Young Scholar Program

About the Program

The Esri India Young Scholars program recognizes the exemplary work in geospatial sciences of undergraduate and post graduate students from geospatial disciplines in universities across India.

This program provides students with a platform to showcase their exceptional GIS work and connect with fellow Young Scholars from around the globe at the Esri User Conference, the largest spatial technology conference held in San Diego, California.

Eligibility

Open to full-time students of Indian origin enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate programs in GIS or related fields at college/universities in India.
Students graduating in 2025 are also eligible for the program.
This is an individual performance/skill showcase. Group projects will not be considered.
Application of Esri technology to complete the submitted project or research conducted.
The study/project must be based in India and contribute to solving real-world problems in the country.
One entry/application per candidate will be accepted. Hence, submit your best work!

How to participate?

To apply for Esri India Young Scholar Program 2025, submit your research/project that uses Esri GIS technology.

Register yourself for the Esri India Young Scholar Program. After you have successfully registered, share the following submissions at gis.education@esri.in.
A0 size poster with map elements to summarize the research and visualize the project effort i.e. 84.1cm x 118.9cm; in two file formats (a) AI/PSD format and (b) PDF format in 300 dpi.
The submitted project/research must use Esri technology for data analysis, visualization, and mapping.
Abstract (no more than 500 words) outlining the objective of your project, its value proposition, and why you should be Esri India's Young Scholar.
2-minute video – Self Introduction, problem statement, technology used in the project and solution provided.
All submissions must fully comply with U.S. Export laws and all other applicable laws including COVID-19 mandates.

Terms & Conditions

Important Dates

Registrations for next year will open in 2026.
For any information regarding the Esri India Young Scholar Program please write out to us at gis.education@esri.in.
Students are encouraged to submit their projects well in advance of the deadline. Doing so will allow Esri India Technical Experts to provide guidance, helping students enhance their projects. The latest version should be resubmitted by March 14, 2025.

Evaluation Criteria

Entries will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Nativeness – Representation of Indian Scenarios and resolving challenges with spatial technology.
Application of Esri technology
Uniqueness
Creativity and innovation
Real-world relevancy

Prizes and Rewards

We are on the lookout for India’s top three Young GIS Scholars! The selected scholars will be honoured with the prestigious Esri India Young Scholar of the Year title, along with a trophy, certificate, and a 12-month ArcGIS Personal Use license. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to be considered for the global Esri Young Scholar Program.

The selected winner among the top three will receive the following exclusive rewards:

FREE registration to Esri Education Summit and Esri International User Conference, San Diego in July, 2025.
Travel and hotel accommodation to the event (to a maximum of 7 nights).
Attend the Esri Award Ceremony to receive their award and take a group photo with Jack Dangermond.
Their submitted Poster will be displayed in the Special Displays section in the Map Gallery at the event.
An opportunity to network with international Young Scholar Award recipients.

Esri India Young Scholars Through the Years

Raihan Ahmad Khan

Department of Remote Sensing
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, India

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Archer: An Open-Source GIS AI Assistant For ArcGIS Pro

View Contest Project
Anjali Shivsharan

Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Geospatial and IoT Solutions for Smart Lake Monitoring in India

View Contest Project
Shubham T. Girigosavi

Department of Geography
Shivaji University Kolhapur

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: A Mobile Application for Koyna Dam

View Contest Project
Navjoth Boddepalli

M. Tech Infrastructure design and Management
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: GeoAI-Driven Customised Geocoding System for IIT Kharagpur Campus Using Geohashing, VGI and NLP Techniques.

View Contest Project
Suchitra Kumud

M.Tech Disaster Mitigation and Management
Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Flood Risk Assessment using BIM and GIS Integration at Neighbourhood Scale

View Contest Project
Pondharshini A

M.Sc. Environmental Sciences
Bharathiar University

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Assessment of Female-Led Household Waste Management for Sustainable Waste Management: Understanding Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Coimbatore City Corporation, India.

View Contest Project
Radhakrishnan Thulasi

Department of Environmental Sciences, Bharathiar University.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: AHP-GIS based Garbage Vulnerability Zone Mapping: A Case Study from Coimbatore City, India

View Contest Project
Mira Shivani Sankar

Centre for Wireless Network & Applications, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Critical Analysis Of Hydrological Mass Variations Of Northwest India

View Contest Project
Ishita Singh

M.Tech in Geomatics, CEPT University

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Urban Flood Resilient Cities Empowered Through GIS

View Contest Project