Pagdandi Fellowship 2025-26
A six-month higher learning program offered by the Pagdandi Collective
Applications close on 30th April. Program commences 1st August 2025. Click here to go to the application form.
Can we all live in comfortable homes without mining our sacred mountains? Can we wear clothes that don't come from a violent petrochemical supply chain? Can we get our food fresh without putting pressure on farms and farmers? Can we have healthcare and education without spending a fortune? Can we think of human well being in a way that also brings health to the natural world?
The Pagdandi Fellowship is about getting off the highway and finding new ways in the forest. It is a journey from knowledges of disconnection to knowledges of rooted connection. It is a deliberate slowing down to see more of the world and notice what's before our eyes. It is a walk of contemplation to come into balance of mind, senses and spirit. It is an initiation into life-long inquiry.
This is not a well paved path. It is stony in some parts and muddy in others. There are bright spots and dark patches. Sometimes the trail disappears, and after a while it appears again. It does not promise certainties and you don't quite know where you will end up.
Pagdandi Fellowship is a six month full time higher learning program offered by the Pagdandi Collective. It is a fully residential program which will move across four locations in North India. It consists of rigorous academic courses with senior faculty, immersive learning with rural and urban communities, and practical hands-on learning. The Fellowship will accept between four to six candidates for the year 2025-26.
The Fellowship will commence on 1st August at Delhi. The first four months, August to November, will be taken up by the learning program, which will consist of one month each at Delhi, Dutkanedhar (Nainital, Uttarakhand), Sarnath (Benaras, UP) and Indrana (Jabalpur, MP). The last two months, December and January, will consist of the volunteering program during which Fellows will work at one of these locations.
The pedagogy of the learning program will draw from and traverse various formats—from seminars and satsangs to public talks and baithaks. It will have academic courses covering themes like History, Philosophy, Agriculture, Economy, Science, Technology, Artisanship and Aesthetics. There will be lectures and discussions with senior faculty and regular reading, of up to 200 pages per week. Proficiency in both English and Hindi is required.
Alongside lectures and readings for these courses, fellows will immerse in the life of the community and engage with hands-on work in various settings including on farms, construction sites and craft workshops. They will also assist the organisers in the organising of the Fellowship. Thus the program is intellectually, physically and emotionally demanding.
After the Learning Program, the Fellows will engage in two months of volunteering work at one of the Ashrams. Fellows will be in service of the Ashram and be required to do a variety of jobs from the day to day running of the place to organising programs or conducting specific research. They will be under the instructions of one of the Fellowship Elders and will learn by closely working with them for the duration of this period.
During the program, Fellows will be provided with simple shared Ashram style accommodation. Food will be taken care of, with participants sometimes cooking themselves and otherwise being provided simple home cooked vegetarian meals. Travel will be in Sleeper Class.
The Fellows will be required to limit their use of electronic devices and consumption of digital media during the duration of the fellowship. They will follow a routine and a program prescribed by the organisers for the duration of the Fellowship. It is important to be mindful of local customs and sensibilities and learn through respectful relationships. The use of intoxicating substances is not permitted.
The Fellowship is open to students between 20 to 30 years of age who carry an abiding curiosity about the world and are keen to go deeper and beyond institutional learning. Applicants must be willing to challenge themselves and explore the world outside their comfort zones.
In order to be selected for the program, the applicant should have participated in at least one residential program organised by the Pagdandi Collective. If you have not attended a program yet, please find out about upcoming programs that you can attend by subscribing to our Substack. Meanwhile, you can fill the application form here.
The Fellowship is facilitated by a group of friends who have been on this learning journey for the last 10 years, especially beyond formal institutions. We have been organizing dialogues and writing on public issues and facilitating courses and workshops over the last 5 years. Central to our journeys have been the relationships which we have cultivated with places, communities and elders who have engaged with important public issues. The Fellowship is a product of these relationships.
The Fellowship is offered as a gift through the contributions of several people who wish to see such a program running. There is no admission fee, however students may offer a dakshina/gift upon the completion of the program. If you share our vision and if you would like to contribute towards organising this program please get in touch with us.
Selection for the Fellowship will be based on the application submitted and participation in a program organised by the Pagdandi Collective. The Application Window closes on 30th April 2025.
Please click here to access the Application Form.
For more inquiries, please write to us at pagdandi.collective@gmail.com
FAQs
Q. Will I learn practical skills like natural building, permaculture and weaving?
A. No, the Fellowship offers you a taste of these things, but it will not focus on in-depth learning of any skill. Instead, it will offer a worldview in which these things come together in a meaningful and practical way. You may be introduced to some people who are working on these things dedicatedly, and you may take up the practice after the Fellowship program.
Q. Does the Pagdandi Fellowship offer an accredited degree at the end of the program?
A. No, the Fellowship does not offer a degree or certification.
Q. Who should apply?
A. Someone who is curious about the state of the world, has spent some time exploring alternatives and is looking to deepen their understanding. The Fellowship will require doing extensive readings, engaging with different communities, listening to elders, traveling and adjusting with fellow companions in basic accommodations. Applicants must be comfortable doing all of this.
Q. What skills/background is required to be a Fellow?
A. – Ability to read and engage with philosophical texts and ideas.
– Willingness to work with their hands.
– Proficiency in English and Hindi.
– Between the age of 20 to 30.
– Participation in a program organised by the Pagdandi Collective
Q. I have not attended a past Pagdandi program so far, can I apply for the Fellowship?
A. Yes, you may fill the application form. Please apply for our next short-term program to be considered for selection.
Q. Can I work while pursuing the Fellowship?
A. No. The Fellowship requires a commitment from the Fellows to be fully present and involved in the daily programs, activities, discussions, and readings. Given the intensive nature of the Fellowship, it will be impractical to work while participating full-time in the Fellowship.
Q. Can I attend a part of the Fellowship instead of the entire program?
A. No. The Fellowship has been designed keeping in mind a certain rhythm, which can only be grasped in its completion. We recommend that Fellows make themselves fully available for the entire duration of the Fellowship. If you are unable to do so, we encourage you to participate in the individual, shorter duration courses and workshops which will be offered as part of the Fellowship.
Q. Is there a fee for the Fellowship?
A. No. For the fellows, this Fellowship is offered as a gift. There is no admission fee, however, Fellows may offer a dakshina/gift upon the completion of the program.
Q. I am not able to attend the program, can I contribute towards the running of the fellowship?
A. Yes. We gather our resources through bhiksha. Contributions from well wishers like you will help us organise the Fellowship. You may reach out to us at pagdandi.collective@gmail.com. To send a contribution, please use the UPI number 93105 45026 (please mention ‘for pagdandi’) or get in touch for bank details.
Hello, I have only just come across this fellowship and am not sure if there is another residential program before the deadline. Irrespective, would you suggest I proceed to fill the application form for the fellowship? Thank you!
Sure thanks :) Also what if I can't attend residential program to pass eligibility criteria? Could you offer a remote opportunity for the same?