Two Indians receive Canada's Vanier scholarships

New Delhi, June 4 (ANI): Two Indian doctoral students have found place among 37 international researchers who will receive Canada's highly prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships.

The awards will entitle them to 50,000 dollars each per year for up to three years to pursue doctoral studies at Canadian universities.

The two Indian recipients of the scholarships for 2009 are Niladri Chattopadhyay, who will pursue cancer research at the University of Toronto, and Atam Kapoor who will work in the field of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta.

The awards, announced recently in Canada, proclaimed 166 recipients for 2009. Once at full capacity, the program will support up to 500 new students annually.

The Canadian Government recently began the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, which is on par with renowned scholarships as the Rhodes scholarships in the United Kingdom and the Fulbright scholarships in the United States.

Announcing the scholarships in Ottawa, Canada's Minister of State (Science and Technology) Gary Goodyear, said: "The recipients of these scholarships are the world's leading doctoral students and the next generation of researchers, professors and industry leaders who will make considerable economic and social contributions in Canada and abroad.

To apply for a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, students must be nominated by a recognized Canadian university.

Nominees will be evaluated solely on academic excellence, research potential and leadership ability, and then the scholarship will be awarded after a competitive process that includes a two-stage peer review.

Through this scholarship, doctoral studies can be pursued in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health. (ANI)