Hyderabad, April 23 (RAHNUMA):Ms. Pooja Shukla, a Ph.D. scholar from the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Hyderabad, has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright – Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship for 2026–27.
One of the most competitive international research awards, the fellowship enables outstanding scholars to pursue advanced research in the United States.
Pooja is currently working under the guidance of M. Muthamilarasan, Assistant Professor and head of The Millet Lab, Department of Plant Sciences. Her research focuses on uncovering the genetic basis of yield-related traits in foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a climate-resilient and nutritionally significant crop. Her work combines high-throughput phenotyping, genome-wide association studies and comparative genomics.
As part of the fellowship, she will conduct research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under the mentorship of James C. Schnable, a globally recognized expert in quantitative genetics and crop genomics.
Pooja has already published multiple research papers in reputed journals and has been actively involved in academic outreach, including initiatives promoting millet awareness and sustainable agriculture.
A certified yoga trainer, she also embodies the cultural exchange ethos of the Fulbright program.
The University of Hyderabad congratulated her achievement and wished her continued success.
