InterGlobe Foundation is excited to announce the fourth edition of the InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships with the aim of promoting India’s diverse heritage and culture.

InterGlobe Foundation has played a pioneering role in the promotion of heritage and culture in India. In keeping with its commitment to strengthen its heritage conservation work, the Foundation launched the InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships in 2022, giving researchers, journalists, architects, and other individuals an opportunity to explore the previously undocumented dimensions of Indian heritage and culture. This initiative also contributed to increasing awareness of lesser-known aspects of India’s tangible and intangible heritage. To date, three successful editions have been implemented, each reinforcing the InterGlobe Foundation’s commitment to preserving and promoting India’s cultural narratives.

The InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships 2025 is now open for applications. This year the program will spotlight on the 'associated intangible heritage' and 'associated craft traditions' related to significant built heritage sites across India. Fellows are invited to explore these sites not only through their architectural aspects but also as repositories of artistic and cultural narratives. Areas of exploration and documentation may include associated ceremonies, rituals, festivals, and traditional craftsmanship, and investigate how local customs contribute to the site's significance.

Potential themes could range from the urban transformation of Kolkata during Durga Puja, to the stone inscriptions associated with prominent sites, historic garden traditions or even urban festivals such as the Rath Yatra’s and the Muharram processions. The program also supports research into the stories and folklore that enrich the cultural value of these landmarks.

The fellowships will be open to a variety of submission formats, including photo essays, word essays, illustrations, and other creative expressions. Selected fellows will have an opportunity to capture themes of their choice, such as documenting communities, craft practices, rituals, traditions etc. around a built heritage site. The duration of the fellowship ranges from three to six months, depending on the scope and the end deliverables.

The InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships 2025 will be awarded to two applicants. All submissions will be featured on InterGlobe’ s website and social media platforms, making them accessible to the public. In addition, the Foundation may consider organizing an exhibition to showcase these diverse submissions in the future, further amplifying the voices and stories captured through the fellowships

Theme and Focus Areas

Applicants are invited to explore and document 'associated intangible heritage' and 'associated craft traditions' through their unique perspectives and extensive knowledge around a built heritage site. The fellowships encourage the documentation and preservation of lesser-known aspects around a built heritage site using various mediums such as photography, written essays, illustrations, and more.

Eligibility

• Open to individuals in liberal arts, including students, faculty, researchers, and creative practitioners.
• Candidates with prior professional or academic familiarity with the subject under application may be given preference
• Applicants must be Indian origin, residing in India, and have an Indian bank account.
• Applicants must be 18 years or older as of 1 August 2025.

Deliverables

• The fellowships offer flexibility in determining project deliverables, aligned with the proposed research topic.
• Potential deliverables may include articles, photo essays, illustrations, or other suitable formats for disseminating the research findings. Candidates must quantify their deliverables by specifying the expected length or duration of their research and measurable outcomes. This will be submitted along with the application.
• Additionally, a strategic intervention plan highlighting a community-centric approach for sustainable development, which will contribute to safeguarding the tangible and intangible heritage in the area (A prescribed format tailor-made to the topic of study will be provided later).

Language

All content must be submitted by the applicant in English.

Essentials for the Application

The following materials are to be submitted as part of the application:

• Proposal: A 500–1000 word proposal, highlighting the associated intangible heritage or associated craft tradition that the applicant wants to document along with the built site; explain why it is relevant to document the same.

Points to keep in mind

• The proposal should have a clear title that highlights the theme and the chosen heritage site. For e.g., ‘Documenting the Musical Legacy and Cultural Influence around the Tomb of Tansen’ or ‘Documenting water management practices and rituals around Rajasthan's stepwell Abhaneri’ or ‘Mapping Rajasthani textile craftsmanship, including the techniques and traditions used in creating the textiles found in Mehrangarh Fort'.
• Highlight the research methodology and process. For e.g., “My work will include an extensive field study and interviews with XXX and will be presented via a photo essay/article.”
• Portfolio: The application must be accompanied by a portfolio of existing or published work along with a writing sample.
• Resume: Not more than two pages.
• Submission Plan: Provide a comprehensive plan outlining how the research findings will be shared with broader audiences. This plan should include details about the medium which will be used to document the findings - such as articles, photo essays, videos, educational resources, or illustrations. The applicants must also quantify the deliverables, for e.g., “I plan to complete the fellowship over a period of 3 months, with the final deliverables including a detailed photo essay which would include 50 high quality images, accompanied by captions for each photo, and an introductory text of 150 words showcasing XXX.” OR “I plan to complete this project over a period of 4 months, with the final deliverables including 5 articles of 800 words each highlighting XXX” OR “I will submit my research findings in a mixed medium covering 2 articles and 15 illustrations highlighting XXX.”
• Timeline: Applicants should specify the duration of their research, including a breakdown of the timelines for each phase of the project. Once the fellows are shortlisted, the InterGlobe Foundation will collaborate with the selected candidates to discuss their proposed themes and finalize the deliverables and timelines. This collaborative process will ensure that the research objectives and output formats are well-aligned with the goals of the fellowship.
• References: Two references along with names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses must be shared. These should be professional or academic references only. Personal references will not be entertained.

Selection Criteria

• An external jury will assess all fellowship proposals.
• Short-listed applicants will have the opportunity to share their ideas and plans in conversation with members of the jury.
• The jury may require shortlisted applicants to participate in a video call if necessary.
• Once the application is selected, the interview process will include further clarifications.

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria

• The overall quality and clarity of the proposal.
• The subject and its relevance.
• Clarity about the purpose and deliverables of the fellowship.
• It should be clear how the documentation will help the concerned communities and suggest a valuable step in furthering the InterGlobe Foundation’s strategic vision of promoting and preserving Indian heritage and culture.

Award money, Terms and Duration

• Two fellowships of INR 2,00,000 each will be awarded. This will include travel expenses and any other expenses borne by the fellow for the documentation work. No additional amount will be reimbursed or disbursed.
• The amount will be released in installments against specific deliverables. Any other expenditure incurred by the fellows will not be entertained.
• Fellows are free to continue their primary occupation.
• The duration of the fellowship is 3-6 months, beginning in October 2025.
• Applicants must not hold any other fellowship or grant for the proposed project when applying.
• The proposal must be feasible within the resources the InterGlobe Foundation has to offer, and within the timeframe specified.
• Once appointed, the fellowships shall be conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions as stipulated in the memorandum of understanding entered between the fellows and the InterGlobe Foundation at a later stage.
• Photographers must arrange their own equipment for the shoot. InterGlobe Foundation will not fund any additional hardware or software.
• Applicants must provide a written confirmation that the proposed project has not been exhibited in a commercial gallery in India or abroad. Projects that have been exhibited previously will not be considered. Exposure of works from the proposed project across social media platforms is acceptable.

Timeline

• Last date for submission of applications is August 24, 2025
• Fellowships will commence in October 2025.
• Selected candidates must complete the submission of all deliverables by February 2026, based on the timeline agreed upon during the interview process.

Broadcasting

All content produced through the Fellowships will be made available to the public in general, academic forums, civil society, state, and development practitioners through multiple forums by the InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships, InterGlobe Foundation, and its affiliates.

Ownership

Fellows will retain authorship of the final pieces/articles/photographs; they are free to publish the insights of their research efforts, with appropriate acknowledgement to the InterGlobe HERITAGE Fellowships and InterGlobe Foundation, in accordance with the terms of use of the InterGlobe Foundation name, mark and other intellectual property as may be communicated by InterGlobe Foundation. Fellows will also inform the InterGlobe Foundation about the publication of their work. InterGlobe Foundation too will have the copyright to collate and publish all articles and photographs and produce a compendium/distribution material with due acknowledgement to all fellows and their work.