivek-seshadri\/\">this episode<\/a> of the Microsoft Research India podcast.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Helping young students build a career in research through the MSR India Research Fellow program. With Shruti Rijhwani and Dr. Vivek Seshadri\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/2SzvsDALbWEabiNl721gQi?utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please ensure you have read the FAQs below before reaching out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. What is the location?<\/strong><br>A. The Research Fellows will be working out of the Microsoft Research (Lavelle Road office) in Bangalore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am a pre-final year student with all degree requirements complete already. Am I eligible to apply now?<\/strong><br>A. No, you must be graduated at the time of joining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I graduated several years ago. Am I eligible to apply?<br><\/strong>A. While this program is designed for people graduated within the past 3 years, anyone is eligible to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am a PhD student\/graduate. Am I eligible to apply?<br><\/strong>A. No, PhD students or graduates are not eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am not from a Computer Science background. May I still apply?<br><\/strong>A. Yes! Research Fellows at Microsoft Research are from varying backgrounds, including and not limited to design, economics, electronics, linguistics, psychology, and social sciences!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am an international student. Am I eligible to apply?<\/strong><br>A. Yes, we accept international applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. What is the difference between a referral and a letter of recommendation?<br><\/strong>A. A referral is when you ask someone you know at the company you are applying to, for better visibility to the recruiter. For this particular role, we do not check referrals. A letter of recommendation is taken from someone who can strongly vouch for your work, for example the manager from your current company or a professor you have closely collaborated with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. Will applying with a referral improve my chances?<br><\/strong>A. For this particular role &#8211; Research Fellows, we do not check any referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"important-dates\">Important dates<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table aligncenter\"><table><tbody><tr><td>7th January 2025<\/td><td>Applications open<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>15th February 2025<\/td><td>Deadline for applications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>March &#8211; May 2025<\/td><td>Interviews conducted<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>April &#8211; June 2025<\/td><td>Offers extended to candidates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>July 2025<\/td><td>Research Fellows start at MSR India<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"naman-jain\">Naman Jain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2020-2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: MSR India RF \u203a PhD, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;The Research Fellow Program at MSR India provides an incredible opportunity to work on cutting-edge and impactful research problems with mentorship and guidance from world-class researchers. In addition, the supportive and nurturing environment with a fellow cohort of like-minded and curious young researchers provides a lot of learning opportunities while still being a lot of fun. I grew immensely during my tenure, from learning how to tackle challenging research problems with the right mindset to improving communication and presentation of research ideas, and highly recommend the program to others interested in research.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sriram-balasubramanian\">Sriram Balasubramanian<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2020-2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: MSR India RF \u203a PhD student, University of Maryland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;I recommend the Research Fellow program at MSR to any student who wants to get a taste of real research before going for graduate studies. The mentorship you receive here is one of the best, and you get a chance to work with India&#8217;s top CS researchers on really exciting and challenging problems. You have the opportunity to be a key contributor in high quality research published in top conferences. No matter what you do after, a stint at MSR can only be an asset to your career.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"deevashwer-rathee\">Deevashwer Rathee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2020-2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT (BHU) Varanasi \u203a MSR India RD \u203a PhD, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;I joined MSR India on my sibling&#8217;s recommendation and that speaks for itself. Before joining MSR, I had worked on various research projects, but I had never witnessed such tremendous growth over such a short period. I got invaluable guidance on streamlining and expressing ideas, and I highly appreciated that my mentors always had the answers. It was easy to see that my mentors did every bit to help me succeed, and they even helped immensely with my PhD application. tl;dr: MSR RF program is an excellent pre-doc for anyone planning to pursue a PhD in CS.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ajaykrishna-karthikeyan\">Ajaykrishna Karthikeyan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2019-2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: MSR India RF \u203a Masters, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;My RF journey was full of experiences that I&#8217;m not sure I could have gotten in other places so early in my professional career \u2014 the level of ownership and responsibility, seeing all stages of a research project (from inception to production) and getting to work with multiple product teams to see through the impact of our research. It also pushed me to improve myself on various professional and personal fronts. The social environment of the lab has also been very inviting and energetic, and I&#8217;ve been fortunate to meet many like-minded folks here.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mayank-rathee\">Mayank Rathee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2018-2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: MSR India RF \u203a PhD, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;I would strongly recommend the RF program at MSR for anyone who is thinking of a PhD in CS, and CS-adjacent areas. My time at MSR gave me firsthand experience at cutting-edge research. Research in CS can seem quite daunting to a newcomer. You have to know a decent breadth and depth of literature, you have to identify gaps in existing work, then formulate a worthwhile problem to solve and find a solution, then build a prototype to evaluate your solution, then beautifully bundle all of this in a research paper, and finally present your research at conferences. MSR provides the right environment to hone all of these skills; we even had RF talks to practice our presentation skills. This not only gives you a good idea of how research is done, but also a significant head start when you actually start your PhD. Top universities in the US recognize this advantage and that&#8217;s why, many RFs end up getting offers from the best schools in CS. To conclude, I loved every bit of my time at MSR; especially, before COVID when everything was in person. If given the opportunity again, I would love to go back to those RF days.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"divya-siddarth\">Divya Siddarth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2018-2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Stanford University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Microsoft Redmond<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe MSR India RF program is the best! The freedom, resources, and talent at MSR are unparalleled (not to mention the kindness and generosity of everyone at the lab). Being able to create and lead research projects to fruition through the program \u2013 in a few short years \u2013 truly taught me more than any class I\u2019ve ever taken. Overall, I can\u2019t overemphasize how ideal the RF program was for me, and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone trying to find a path to genuine impact through technology (particularly those who are currently underrepresented and underresourced in the space!).\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vidhi-jain\">Vidhi Jain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2018-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI am grateful to my advisors for mentoring me and having detailed discussions in one-on-one meetings. Thanks to Microsoft Research for supporting young aspirants to strengthen their core skills, receive guidance from the experts and belong to a community of the next generation researchers.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sudheesh-singanamalla\">Sudheesh&nbsp;Singanamalla<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: NIT Warangal \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe Research Fellow program at MSR India has been an incredible experience for me and introduced me to the world of research. The time I spent at MSR India working with world class researchers helped me enhance my engineering skills and shaped my research skills. What stood out for me throughout my time there was the transparent collaborative efforts between different research groups and the strong encouragement to voice my opinion, think independently and take ownership. The fellowship program helped me make new friends, convinced me to pursue a research career and is an incredible launchpad.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tapan-chugh\">Tapan Chugh<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Madras \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cJoining MSR India as a Research Fellow was one the best decisions I ever made. The program is an unique opportunity to work on high quality research projects with awesome mentors. As an RF, I learnt a lot about working on challenging problems, along with relevant technical skills. The experience was invaluable in my decision to pursue a PhD.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"shishir-patil\">Shishir Patil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: RV College of Engineering \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe RF program is unparalleled in terms of the research experience, and the phenomenal mentoring. I got great guidance and support throughout, both professionally and personally.&nbsp; I learned how to pick the right research problems, how to break down complex problems into smaller tasks, how to systematically approach a problem, how to communicate my research effectively, and many other skills that shaped me towards being a better researcher. My time at MSR was an enriching experience where I grew academically, socially, and personally.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"raghav-somani\">Raghav Somani<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Guwahati \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cMy time as a Research Fellow at MSR India provided me the steepest learning curves in my academic life. My mentors played a key role in polishing my abilities to understand the right research questions, with the steps needed for a finer understanding and solving them. My research career post-fellowship can be attributed to the 2 remarkable years spent around the brilliant research minds.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adithya-phillip\">Adithya Phillip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: PESIT \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe Research Fellow program is the opportunity to do research with some of the best minds in the country and decide if it\u2019s your cup of tea, a huge boost to your college applications if you want to take it further with a PhD or Master\u2019s, and a chance to learn and grow with smart people all around you. Getting to work on research that has real impact as an RF is what helped me decide I wanted a PhD, and I completely attribute my getting to pursue the Computer Science PhD program at Carnegie Mellon University to my time here as an RF.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"apurv-mehra\">Apurv Mehra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2016-2018<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIIT Delhi \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Microsoft Research India<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe MSRI-RF program gave me a chance to work on some really hard problems with an amazing set of colleagues coming from inter-disciplinary backgrounds. I was guided throughout by wonderful mentors who gave me enough flexibility and support to explore my interests, take ownership and decisions which helped me reflect, evaluate and choose between various career paths. Being part of TEM group was additionally enriching where I learnt how to think about complex socio-technical problems and understand the role technology plays from holistic perspective.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"marylin-george\">Marylin George<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2016-2017<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IISc \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Brown University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWhen I joined the RF program at MSR, I wasn\u2019t sure if I wanted to go to graduate school. The RF program gave me a space to try out my research skills, and hone them with a supportive community of mentors and peers. Most notably, the program was an avenue to create connections with my peers, most of whom went on to Masters or PhD programs. I would highly recommend the program to graduating students; it is a great opportunity to experience research in a professional atmosphere, and connect with people who will be your mentors and colleagues for years to come.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"shruti-rijhwani\">Shruti Rijhwani<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2015-2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Masters and PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI joined the RF program because I wanted to get a taste of what a career in CS research might be like. Apart from the challenging research problems themselves, the best feature about the program is the focus on building a community of budding researchers in different fields of CS. With seasoned academics to guide RFs every step of the way, including future graduate school and career decisions, the program is perfect for people with a strong interest in exploring what working on interesting and exciting ideas might be like. It was my first such experience and has shaped my view of research, perhaps for years to come.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"abhijnan-chakraborty\">Abhijnan Chakraborty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2012-2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Jadavpur University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, IIT Kharagpur \u203a Asst. Prof, IIT Delhi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe time I spent as RA at MSR India was very memorable and enriching experience for me. It exposed a young graduate like me, who was fresh out of college, to the world of research. I worked under close mentorship of world class researchers for two years, where I learned how to design solutions for real-world problems, which have the potential to impact millions of people. I was encouraged to publish papers and attend top tier conferences, which helped me to choose research as the long-term career option.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aditya-vashistha\">Aditya Vashistha<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2011-2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Jaypee Institute of Information Technology \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington \u203a Asst. Prof, Cornell University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe MSR RA program was a remarkable two year journey that gave me tremendous opportunities to find technological solutions for the world\u2019s biggest problems in the domain of healthcare, information access and civic engagement.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bhavish-aggarwal\">Bhavish Aggarwal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2008-2010<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Delhi \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a CEO, OLA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cGreat program. Helped me build an analytical rigour beyond college and a curiosity for all things tech that helped in my future as an entrepreneur.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rikin-gandhi\">Rikin Gandhi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2006-2008<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Carnegie Mellon University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a CEO, Digital Green<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI got to research how technology could help me be the change in rural India and launch Microsoft\u2019s first nonprofit spin-off, Digital Green.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ganesh-ananthanarayanan\">Ganesh Ananthanarayanan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2005-2007<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of California Berkeley \u203a Microsoft Research Redmond<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cAwesome \u2018pre-doc\u2019 program that convinced me about a research career. Great launch pad after undergrad to hit the ground running during my PhD!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introducing-nominations-for-the-research-fellows-rf-program\">Introducing nominations for the Research Fellows (RF) program!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The nominations must be done by the <strong>HOD of the Computer Science<\/strong> department on the basis of the research aptitude of the students. Here is a sample <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MSR-RF-Nomination-Template-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">template<\/a> for the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons mb-0 mt-0 is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/webportalapp.com\/sp\/msr_india_research_fellow_nominations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nominate Here<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill-download\"><a data-bi-type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MSR-RF-Nomination-Template-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sample Template (.pdf)<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Please read the eligibility criteria and the nominations details below before you start the nominations process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Microsoft\u2019s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Fellows should support this mission and embrace opportunities to foster diverse and inclusive cultures within their communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The final year B.Tech or M.Tech students must be nominated by their institute or university. Their nomination must be submitted by the HOD of the Computer Science department.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students must be enrolled at a university or an institute in India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A maximum of three nominations per institute or university will be accepted. If three students are nominated, then at least one nominee should help us increase opportunities for students who identify as part of a community that is underrepresented in the field of computing specifically those who identify as a woman.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The below outlines the necessary information while submitting a nomination on behalf of your university. The .pdf file for these nominations must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be on the <strong>Institute or University letterhead<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include the <strong>Name<\/strong>, <strong>Email<\/strong>, and <strong>Title <\/strong>of the HOD of the Computer Science department.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attest that the <strong>process <\/strong>to determine the 3 nominated candidates among the interested students was <strong>fair and non-discriminatory<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include the <strong>Name<\/strong>, <strong>Email<\/strong>,<strong> Institute or University<\/strong>, and <strong>Department<\/strong> for all nominees. Please ensure the candidates have applied (or are about to apply) with the <strong>same Email <\/strong>that has been mentioned in their nomination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attest these candidates should be nominated on the basis of their <strong>research aptitude<\/strong>. <strong>Note:<\/strong> These students can be outside the CS department too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attest that at the time of the nomination, the institute or university considers the nominees as final-year B.Tech or M.Tech students who would be <strong>graduating by July 2024<\/strong> (having taken into account transfers, approved leaves of absence, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>For any further queries about the nomination process, contact: <a href=\"mailto:msrinominations@microsoft.com\">msrinominations@microsoft.com<\/a>. Please ensure you have read the FAQs below before reaching out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. What is the location?<\/strong><br>A. The Research Fellows will be working out of the Microsoft Research (Lavelle Road office) in Bangalore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am a pre-final year student with all degree requirements complete already. Am I eligible to apply now?<\/strong><br>A. No, you must be graduated at the time of joining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I graduated several years ago. Am I eligible to apply?<br><\/strong>A. While this program is designed for people graduated within the past 3 years, anyone is eligible to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am a PhD student\/graduate. Am I eligible to apply?<br><\/strong>A. No, PhD students or graduates are not eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am not from a Computer Science background. May I still apply?<br><\/strong>A. Yes! Research Fellows at Microsoft Research are from varying backgrounds, including and not limited to design, economics, electronics, linguistics, psychology, and social sciences!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am an international student. Am I eligible to apply? Am I eligible to be nominated?<\/strong><br>A. Yes, we accept international applications. No, you are not eligible to be nominated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. What is the difference between a referral, a letter of recommendation, and a nomination?<br><\/strong>A. A referral is when you ask someone you know at the company you are applying to, for better visibility to the recruiter. For this particular role, we do not check referrals. A letter of recommendation is taken from someone who can strongly vouch for your work, for example the manager from your current company or a professor you have closely collaborated with. A nomination for this program is done only by the HOD of the Computer Science (CS) department where they think that you are one of best fits for this program from your university. Note: The HOD of CS need not necessarily know the candidate being nominated personally. Moreover, the HOD of CS is free to nominate people from other departments too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. Will applying with a referral improve my chances?<br><\/strong>A. For this particular role &#8211; Research Fellows, we do not check any referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. Does a nomination guarantee an interview call?<br><\/strong>A. Although a nomination will not guarantee an interview, nominated candidates will be given priority during the initial screening process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I got nominated by my institute. Do I still need to apply on the portal?<br><\/strong>A. Yes, you must go through the exact same process as everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I got nominated by my institute. Do I still need to fill the Microsoft form?<br><\/strong>A. Yes, you must go through the exact same process as everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I graduated recently. Am I eligible to get nominated?<br><\/strong>A. No, only current final year students are eligible to get nominated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am a final year student but I did not get nominated by my university. Am I eligible to apply?<br><\/strong>A. Yes! We highly encourage everyone interested in the program to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. I am from another department which is closely related to Computer Science. Can the head of my department nominate me?<br><\/strong>A. No, only the HOD of the Computer Science department can nominate people, but they are free to nominate people from any department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q. What if my institute does not have a Computer Science department?<br><\/strong>A. If your institute does not have a Computer Science (CS) department, then you can be nominated by the director of your institute. Please ensure that they include a statement in the PDF file attesting that your institute does not have a CS department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"important-dates\">Important dates<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table alignleft\"><table><tbody><tr><td>11th December 2023<\/td><td>Applications open<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>16th February 2024<\/td><td>Deadline for university nominations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>16th February 2024<\/td><td>Deadline for applications<br>(both for MS form & Careers portal)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>March &#8211; May 2024<\/td><td>Interviews conducted<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>April &#8211; June 2024<\/td><td>Offers extended to candidates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>July 2024<\/td><td>Research Fellows start at MSR India<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n","protected":false},"featured_media":626880,"template":"","meta":{"msr-url-field":"","msr-podcast-episode":"","msrModifiedDate":"","msrModifiedDateEnabled":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","footnotes":""},"msr-opportunity-type":[155533],"msr-region":[197903],"msr-locale":[268875],"msr-program-audience":[243724],"msr-post-option":[],"msr-impact-theme":[],"class_list":["post-622332","msr-academic-program","type-msr-academic-program","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","msr-opportunity-type-grants-and-fellowships","msr-region-asia-pacific","msr-locale-en_us","msr-program-audience-students"],"msr_description":"The Research Fellows Program at Microsoft Research India (MSR India) exposes bright, young minds in India to world-class research and the state-of-the-art in technology. The program prepares students for careers in research, engineering, as well as entrepreneurship.","msr_social_media":[],"related-researchers":[],"tab-content":[{"id":0,"name":"About","content":"<h2>Research Fellows Program<\/h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-706825 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2020-MSRI-Fellows-group-photo_1400x788-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"2020 Microsoft India Research Fellows group photo\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" \/><strong>The 2022 application period is now closed.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Research Fellows (RF) Program at Microsoft Research India (MSRI) exposes bright, young minds in India to world-class research and the state-of-the-art in technology. The program prepares students for careers in research, engineering, as well as entrepreneurship. MSR India has some of the best researchers pushing the frontiers of computer science and technology. Research Fellows have contributed to all aspects of the research lifecycle, spanning ideation, implementation, evaluation, and deployment.\r\n<h3>MSR Research Fellows Alumni:<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Joined top PhD programs at universities such as MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, CMU, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Started companies such as Everwell, Capillary, and Ola!<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Are working at Microsoft (India and US) in development positions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Eligibility<\/h3>\r\nCandidates should have completed BS\/BE\/BTech or MS\/ME\/MTech in Computer Science or related areas, graduating by summer 2022. We evaluate candidates based on a combination of factors including academic performance, raw smarts, development skills, and proven ability or aptitude for research and software development. Microsoft offers an inclusive work environment, and we value diversity in our workforce.\r\n<h3>Research Fellows Roles<\/h3>\r\nSelected candidates spend 1 to 2 years at MSR India. Different roles require a different combination of skills. Current and past RFs have worked on: solving deep theoretical problems, pushing the boundaries of AI, designing new programming languages, field work in rural India, prototyping communication and sensing hardware, optimizing database queries, and building software systems. Regardless, they all consistently aim to create academic, industry and societal impact. Be sure to tell us what excites you most!\r\n<h3>Important dates<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;border-spacing: inherit;height: 72px\" border=\"1\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"border-style: hidden\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 292.95px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">January 14, 2022<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 1171.85px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">\u00a0 Deadline for applications<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"border-style: hidden\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 292.95px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">March - April 2022<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 1171.85px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">\u00a0 Offers extended to accepted candidates<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"border-style: hidden\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 292.95px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">July 2022<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 1171.85px;padding: inherit;border: 1px solid;height: 24px\">\u00a0 Research Fellows start at MSR India<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>"},{"id":1,"name":"Testimonials","content":"[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706165 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Divya-Siddarth_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Divya Siddarth\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Divya Siddarth<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2018-2020<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Stanford University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Microsoft Redmond<\/li>\r\n \t<li><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The MSR India RF program is the best! The freedom, resources, and talent at MSR are unparalleled (not to mention the kindness and generosity of everyone at the lab). Being able to create and lead research projects to fruition through the program - in a few short years - truly taught me more than any class I've ever taken. Overall, I can't overemphasize how ideal the RF program was for me, and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone trying to find a path to genuine impact through technology (particularly those who are currently underrepresented and underresourced in the space!).\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706162 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Vidhi-Jain_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Vidhi Jain\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Vidhi Jain<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2018-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"I am grateful to my advisors for mentoring me and having detailed discussions in one-on-one meetings.\u00a0Thanks to Microsoft Research for supporting young aspirants to strengthen their core skills, receive guidance from the experts and belong to a community of the next\u00a0generation researchers.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706180 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Sudheesh_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Sudheesh\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Sudheesh\u00a0Singanamalla<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: NIT Warangal \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The Research Fellow program at MSR India has been an incredible experience for me and introduced me to the world of research. The time I spent at MSR India working with world class researchers helped me enhance my engineering skills and shaped my research skills. What stood out for me throughout my time there was the transparent collaborative efforts between different research groups and the strong encouragement to voice my opinion, think independently and take ownership. The fellowship program helped me make new friends,\u00a0convinced me to pursue a research career and is an incredible launchpad.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706186 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Tapan-Chugh_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Tapan Chugh\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Tapan Chugh<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Madras \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"Joining MSR India as a Research Fellow was one the best decisions I ever made. The program is an unique opportunity to work on high quality research projects with awesome mentors. As an RF, I learnt a lot about working on challenging problems, along with relevant technical skills. The experience was invaluable in my decision to pursue a PhD.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706174 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Shishir-Patil_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Shishir Patil\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Shishir Patil<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: RV College of Engineering \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of California, Berkeley<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The RF program is unparalleled in terms of the research experience, and the phenomenal mentoring. I got great guidance and support throughout, both professionally and personally.\u00a0 I learned how to pick the right research problems, how to break down complex problems into smaller tasks, how to systematically approach a problem, how to communicate my research effectively, and many other skills that shaped me towards being a better researcher. My time at MSR was an enriching experience where I grew academically, socially, and personally.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706171 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Raghav-Somani_239x239-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Raghav Somani\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Raghav Somani<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Guwahati \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"My time as a Research Fellow at MSR India provided me the steepest learning curves in my academic life. My mentors played a key role in polishing my abilities to understand the right research questions, with the steps needed for a finer understanding and solving them. My research career post-fellowship can be attributed to the 2 remarkable years spent around the brilliant research minds.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706153 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Adithya-Phillip_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Adithya Phillip\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Adithya Phillip<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2019<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: PESIT \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/li>\r\n \t<li><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The Research Fellow program is the opportunity to do research with some of the best minds in the country and decide if it's your cup of tea, a huge boost to your college applications if you want to take it further with a PhD or Master's, and a chance to learn and grow with smart people all around you. Getting to work on research that has real impact as an RF is what helped me decide I wanted a PhD, and I completely attribute my getting to pursue the Computer Science PhD program at Carnegie Mellon University to my time here as an RF.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706183 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Sujeath-Pareddy_302x302-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Sujeath Pareddy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Sujeath Pareddy<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2017-2018<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Goa \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"My time at MSR helped immensely in defining the types of research that I wanted to do. I gained a breath-first overview of how people\u00a0think, and what people value about good research. I published and attended two top-tier conferences, which helped me to connect with future advisors. I came in only 35% sure I wanted to do a PhD\u00a0but ended\u00a0up being 100% sure halfway in!\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706159 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Apurv-Mehra_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Apurv Mehra\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Apurv Mehra<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2016-2018<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIIT Delhi \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Microsoft Research India<\/li>\r\n \t<li><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The MSRI-RF program gave me a chance to work on some really hard problems with an amazing set of colleagues coming from inter-disciplinary backgrounds. I was guided throughout by wonderful mentors who gave me enough flexibility and support to explore my interests, take ownership and decisions which helped me reflect, evaluate and choose between various career paths. Being part of TEM group was additionally enriching where I learnt how to think about complex socio-technical problems and understand the role technology plays from holistic perspective.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706168 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Marylin-George_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Marylin George\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Marylin George<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2016-2017<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IISc \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, Brown University<\/li>\r\n \t<li><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"When I joined the RF program at MSR, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to graduate school. The RF program gave me a space to try out my research skills,\u00a0and hone them with a supportive community of mentors and peers. Most notably, the program was an avenue to create\u00a0connections with my peers, most of whom went on to Masters or PhD programs. I would highly recommend\u00a0the program to graduating students; it is a great opportunity to experience research in a professional atmosphere, and connect with people who will be your mentors and colleagues for years to come.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706177 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Shruti-Rijhwani_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Shruti Rijhwani\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Shruti Rijhwani<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2015-2016<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a Masters and PhD, Carnegie Mellon University<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"I joined the RF program because I wanted to get a taste of what a career in CS research might be like. Apart from the challenging research problems themselves, the best feature about the program is the focus on building a community of budding researchers in different fields of CS. With seasoned academics to guide RFs every step of the way, including future graduate school and career decisions, the program is perfect for people with a strong interest in exploring what working on interesting and exciting ideas might be like. It was my first such experience and has shaped my view of research, perhaps for years to come.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706150 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Abhijnan-Chakraborty_312x312-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Abhijnan Chakraborty\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Abhijnan Chakraborty<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2012-2014<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Jadavpur University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, IIT Kharagpur \u203a Asst. Prof, IIT Delhi<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The time I spent as RA at MSR India was very memorable and enriching experience for me. It exposed a young graduate like me, who was fresh out of college, to the world of research. I worked under close mentorship of world class researchers for two years, where I learned how to design solutions for real-world problems, which have the potential to impact millions of people. I was encouraged to publish papers and attend top tier conferences, which helped me to choose research as the long-term career option.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706156 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Aditya-Vashistha_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Aditya Vashistha\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Aditya Vashistha<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2011-2013<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Jaypee Institute of Information Technology \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of Washington \u203a Asst. Prof, Cornell University<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"The MSR RA program was a remarkable two year journey that gave me tremendous opportunities to find technological solutions for the world\u2019s biggest problems in the domain of healthcare, information access and civic engagement.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706147 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bhavish-Aggarwal_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Bhavish Aggarwal\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Bhavish Aggarwal<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2008-2010<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: IIT Delhi \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a CEO, OLA<\/li>\r\n \t<li><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"Great program. Helped me build an analytical rigour beyond college and a curiosity for all things tech that helped in my future as an entrepreneur.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-706189 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Rikin-Gandhi_360x360-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Rikin Gandhi\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Rikin Gandhi<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2006-2008<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: Carnegie Mellon University \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a CEO, Digital Green<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"I got to research how technology could help me be the change in rural India and launch Microsoft\u2019s first nonprofit spin-off, Digital Green.\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n[row] [column class=\"m-col-24-24\"]<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-492023 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/ganesh-barcelona-150x150.png\" alt=\"Ganesh Ananthanarayanan in Barcelona\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/>\r\n<h3>Ganesh Ananthanarayanan<\/h3>\r\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Research Fellow<\/strong>: 2005-2007<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Journey<\/strong>: BITS Pilani \u203a MSR India Fellow \u203a PhD, University of California Berkeley \u203a Microsoft Research Redmond<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div style=\"height: 20px\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 80%;font-style: italic\">\"Awesome \u2018pre-doc\u2019 program that convinced me about a research career. Great launch pad after undergrad to hit the ground running during my PhD!\"<\/p>\r\n[\/column] [\/row]"}],"msr_impact_theme":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-academic-program\/622332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-academic-program"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/msr-academic-program"}],"version-history":[{"count":109,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-academic-program\/622332\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1115958,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-academic-program\/622332\/revisions\/1115958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/626880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=622332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"msr-opportunity-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-opportunity-type?post=622332"},{"taxonomy":"msr-region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-region?post=622332"},{"taxonomy":"msr-locale","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-locale?post=622332"},{"taxonomy":"msr-program-audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-program-audience?post=622332"},{"taxonomy":"msr-post-option","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-post-option?post=622332"},{"taxonomy":"msr-impact-theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msr-impact-theme?post=622332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}