Drukpa Order, Ladakh announces Naropa Fellowship programme for Indian Graduates

NEW DELHI, MAY 2: The Drukpa Order has launched the Naropa Fellowship programme to develop entrepreneurial skills that will foster a robust socio-economic environment in Ladakh and the greater Himalayas.

This modern approach to serving the people of the Himalayas will help ensure that the communities and cultures cradled in the Himalayas thrive for generations to come.

The Naropa Fellowship is a one-year, fully residential, post-graduate, academic programme focused on creating and nurturing agents of change who will work towards building a sustainable socio-economic environment in Ladakh and the greater Himalayas.

It seeks to foster entrepreneurship, retain local talent while preserving the cultural heritage of the region. The fellowship is designed to address the rising challenges of unemployment, lack of training and professional skills, and gradual cultural erosion in Ladakhi and the Himalayan societies. The Naropa campus is located at Hemis, a beautiful village in Leh.

The Naropa Fellowship is inspired by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa and co-founded by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, Spiritual Regent to His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa and Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha, the founding dean of the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, and the co-founder of Ashoka University, Sonipat.

Expanding on the Drukpa Order’s centuries old tradition of experiential learning, the curriculum of the fellowship will include entrepreneurship, society and culture, communication skills and personal development tied up with a live project which will engage the fellows in working on sustainable solutions for the local community in Ladakh and surrounding regions with support from faculty which includes industry experts, academicians and practitioners who will guide and instruct the fellows.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Pramath Raj Sinha said “The Naropa Fellowship is a wonderful initiative that fosters entrepreneurship, leadership and responsible and sustainable solutions for society. It is a great opportunity for the youth to engage and involve themselves with a programme that develops their leadership skills and prepares them to contribute to their communities”.

Speaking on the occasion His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche said "Education is the key for creating a sustainable future and finding solutions for the challenges that face us today. The Naropa Fellowship is a step in the direction of inspiring our youth to take on these challenges, provide leadership and direction to efforts at revitalizing the land, the society and the balance of nature."

Over 40 of the world’s leading academics, industry experts and practitioners will guide and instruct the Naropa Fellows as visiting faculty- facilitating professional development and growth. Some of the reputed faculty includes Kenwyn Smith- Professor, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice, Kathy Dewitte- Dean, Arteveldehogeschool, Belgium, Stuart Hendry- Entrepreneurship Lead Professor, University of Cape Town, Sara J. Corse- Associate Adjunct Professor, Thomas Jefferson University and many others.

The Fellowship is currently inviting applications from graduate students for the first session beginning September 2018. 40 of the total 50 students of the first batch will be rewarded full scholarship worth INR 10,00,000. Full or partial scholarship will also be available to international students on a needs-only basis. Students can apply for the Naropa Fellowship 2018 through the website (http://naropafellowship.org/) and last date of the submission of the application is 7th July 2018.