Programme is currently closed for this year.
Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute is pleased to announce a call for Shastri Covid-19 pandemic response grant: call for innovative solutions. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. People are staying indoors with a very little to no access to common places as governments across the globe have restricted mobility and movement of people to contain the spread of the virus. It has been realized that a global crisis of such a nature cannot be tackled alone and it is here that the critical and crucial role played by science, technology, research and innovation comes to fore in the global fight against this pandemic. The need to build capacity, a strong network, research partnerships and collaborations between the countries are important more than ever, and also the most viable way to leverage on each other’s strengths, expertise and knowledge to contain the pandemic’s further spread and restore the ailing global economy. The Covid-19 pandemic has presented a public health emergency globally which is calling researchers, companies, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, startups and global health professionals of the world to join hands and come together to bring about rapid, innovative solutions to arrest its spread, meet challenges that occur along the way, and facilitate care to the ones affected. Especially urgent is consideration of the differential impacts in gender terms, and the effects for vulnerable groups such as migrant workers.
In an attempt to support global scientific and non-scientific communities towards contributing to find innovative solutions, SICI is offering the ‘Shastri Covid-19 Pandemic Response Grant’. It intends to call for project proposals to conduct joint India-Canada research (virtually) from all domain of knowledge inclusive of STEM, Humanities & Social Sciences and Arts and provide solutions to deal with both the immediate and long-term effects of the global crisis in terms of building new devices, creating new knowledge, development of a vaccine, new methods of treatment & diagnosis, and ways of dealing with the socio-economic and psychosocial consequences of the outbreak, so as to address the urgency created by Covid-19. As an objective, this grant also aims to build on the strengths of diverse and interdisciplinary teams of Indian and Canadian member institutions of SICI, of two or more researchers, to meet the assigned goals.
To build an opportunity for solutions related to the management of Covid-19, its detection, prevention against transmission & spread, methods and ways to protect people and most importantly, its societal impact. The bi-national teams of faculty, entrepreneurs and innovators from SICI’s member institutions from India and Canada with following characteristics are eligible to apply:
- Ability to develop innovative health or social strategies, products, or technologies beyond the idea stage;
- High societal impact;
- Demonstrated relevance to gender considerations and/or to the situation of vulnerable groups such as migrant workers will be an asset in adjudication;
- Significant potential to commercialize within 2-3 years may also be an asset.
Proposals must include a minimum of one partner from each country. It is highly recommended that the teams to have a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary group of researchers from all domains of knowledge like STEM, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The bi-national teams can include:
- Incorporated companies including start-ups; or
- Non-incorporated entities; or
- Individuals or consortia from academia, government laboratories, non-government R&D institutions
Eligibility:
- Proposed Shastri Covid-19 projects must involve a bi-national research initiative in any of the fields mentioned above.
- Faculty members/academics/researchers of Canadian and Indian member institutions of Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and their constituent colleges /institutes are eligible to apply for this grant.
- The applicant and co-applicant should be a full-time faculty member of a Canadian or Indian member institution.
Application Requirements:
- Email your complete application form along with all required documents at siciapplications@sici.org.in on or before August 17, 2020 by 5:00 pm (IST).
- Complete project proposal which includes project title, description of project like abstract; schedule of recent and projected activities; names of participants, publications published in the past 5 years; curriculum vitae of Project Director/ Canadian partner(s) not more than 5 pages; detailed budget and justification of anticipated expenses as well as the disclosure of other funding sources, including funding requested from SICI.
- Applicant must involve young faculty/research scholars/students in the proposed project.
- Employer’s endorsement from both the Lead and Co-applicant’s institution.
- Certificate of Ethical Approval (if applicable)
Budget & Funding:
The major components of the budget are enlisted below to help in formulizing the budget.
- Salaries And Benefits for Research scholars hired for Project
- Materials And Supplies
- Workshops/Seminars/Conferences (all through virtual mode)
- Contingency
Not Allowed:
- Shastri Covid-19 grant cannot be used to procure apparatus, gadget, hardware and peripheral. It is expected that the equipment already exists in the research groups or will be procured through the funding from the complimentary ongoing projects. Procurement of laptop, desktop, printer, camera and any other electronic gadget is not allowed.
- Support in terms of in-kind contribution in the budgetary outlay.
- This programme does not support the overhead charges.
Code of Ethics:
Please be advised to follow ‘Policy on Academic Integrity and Code of Ethics (PAICE)’ governing the programmes administered by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.
Number of Awards: Four (04)
Value of Award:
INR 20 lakhs each grant is admissible to the bi-national teams from SICI’s member institutions in India and Canada.
Duration: The period of Shastri covid-19 research projects will be one (1) year.
Disbursement of Funds:
The 85% of the project grant will be disbursed upon signing of letter of agreement between SICI and recipient’s institution. The remaining 15% will be released upon submission of a final report, utilization certificate and financial report to SICI.
Note: Project grant will be transferred in the bank account of the Institution/university of the applicant.
Application Form: Email your proposals at siciapplications@sici.org.in
Application Form : Form
Reporting: Email first- and second-year report in prescribed format at siciapplications@sici.org.in
Report Format: Form
Employer Endorsement: Form
Application Deadline: August 17, 2020 by 5:00 pm (IST).
Contact Address:
Ms. Reshma Rana Verma
Programme Officer
Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI)
5 Bhai Vir Singh Marg
New Delhi 110001 INDIA
Call us at: 011 – 2374 6417; 2374 3114; & 2374 2677
Email: siciapplications@sici.org.in
Important Note:
- All the Grants/Fellowships will be subject to receipt of funds from MHRD, Govt. of India.
- * Shastri Institute reserves the right to change fellowship amount and number of awards.
- Plagiarism will lead to disqualification.
- Incomplete applications will not be entertained.
- Canvassing in any form will result in disqualification.
- The decision of Adjudicators with respect to awards will be considered as final decision.