Udayan Shalini Fellowship

Udayan Shalini Fellowship Program (USF)

The Udayan Shalini Fellowship ignites ambition in young women, empowering them to pursue higher education, build employability skills, and uplift their families.

Core Objectives and Support
Established in 2002, the Fellowship targets girls passionate about learning and provides financial aid, personalised mentoring, life skills training, employability development, and a strong sense of social responsibility. It relies on voluntary chapter convenors and dedicated collaborators to secure funding and mentorship opportunities for these girls, known as Shalinis.

Eligibility and Selection
The program supports bright, talented adolescent girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, specifically those from government or government-aided schools who score at least 60% in Class X and have family incomes below INR 250,000 ($3,000 annually). Selection follows the ‘NAT’ model (Need, Ambition, Talent) through a rigorous four-step process: application, written tests, interviews, and home visits, ensuring only the most deserving candidates are chosen. opportunities for these girls, known as Shalinis.

Commitment and Journey
Shalinis must uphold high academic and personal standards, with annual re-admissions driving a 95% retention rate. Selected fellows are formally inducted in a ceremony where they recite the “Shalini Pledge,” committing to complete their education, embrace ethical values, and become responsible citizens. The Fellowship supports them for 5–6 years, from Class XI through graduation or specialised courses. opportunities for these girls, known as Shalinis.

Based on the ‘NAT’ model (Need, Ambition, and Talent), our rigorous screening process involves a four-step evaluation: application, written tests, interviews, and home visits. This ensures that only the most deserving and talented girls become Shalinis. Adhering to high standards is essential, and Shalinis are expected to demonstrate consistent academic and overall progress. Annual re-admission applications contribute to our 95% retention rate. The final list of selected candidates is inducted into the program in a formal ceremony attended by the girls and their parents. During this ceremony, the girls take the “Shalini Pledge” to complete their education and adhere to moral and ethical values, thereby becoming good citizens. The selected girls are called Shalinis (Dignified Women) or Fellows and are supported for 5-6 years, from the XI standard until they graduate or complete specialised courses.

Program Features

The Udayan Shalini Fellowship (USF) rests on five interconnected pillars that empower girls to thrive academically, professionally, and socially.

Financial Support

Financial barriers remain the primary reason girls drop out of formal education. USF counters this by providing each Shalini with a predetermined annual scholarship to cover higher education costs, ensuring access without economic hurdles.

Skills and Employability Training

The program equips Shalinis with essential tools to excel, including personality development, exposure to career pathways, life skills, and independent thinking. A dedicated team secures internships, while a placement cell facilitates jobs and opportunities for graduates, fostering career readiness.

Mentoring

A robust pyramid mentoring structure guides each Shalini’s journey of self-discovery. Senior (college-going) Shalinis mentor juniors (school-going girls), supplemented by dedicated mentors offering academic guidance, career counselling, and personal coaching at every stage.

Giving Back to Society

USF instils social awareness and empathy, requiring Shalinis to complete 50 hours of annual volunteering for a cause of their choice. This shifts them from recipients to contributors, building self-esteem and a commitment to ‘pay it forward’.

Core Committee

Local chapter convenors—long-term volunteers—drive the program by partnering with individuals and organisations to secure funding and mentorship. They form core committees of passionate, resourceful volunteers as advisory bodies to sustain chapter operations.

Scale and Impact

The Udayan Shalini Fellowship Program has completed 21 years of its path-breaking work in building agency for adolescent girls through access to higher education, generating some amazing stories of transformation and impact. Today, the fellowship is a thriving program with 36 chapters across 14 states in India, providing pathways to education, agency, and leadership for unstoppable girls. More than 16,000 fellows and alumnae, who are mostly first-generation learners, have scripted new stories for themselves while shaping the design and trajectory of USF. Our Shalinis (Dignified, Empowered Women) pursue fields such as engineering, Medical Studies, Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretaryship, Vocational Training, Nursing, and Computer Science.

Scale and Impact

The Udayan Shalini Fellowship Program marks 22 years of transformative impact, empowering adolescent girls with access to higher education and fostering their agency through remarkable stories of personal and societal change.

Program Reach and Scale
Today, the Fellowship thrives across 38 chapters in 14 states in India, opening pathways to education, leadership, and self-determination for resilient young women. Over 18,500 fellows and alumnae—predominantly first-generation learners—have redefined their futures while actively shaping the program’s vision and growth.

Fields of Pursuit
Our Shalinis (Dignified, Empowered Women) excel in diverse domains, including engineering, medical studies, chartered accountancy, company secretaryship, vocational training, nursing, and computer science.

Alumnae Program

The program has an active alumnae program. Our alumnae include Ph.D. graduates, Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, Engineers, and teachers. Many of our alumni continue to mentor younger Shalinis, provide references and recommendations for higher studies and scholarships, refer job or internship opportunities, and raise awareness and funds for USF