England, UK: Five exceptional Indian students have been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship 2025, joining the University of Oxford’s esteemed global cohort in October. This honor recognizes their academic excellence and commitment to leadership and societal change.

Meet the Scholars

Rayan Chakrabarti

An academic, poet, and translator, Rayan is pursuing a Master’s in Arts and Aesthetics at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He plans to create an archive and museum documenting the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact in South Asia, focusing on truth and reconciliation.

Vibha Swaminathan

A law student at the National Law School of India University, Vibha’s research examines the intersection of poverty, gender, religion, and language in citizenship laws. She aims to study legal uncertainties surrounding citizenship determination at Oxford.

Avanish Vats

From Ranchi, Avanish is a Philosophy graduate from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He researches accessibility in education and healthcare for disabled individuals and aims to make philosophy more inclusive for them.

Shubham Narwal

Studying Veterinary Science at ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Shubham plans to pursue Clinical Embryology at Oxford to focus on the conservation of the endangered Great Indian Bustard. He is also passionate about basketball.

Pal Aggarwal

A B.Tech student in Engineering Physics at IIT Bombay, Pal aspires to pursue a DPhil in Astrophysics at Oxford. She dreams of becoming an astronaut and advocates for women in science, while also being a trained dancer.

These scholars will contribute significantly to their fields, bringing diverse perspectives to Oxford’s global community.