Four Indian American students have been selected as 2026-27 Schwarzman Scholars, a highly prestigious international graduate fellowship that fully funds a one-year Master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. The announcement, made in January 2026, highlights leadership, academic excellence, and global engagement among young Indian American leaders poised to have significant influence across policy, technology, and public service sectors.

The Schwarzman Scholars program is one of the most competitive global fellowships available to students and early career professionals worldwide. Founded in 2013 by Stephen A. Schwarzman, it seeks to cultivate a new generation of global leaders capable of navigating complex international challenges with deep understanding of China’s evolving role in geopolitics and global affairs. Selection is highly selective, with this cohort chosen from over 5,800 applicants representing roughly 40 countries and 83 universities.

Among the Indian Americans named to the 2026-27 class are Divya Ganesan, Rishika Kartik, Pranav Pattatathunaduvil, and Maya Prakash. Their selection reflects not only individual achievement but also broader trends in Indian American representation within elite global leadership pipelines.

Divya Ganesan is completing a dual focus in computer science and political science at Stanford University. At Stanford, she has served as Student Body Vice President and received the prestigious Lloyd Dinkelspiel Award for service. Ganesan also founded Stanford’s first all-girls cybersecurity team, which has been nationally recognized for expanding opportunities for women in STEM fields. Her academic work bridges secure technology and institutional resilience, and she plans to leverage the Schwarzman experience to strengthen global frameworks for national security decision-making.

Rishika Kartik, a senior at Brown University, has pursued a unique interdisciplinary path combining biology and accessible design – a program she helped formalize at Brown. Kartik, a U.S. Presidential Scholar and TEDx speaker, has advanced disability and assistive technology research, while founding Touch and Create Studios to expand educational and artistic opportunities for blind and low-vision communities. Her work integrates scientific insight with societal impact and is oriented toward inclusive innovation on a global scale.

Pranav Pattatathunaduvil is a second-year Master of Public Policy student at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. His focus lies at the intersection of Indo-Pacific geopolitics, U.S.–India–China relations, and technological competition. He co-founded the GeoTech Initiative, which convenes students around issues at the nexus of technology and public policy, and has organized national forums that connect STEM and policy communities across the United States. His Schwarzman Scholars selection positions him to further global policy engagement and cross-sector collaboration.

Maya Prakash, a senior at Williams College majoring in economics and comparative literature, has distinguished herself through journalism and cross-cultural scholarship. As head of the Williams Record opinion section and a former intern at The Washington Post, Prakash combines narrative insight with analytical depth. She also spent a year at the University of Oxford through the Williams-Exeter Programme. Prakash intends to deepen her engagement with international discourse on U.S.–India–China dynamics through her Schwarzman Scholars experience.

The Schwarzman Scholars program emphasizes leadership development through a rigorous curriculum that combines coursework in global affairs, immersive study of China’s role in world systems, and opportunities for experiential learning with global thought leaders. Scholars also participate in a mentorship network that connects them with global changemakers across government, business, and nonprofit sectors.

For Indian American students in particular, being named a Schwarzman Scholar is a major honor. It places them among a global cohort of emerging leaders and reinforces the presence of Indian American voices in international policy circles and transnational leadership dialogues. As globalization and geopolitical competition intensify in the 21st century, platforms that prepare future leaders to engage constructively across borders are increasingly valuable.

The announcement of these four Indian American scholars ahead of the 2026-27 academic year highlights not only personal achievement but also expanding pathways for South Asian American students in elite global education and leadership networks. Their academic and civic contributions exemplify how U.S.-based talent can shape international policy, technology, and public engagement in dynamic and interconnected ways.

Key Takeaways About the 2026–27 Schwarzman Scholars

• Four Indian American students – Divya Ganesan, Rishika Kartik, Pranav Pattatathunaduvil, and Maya Prakash – were selected as Schwarzman Scholars.
• The fellowship provides full funding for a one-year master’s degree in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University.
• Each scholar has demonstrated leadership in academics, service, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Their selection reflects growing Indian American representation in top global fellowship programs.
• Schwarzman Scholars equips future leaders with global networks and deep understanding of international affairs.