Varsha Simpadipura Prasanna is the recipient of its first-ever DETermined Scholarship in India. Varsha, a Fall ‘25 student from Purdue University, was selected following a rigorous three-step process that included a DET score submission above 120, a strong academic record, a STEM Impact Proposal Challenge submission, and jury interviews with distinguished experts from academia, government, and industry, including Dr. Sapna Poti, Kirthiga Reddy, Anuradha Acharya, Arnav Kumar, Carrie Wang, and Jennifer Dewar.
Her winning proposal, Rural Connect, envisions a voice-first, multilingual digital platform to break the “information isolation” faced by farming communities. With features like real-time mandi price and weather updates, an equipment rental marketplace, localized skill-building videos, and connections to veterinarians or AI assistants, the platform is designed to function even in low-internet areas. The project aims to reach half a million farmers within three years, creating scalable pathways for rural resilience.
Commenting on Varsha’s selection, Kirthiga Reddy, CEO, Verix and jury member for the scholarship, said, “The depth and clarity of thought we saw from participants in this inaugural edition were remarkable. Varsha’s Rural Connect stood out for its innovation and scalability, with the potential to transform farming communities at the grassroots. It was equally inspiring to see such a strong pool of proposals across diverse areas, underscoring the immense promise of India’s women in STEM and the leadership they will bring in the years ahead.”
Launched in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the DETermined Scholarship reflects DET’s commitment to supporting Women in STEM, building on the Government’s efforts to bridge the gender gap in this field. The scholarship offers a one-time grant of USD 30,000 to help a woman pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate STEM degree at a U.S. university that accepts the DET for admissions. The inaugural edition drew over 60 applications from across India, showcasing the ambition and creativity of young women in STEM from regions such as Jalandhar, Punjab, and Rangareddy, Telangana.
