Submit Applications for Health Research Grant Program (India)

Deadline: 30-Apr-25

The Azim Premji University has announced the second round of its Health Research Grant Program to build a deeper understanding of the health realities of vulnerable communities in India.

They are looking for research that is empirically grounded, methodologically robust, and can inform practice.

Areas of Research

• They invite high-quality research proposals that examine significant questions of public concern in the following areas:
  • Theme 1: Studies to understand how to improve health while reducing the economic burden of poor health among vulnerable groups:
    • Sub-themes:
      • 1/A Studies focused on urban poor.
      • 1/B Studies focused on rural poor.
      • 1/C Studies that work with vulnerable groups. Illustratively: people with physical or mental disabilities; elderly; migrants; children in need of care and protection; tribals; or more broadly, communities marginalised due to caste, class, language, occupation, region, or religion (Gender, given its importance, is flagged as a separate theme).
      • 1/D Studies that track strands of illness. Illustrative: life stage health (for example, pregnancy), communicable illness (for example, malaria), non-communicable illness (for example, diabetes), genetic disorders, occupational health hazards that significantly affect vulnerable groups.
      • 1/E Other studies, i.e., those that do not fall squarely in the above sub-themes.
  • Theme 2: Studies to understand the functioning of, or efforts to improve, public health systems:
    • Sub-themes:
      • 2/A Studies that engage with the structure of public health. For example, community, primary, secondary, or tertiary.
      • 2/B Studies that engage with specific public health programmes and initiatives. For example, immunisation and prevention of TB.
      • 2/C Studies on the public system’s response to particular groups. For example, children, adolescent girls, elderly.
      • 2/D Studies on the public system’s response to particular health issues. For example, malaria, sickle cell anaemia, hypertension.
      • 2/E Studies that work on health determinants (for example, nutrition) or supplementary schemes (for example, insurance).
      • 2/F Studies that focus on community-led social accountability efforts.
      • 2/G Other studies, i.e., those that do not fall squarely into the above sub-themes.
  • Theme 3: Studies to understand the intersection of gender and health and to reduce gender disparity. Gender includes adolescent girls, the elderly, and gender and sexual minorities:
    • Sub-themes:
      • 3/A Adolescent girls.
      • 3/B Adult women.
      • 3/C Elderly women.
      • 3/D Gender or sexual minorities.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: INR 5 lakhs – 40 lakhs
• Duration: 12 – 24 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals matching the following criteria are eligible to apply:
  • They invite applications from researchers from public institutions and non-profit organisations.
  • Your proposed study should address a particular theme and sub-theme from the aforementioned list.
  • Organisations can submit a maximum of two applications, with no more than one application per researcher.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Independent researchers and those from for-profit organisations are not eligible to apply.
• Members of Azim Premji Foundation are not eligible to apply.

Evaluation Criteria

• Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:
  • Potential of the study to contribute to research objectives defined above.
  • Scope of the study to deepen understanding of and/​​or strengthen vulnerable populations’ health, and their access (physical, economic) to quality healthcare.
  • Experience of the investigators and research team relevant to undertaking research in the proposed area.
  • Demonstrated ability to work with disadvantaged communities in rural or urban settings.
  • Primary research only. No secondary or exploratory research will be considered.
  • Feasibility and practical application of the proposed study.
  • Quality of application in terms of demonstrating an understanding of the area of the proposed study.
  • Proposed utilisation of the funds prudently and thoughtfully.

For more information, visit Azim Premji University.