The Government of India has opened applications for the Lata Mangeshkar Scholarship Scheme, offering Maldivian students the opportunity to pursue studies in Indian culture and performing arts at institutions across India.
The scholarship programme, administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), enables international students to study disciplines such as music, dance, theatre, performing arts, sculpture, Indian languages, cuisine and other cultural fields.
According to information released by the Maldives Ministry of Higher Education, the application window for the scholarship is currently open, with a deadline set for April 15, 2026.
The Lata Mangeshkar Scholarship Scheme is named after the legendary Indian playback singer and is part of India’s broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties and promoting Indian arts and heritage internationally.
Education opportunities for Maldivian students in India
India has remained one of the key destinations for Maldivian students pursuing higher education. Over the past three years, the Government of India has offered multiple scholarship opportunities through ICCR and other programmes, allowing Maldivian students to pursue studies in diverse fields.
These programmes include scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD studies in areas such as engineering, science, business, tourism, arts and social sciences at leading Indian universities.
In recent years, scholarship schemes available to Maldivian students have included:
- Aid-to-Maldives Scholarship Scheme – primarily for undergraduate programmes including engineering
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme – for undergraduate and postgraduate studies
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme – for students from Commonwealth countries
- AYUSH Scholarship Scheme – for studies in traditional Indian medicine including Ayurveda and Homeopathy
These programmes collectively offer opportunities in fields ranging from technology, management and public policy to cultural studies and performing arts, supporting the development of skilled Maldivian professionals.
Strengthening Maldives–India educational cooperation
Education cooperation has been a key pillar of Maldives–India relations. Each year, dozens of Maldivian students receive scholarships to study in Indian institutions, contributing to human resource development in sectors such as healthcare, engineering, tourism and creative industries.
The Lata Mangeshkar Scholarship Scheme further expands these opportunities by focusing specifically on arts and cultural education, enabling Maldivian students to gain specialised training in creative disciplines while strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries.
