Call for

CRTP Fellowships on LGBTQ+ Health

Organisation Name:

Centre for Health and Mental Health, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

Application Deadline:

25 June 2025

About Organisation

The Centre for Health and Mental Health, located within the School of Social Work at TISS Mumbai, approaches health as a fundamental human right and a critical social, political, and economic issue. It emphasizes that inequalities such as poverty, injustice, violence, and exploitation are key contributors to ill-health, especially for marginalized communities. The Centre advocates for a development model where health and well-being are not privileges, but universal entitlements. It envisions a just society where every individual, regardless of caste, gender, sexuality, religion, age, class, or ability, can achieve the highest attainable standard of health. In line with this vision, the Centre promotes people-centric health policies, ensuring that the affected communities are actively involved in shaping, implementing, and evaluating health and social programs. With a commitment to inclusive and equitable health systems, the Centre undertakes academic, policy, and community-based initiatives to drive transformative changes in public health, particularly for vulnerable populations.

About the Grant

TISS, under the CARET (Consortium for Advancing LGBTQ+ Health Research, Policy Engagement & Training) Project funded by the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, offers Clinical Research and Training Programme (CRTP) Fellowships focused on LGBTQ+ health and mental health. This three-year full-time fellowship supports innovative research and training initiatives targeting key psychosocial and healthcare challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities. The fellowship aims to build research capacities and enhance service delivery, ensuring improved access, inclusivity, and policy engagement in LGBTQ+ mental health spaces. Fellows may explore topics such as LGBTQ+ ageing, visibility of queer women, experiences in gender-affirmative care, mental health service delivery, and issues around LGBTQ+ couples and families. Fellows will be mentored by Dr. KP/ K Ranade from the Centre for Health and Mental Health at TISS Mumbai. Selected fellows will receive monthly support, limited funding for fieldwork and travel, and an optional pathway to pursue a PhD at TISS, contingent on clearing the institute’s entrance examination.

Who can Apply?

Applicants must be Indian citizens with a medical background such as MBBS, BDS, MD, MDS, or equivalent postgraduate degrees in medicine. Candidates should have a keen research interest in LGBTQ+ health or mental health, with openness to explore diverse areas including mental healthcare delivery, queer ageing, gender-affirmative services, and the psychosocial well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals and families. Concurrent fellowships are not permitted, and selected fellows must accept and abide by the CRTP terms and conditions. Although not compulsory, candidates may also opt for a PhD pathway during the fellowship tenure by qualifying the TISS PhD entrance exam. The fellowship is ideal for committed individuals aiming to contribute to inclusive, evidence-based policy and practice in LGBTQ+ mental health and healthcare systems.

How to Apply?

Applicants must email a brief bio sketch and a research concept note (maximum 1000 words). Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview, followed by final selection by a review panel.

Application Deadline

For the August 2025 cohort, submit your application materials by June 25, 2025. The call reopens biannually in June and December until all 3 fellowships are filled.

Last Date to Apply
Applications for the upcoming cohort must be submitted no later than June 25, 2025.

Grant Amount
Selected fellows will receive ₹70,000 per month for a period of three years, along with limited support for data collection and domestic conference travel.