MELBOURNE, 30 March 2022: Kerala biological scientist, Gopika Kottantharayil Bhasi, the winner of LaTrobe University’s $200,000 Shah Rukh Khan Ph.D. scholarship earmarked for a female researcher recently arrived here to join a research team that is working on new techniques to protect honey bees from viruses, pollution & the increasing lack of plant diversity, Tweets Sarah Storey, Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner, New Delhi.
The announcement was made during Shah Rukh Khan’s visit to La Trobe University as chief guest of the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. La Trobe is the first Australian University to award Shah Rukh Khan with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters (honoris causa), in recognition of his wide-ranging humanitarian work, including establishing the Meer Foundation to support and empower women who have survived acid attacks in India.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar, said Mr. Khan’s philanthropic leadership drove the decision to create a Ph.D. scholarship in his name.
“The Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University Ph.D. Scholarship recognises Mr. Khan’s extraordinary altruism, demonstrated in his work to advocate for women’s empowerment,” Professor Dewar said.
“Reflecting La Trobe’s values of inclusivity, equity, and social justice, this scholarship will offer a unique and potentially life-changing opportunity for an Indian woman to conduct research in a critical area affecting the world such as cyber security, health, or engineering.”
Shah Rukh Khan welcomed the announcement of a scholarship in his name.
“As a passionate advocate for women’s equality and empowerment, I am delighted that this scholarship will give an Indian woman a chance to pursue research in a field that is likely to lead her towards an exciting and successful career. I thank La Trobe University wholeheartedly for giving someone this wonderful opportunity,” Mr. Khan said.
The Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University Ph.D. Scholarship recipient receives benefits including:
a four-year La Trobe University Full-Fee Research Scholarship
a La Trobe Graduate Research Scholarship for three and a half years, with a value of $27,596 (AUD) per annum (2019 rate) to support living costs
visa length Overseas Student Health Cover for a single candidate
access to La Trobe’s world-class research facilities, a suite of professional development programs and supervision by award-winning researchers.
