About the Program :
The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems (TiHAN) at IIT Hyderabad runs the TiHAN Faculty Fellowship (FF) Program to attract exceptional faculty from across India’s premier technical institutes. Consequently, fellows gain direct access to TiHAN’s R&D teams, startups, and industry partners — all under one roof.
Moreover, the program specifically targets faculty who aim for a leadership role in their research domain. Every proposal must therefore demonstrate a clear path to commercialization, startup creation, or technology transfer.
Last Date to Apply :
Deadline: 26 April 2026
Applications close on 26 April 2026. Since the portal uses an online submission form, candidates should prepare and upload all documents well before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues.
Fellowship Benefits :
1 ₹25,000 per month as a personal fellowship stipend for up to one year
2 ₹5,00,000 annual contingency / research grant to cover project-related expenses
3 Direct collaboration with TiHAN’s R&D teams, startups, and industry partners
4 Access to state-of-the-art autonomous navigation testbed facilities at IIT Hyderabad
5 Opportunities for startup initiation, IPR generation, and technology transfer.
Eligibility Criteria :
To qualify for the TiHAN Faculty Fellowship, applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
1 Must be a faculty member at a Centrally Funded Technical Institute (CFTI) or an IIIT
2 Must demonstrate a strong research track record through patents, technology development, or publications in top-tier journals and conferences
3 Must be below 45 years of age as on the last date of the application
4 Must secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their parent institution — this is mandatory
Importantly, proposals must align with TiHAN’s thrust areas in autonomous navigation. Faculty working on AI/ML, UAVs, IoT/CPS, ADAS, or related verticals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Research Thrust Areas & Focus Topics :
TiHAN invites proposals that fall under its two core verticals:
1 Autonomous and Intelligent Navigation Systems for Ground, Aerial, and Water Surface Vehicles
2 Applications in Agriculture, Defence, Disaster Management, Infrastructure Monitoring, Surveillance, and Environmental Monitoring
3 Autonomous smart navigation — aerial, terrestrial, surface, or underwater
4 Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), autonomous vehicle swarms, and their applications
5 Control, power, and design aspects of UAVs and ROVs
6 IoT/CPS architectures tailored for the Indian context
7 AI/ML frameworks and edge computing for autonomous navigation
8 Simulation of autonomous vehicles — virtual or physical
9 Security aspects for autonomous vehicles and ADAS systems
10 Connected vehicle environments — DSRC, CV2X, and communication networks
11 Testing and validation of autonomous navigation systems
12 Entrepreneurship, management, and business studies related to the domain.
Documents Required :
Applicants must submit the following documents through the online application portal:
1 Research Proposal — in PDF format, as per Annexure A (official proforma)
2 Signed NOC — from the Head of Institution, as per Annexure B.
Selection Process & Expected Outcomes :
TiHAN evaluates proposals based on research excellence, alignment with thrust areas, and commercial potential. Consequently, only faculty with a demonstrated history of technology development, patents, or top-tier publications will advance through the process.
Additionally, selected fellows are expected to actively work toward:
1 Startup initiation within or beyond the fellowship period
2 IPR generation and patent filings
3 Transfer of technology to industry
4 Meaningful industry engagement throughout the project duration.
Important Notes :
1 The NOC from the parent institution is non-negotiable — applications without it are ineligible.
2 Proposals must target translational research with clear commercialization outcomes, not purely academic work.
3 The fellowship duration is up to one year; renewal or extension is not mentioned and should be confirmed with TiHAN directly.
Application Link:
https://tihan.iith.ac.in/Facultyfellowship.html
Official Website:
https://tihan.iith.ac.in/index.html
Contact Details:
For queries, contact TiHAN at office.tihan@iith.ac.in or +91-83310-40452.
Main Office: TiHAN Foundation, IIT Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana, India ( Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM IST, Sunday: Closed )