About Us

The Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship was established in 1998 by a group of Sangam members who sought to create a unique educational opportunity for fellow students.  As the first-student run scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Fellowship raises money to award two students each year with up to $3,000 to execute a self-designed civic engagement project that benefits South Asian communities, here and abroad, whether through direct service or increasing awareness of South Asian culture and issues.

Following in the footsteps of its namesake, MGF strives to pioneer sustainable approaches to social needs in South Asia and to promote and inspire the value of education through service to UNC students. The Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship is administered today through Sangam, a South Asian awareness organization at UNC-Chapel Hill. Through the efforts of Sangam and its members, progress continues to be made as students work to raise the $125,000 endowment fund which will make the Fellowship self-sustainable and guarantee future Fellows this opportunity for many years to come.

Our Goals

To pioneer sustainable approaches to complex social needs in South Asia

To inspire future UNC student awareness of South Asia and its social concerns

To promote the value of education through experience

Our Impact

To date, the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship has sponsored more than 30 fellows. Past fellows have been involved in a wide range of projects that address issues facing the South Asian population including conducting AIDS/ HIV prevention education in the United States and India, researching public health opportunities in Bangladesh, and working with non-governmental organizations focusing on women’s empowerment in India.  Not only is each fellow highly motivated, dedicated, and open-minded, he or she also possesses the creativity and imagination to create amazing projects, and has the thoroughness and dedication to follow these projects through.

There are many ways to get involved with the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship and make a lasting impact on South Asia and UNC. Please click below to learn more about the ways you can apply, join our team, or make a donation.