Two PhD scholars from Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) have been nominated for the prestigious Hiroshima Orizuru Fellowship Summer Course on Peace and Sustainability-2026, supported by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), Japan. Nillo Yedi from the department of horticulture and Gebina Tatak from the department of sociology will participate in the international programme, which is organised jointly by Hiroshima University, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan), and Columbia University (USA).
The 10-day summer course, themed ‘Clinic on Conflict and Collaboration in Natural Resource Management – Advancing Positive Peace and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’, will bring together young researchers from across the world to engage in interdisciplinary learning, policy dialogue, field-based research, and collaborative academic exchanges. The programme will be held from 28 July to 6 August at the Higashi-Hiroshima campus of Hiroshima University, Japan under the Hiroshima Orizuru Fellow Initiative.
During the programme, the scholars will participate in workshops, expert lectures, field visits, and collaborative research activities aimed at deepening their understanding of environmental conflicts, peacebuilding, and sustainable resource management. RGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Shivaraj expressed confidence that the scholars would benefit immensely from exposure to evidence-based research and policy-oriented learning. He urged the scholars to serve as goodwill ambassadors of RGU, Arunachal Pradesh, and India.
The nomination reflects RGU’s growing commitment to academic excellence, global engagement, and international collaboration, according to Finance Officer and Registrar (i/c) Prof Otem Padung. Joint Registrar Dr David Pertin said that the scholars would undergo intensive training through workshops, classroom sessions, field studies, and independent research, enabling them to integrate quantitative, qualitative, and geospatial data for analysing environmental conflicts and sustainable natural resource management.
The scholars expressed their excitement and pride at being selected for the prestigious fellowship. Nillo Yedi said that he looks forward to learning from global experts and bringing back ideas that can contribute to sustainable agricultural and environmental research in the region. Gebina Tatak said that this fellowship is a unique opportunity to understand peacebuilding and sustainable development from a global perspective.
Dr Bikash Bage, Gebina Tatak’s research guide, observed that participation in such globally acclaimed programmes nurtures critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, and research excellence. Dr Arindam Barman, Nillo Yedi’s research guide, said that international exposure of this nature broadens academic vision and strengthens research capabilities.
