Bangalore University Nominated Nodal Centre for PM Professorship: A Boost to Grassroots Research Ecology

In a significant step likely to re-engineer the research ecosystem in India's state universities, Bangalore University (BU) has been nominated as a nodal centre for the prestigious Prime Minister Professorship Programme under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

The appointment is not just a symbolic victory. It marks a strategic drive to give historically under-endowed institutions strong research capability and visionary leadership. The PM Professorship scheme has been specifically instituted to close the gap between first-class institutes and state-owned universities by integrating high-quality scientists in the local environment.

As part of this initiative, a distinguished researcher will be hired as a Prime Minister Professor at BU. He or she will not only conduct innovative, translational research in priority areas of the nation but also advise faculty and students, generating ripple effects that can lift the university's overall academic and research climate.

The program carries hefty financial support. The fellow professor will be provided a ₹30 lakh fellowship annually, in addition to another ₹24 lakh as an annual research grant. BU itself will be provided an overhead grant of ₹1 lakh annually to facilitate institutional logistics. The fellowship period lasts five years, providing time as well as resources for effective impact.

Whereas top-tier institutions have long dominated India's R&D scene, this appointment is a paradigm shift — acknowledging that innovation needs to be decentralized. With Bangalore University's variegated student population and state-wide academic reach, the appointment has the potential to encourage a new generation of researchers in Karnataka and beyond.

This is not only an investment in a person or an institution, but also a step towards democratization of research excellence in India's academic landscape. For BU, it is a turning point — an opportunity to break away from being a teaching-centric institution and become a research-centric one, directly adding to India's scientific, social, and technological progress.