FYI | Saraswati Dalmia Scholarship instituted at SOAS, University of London

Saraswati Dalmia Scholarship is now open to Mphil/Phd students pursuing research in modern and contemporary Indian art at SOAS, University of London Deadline for applications: 31 January 2013 Saraswati Dalmia (1915—2010) was a scholar and a poet and belonged to the generation of women of the 30s who contributed to the struggle for independence in India. While she continued to do social service, in her poems she also encouraged and supported women to action with great intuition and intelligence. Her inspirational writing in Hindi evolved new forms in prose and poetry. After her marriage to the industrialist R.K. Dalmia she also established a trust for the promotion of research and writing. In her evolution as a significant writer, at a time when women were not encouraged to enter the public domain, her life acts as a beacon for the struggle to survive against tremendous odds. This scholarship has been established with a donation by her daughter Yashodhara Dalmia, an art historian and an independent curator based in New Delhi. She has written widely on  art and her several publications include Amrita Sher-Gil – A Life (Penguin/Viking, 2006), which is a comprehensive account of the life of one of India’s first modern artists. Her book The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives (Oxford University Press, 2001), is regarded as the definitive account of a seminal phase of Indian art history. There is one Saraswati Dalmia Scholarship for a MPhil/PhD student undertaking research in modern and contemporary Indian art. The value of the scholarship is £4,095 to be used towards tuition fees. The scholarship is for one year only and is not renewable. Important This annual scholarship is new and will be available for applicants starting in 2013-14. Please see below for further on how to apply. Eligible Programmes Mphil/Phd programmes in the Department of History of Art and Archaeology (new admissions) undertaking research in the field of modern and contemporary Indian art. Applicants currently enrolled in the first or second year (or part-time equivalent) of the Mphil/Phd will also be considered but will not be given preference. Open to full and part-time programmes. Candidate criteria Open to UK/EU and overseas applicants. Applicants are expected to have an outstanding academic record, usually a 2.1 or first in their undergraduate degree and must normally possess or expect to be awarded a Merit or Distinction in their Masters Degree. Applicants must have an offer of admission in the Department of History of Art and Archaeology by the scholarship application deadline. Candidate assessment Candidates will be assessed on academic merit by a Selection Panel consisting of three academic members.  The assessment of your application will be based on the information in your application. Selectors will be looking at the degree results and also at academic references, statement and other relevant information. Scholarship application deadline Scholarship applications must be received no later than 17:00 (GTM) on 31 January 2013. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants applying for scholarships must also submit an application for admission well in advance. Please note that complete applications for admission can take up to 4 weeks to be considered by the Department, although this duration can vary depending on the time of year. You should be prepared to wait up to 6 weeks in busy periods. Notification of results All candidates will be notified by e-mail regarding the outcome of their scholarship application, generally by the end of May. Successful candidates will also be notified in writing. If you have not had a response to your application by mid-June, please contact the Scholarships Officer. Scholarship application procedure You can apply for this scholarship via the online scholarship application form. REFERENCES Two references are also required. Please forward the reference form to your referees. The reference form is available for download here. For enquiries, please contact: Scholarships Officer Registry, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG United Kingdom. Email: scholarships@soas.ac.uk  Telephone: +44 (0)20 7074 5094/5091