I am Jahnavi Uppuleti, 26, from Telangana, India. I'm incredibly pleased to inform you that I have received an offer for my doctoral studies (DPhil) at the University of Oxford for the October 2023 intake.

It is an honour to be able to study at a prestigious university like Oxford, where I will get an opportunity to explore the impact of grief in shaping spiritual cultures amongst underprivileged communities in India, which is impossible for me to pursue without financial assistance and your help. I'm required to submit a financial declaration to the University of Oxford (Mansfield College) by 7th July 2023 to secure my place.

My background

I'm a Dalit, an untouchable community called Madiga from southern India— a cobbler, tanner and scavenger community . My parents and my predecessors dwelled amongst poverty and many socio-economic and cultural marginalisations.  I recognise that this opportunity to pursue my PhD at the University of Oxford not only gives me a chance to learn but also to empower and integrate downtrodden cultures onto the global stage.

I completed my graduation in Mass Communication from Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Pune in 2018. My motivation to pursue communications stemmed from the urge to understand and communicate the stories of downtrodden communities like mine to the world. During my bachelor’s studies, I worked and volunteered with social workers and researchers to understand the cultural complexities in downtrodden communities. I had an opportunity to work as an independent journalist for two years after my bachelor’s contributing to platforms such as FirstPost, Vice, The News Minute, and Caravan.

I then pursued MA Sociology at the University of Hyderabad and graduated in 2022. My experience as a journalist was shaped academically by my master’s degree. I continued to work as an independent journalist pursuing my Master’s and contributed to more platforms such as Al Jazeera and Behanbox.

Despite diligently applying to multiple scholarships, I have not been successful in securing any financial assistance.
As a Dalit woman, I'm one of the few from my community to have an opportunity to dream big and pursue my higher education. This opportunity will give me an  access to a plethora of possibilities which are impossible to imagine for Dalits like me. The tuition and expenses at Oxford are unthinkable to afford for someone like me. I aim to raise the funds for securing this admission and to contribute to the research of Grief amongst marginalised communities.


My project aims to study the impact of generational grief in the shaping of religious beliefs amongst the Dalit communities of South India. This research will probe into understanding the impact of their personal social position and generational marginalisation of marginalised spiritual practices in India. My area of research and interest are important to understand cultural nuances, however owing to certain circumstances I'm unable to meet the fee requirement for the course and unless there is a financial support it is impossible to pursue this research.

Fee and cost break up-

Tuition fee : Rs 27,64,130 (£26,450)

Estimated living costs : Rs 20,90,360 (£20,000)

Flight charges: Rs 50,000 (£480)

Visa charges : Rs 39,605 (£380)