City boy Avinash Vats is amongst the five Rhodes Scholars- Elect for India 2025 who has been chosen to receive the prestigious scholarship.

Vats along with the others will be heading to the University of Oxford 2025 to join a cohort of more than a hundred scholars from around the world to undertake the fully funded post- graduate studies and become a part of a strong community of people determined to make a positive difference in the world.

The top five candidate’s names were revealed on November 9 after a rigorous national selection procedure comprising of a competitive application process and two rounds of preliminary interviews. The shortlisted finalists were interviewed and the names of the top five including Vats was announced for the scholarship.

Hailing from Ranchi, Vats has completed his bachelors in Philosophy from St Stephen’s College, Delhi. He conducted a research on accessibility in education and healthcare for disabled individuals in Jharkhand under the State Disability Commissioner’s Office in Ranchi. A table player by passion, Vats has written and directed short films as well. His academic interests include epistemology and making philosophy accessible to disabled people.

“It is heartening to see candidate from diverse disciplines, institutions and parts of the country apply to the Rhodes Scholarship. We are always impressed by the level of intellect as well as the character and empathy that they all display. As is the case each year, we had a diverse and talented field of applicants. We are very grateful to all the selectors who assisted us through a rigorous selection process and very proud of the five Rhodes Scholars- Elect who have emerged from the process. They will benefit from the rich intellectual resources of the University of Oxford and will join a lifelong community determined to change the world for the better,” read the Statement from the Rhodes India Secretariat.

The Rhodes Scholarship is the world’s preeminent and oldest graduate fellowship based at the University of Oxford since 1903. The Scholarship from India began in 1947 and is awarded to five outstanding applicants each year.

The winners are from various parts of the country including Ranchi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kurukshetra and Ghaziabad. Amongst them, Vats is also the third scholar with a visual impairment while another one Shubham Narwal is the first Indian scholar- elect from veterinary medicine.

“The Rhodes Trust is delighted to introduce the extraordinary 2025 Class of Rhodes Scholars Elect who represent cultures and perspectives from every corner of the world. For more than a century, the Rhodes Trust has brought exceptional individuals to Oxford and fostered a vibrant global community. We eagerly anticipate the invaluable contributions these scholars will make not just during their studies but throughout their lives as they join of the community of Rhodes Scholar alumni who are creating a more equitable and sustainable future for the world,” said Dr Elizabeth Kiss, CEO, Rhodes Trust.

The other three candidates from India are Rayan Chakrabarti, Vibha Swaminathan, and Pal Aggarwal.