India’s Embassy Launches Second Round of ‘MARG’ Virtual Mentoring Series to Strengthen US-India Academic Collaboration

The Embassy of India in Washington, DC, in partnership with India’s Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission, and Department of Agricultural Research and Education, has launched the second round of the ‘MARG’ (Mentoring for Academic Excellence and Research Guidance) virtual mentoring series.

This initiative aims to connect Indian-origin faculty from prestigious US universities with students and researchers from Indian institutions, fostering academic collaboration and knowledge exchange.

“This endeavor connects Indian universities across regions with top US universities. Students and researchers will get exposure to latest developments, research and innovation, and skilling opportunities from Indian origin professors in the US. Indian origin faculty from renowned US universities like Stanford, Purdue, University of Maryland, George Mason University are participating in this series,” stated the Embassy of India. 

Speaking at the launch event on March 7th, Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan emphasized the growing academic, research, innovation, and industrial partnerships between India and the US in critical and emerging technologies, driven by the leadership of both nations.

Strengthening 🇮🇳 🇺🇲 research, innovation, and academic partnerships.

2nd round of mentoring series, MARG (Mentoring for Academic Excellence & Research Guidance) was virtually launched today.

Indian-origin faculty from the US universities will be mentoring students from Indian… pic.twitter.com/YEPH5oXuOq

— India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 7, 2025

The MARG series will serve as a platform for idea exchange and mentorship, particularly in technology-driven fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, cybersecurity, and agri-tech.

Ranganathan expressed gratitude to the Indian diaspora professors in the US for their contributions and encouraged them to remain engaged with Indian universities beyond this initiative. She also urged them to leverage Indian government programs such as SPARC, VAIBHAV, and GYAN to visit India and collaborate in research, innovation, skill development, and academic exchanges.

Education leaders from participating Indian universities acknowledged the value of the MARG series, highlighting its potential to benefit both students and faculty involved in teaching, skill development, and research in emerging technologies.