In 1995, I had no idea about the Fulbright scholarship whatsoever. Prof. Bernard of Loughborough
College in England visited our college for some collaborative program. When he
learned about our laser program, he suggested that that we may help in starting
such a program at their college. Our college President Dr. Ramsey and the dean of my program Dr. Tenbrook
were very enthusiastic about the idea and suggested that I should go to England
to help them start the new program. Dr. Ramsay suggested that there is a prestigious
Scholarship called Fulbright Scholarship and that I must try to get the same.
No one, either in our college or in the entire Camden County ever heard or
applied for a Fulbright scholarship. I wrote directly to Fulbright program
organizers and obtained an application form.
I learned that the Fulbright Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship offered to highly competitive teachers, artists, professors and scientists for international educational exchange programs. There are many types of Fulbright scholarships. Starting from a few weeks for high school teachers to a full year for research collaborative programs for college and university faculty. The award I received was the one in which American professors are given an opportunity to lecture or participate in research programs in partner countries for up to a year.
The application for the Fulbright Fellowship is reviewed and approved by twelve board members appointed by the president of the United States. Selected applicants are screened through a rigorous process consisting of tests and interviews to determine their eligibility. An interesting fact is that 53 Nobel Prize winners and 78 Pulitzer Prize awardees are Fulbright Scholars. The criteria for selecting the candidate is based on his/her academic achievements and the extent to which the candidate and the project will help to advance the Fulbright’s aim of promoting mutual understanding among nations.
I replied, ‘I am more suitable to represent the US in England because I know England better than any American, as they have ruled the country of my birth, for more than two hundred years!”
She had a big laugh and said, ‘I wondered how you can slip through this one. But you did it alright!’.
I was awarded the scholarship to collaborate in starting a new laser program at Loughborough College in England. I was at Loughborough for eight months between June 1995 to March 1996.
We arrived in London during the first week of June 1995. My wife joined me on this trip and the children stayed back as they were studying. Something interesting happened at London Heathrow airport. Many years ago, when I was coming to the United States to do my post-doctoral work, I had to make a transit stop in London. At that time, the immigration officials had interrogated me for a long time to make sure that I was not trying to stay permanently in England. But this time, I arrived in London, as a representative of the United States. The officer was extremely courteous and welcomed us to England!
To our delightful surprise, Ambassador William J. Crowe Jr gave us a reception and buffet dinner at the American Embassy in London. This was the first time I ever had such an experience in my entire life. He congratulated us for being the cultural ambassadors of the United States and hoped that all of us will have a great time in England and bring honor to our country.
We arrived in Loughborough in the second week of June 1995. Mr. Jim Mutton, the president of the college and Mr. Bernard, the program coordinator were very nice to us. They have provided us a fully furnished house, close to the college. I was given a nice office on the top floor of the new building as well as a secretary. The faculty was wonderful and we started our work.
Loughborough is a small university town in the county of Leicestershire in East Midlands. It is well known for Bell manufacturing and they have a museum for the same. There used to be a weekly market which was quite interesting because many items typical to British local manufacturing used to be on display there. In addition, there was an Indian restaurant nearby. We used to visit that place very often.
None of the faculty members knew anything about lasers and much less about their use in industrial applications. So, I had decided to give two lectures each day for four faculty members on various aspects of lasers and applications. In the afternoon, I used to conduct labs for them and two technicians. I have made an arrangement with Prof. Mutton that I would teach only four days a week so that I could get a chance to travel and see the country.
There was silence and I walked away. Prof. Mutton somehow came to know about this incident. He came rushing to my office and apologized to me. I said that there was no need for that and I am very happy that every thing is going on fine.
The entire plan worked very well and by the time I completed my Scholarship, we had faculty ready to teach, equipment was ordered for the labs and the technicians were trained. Prof. Mutton and Prof.Bernard were very happy with the progress in establishment of the Laser program. He arranged a meeting of all the faculty, to felicitate me for the job well done. I was indeed very happy that I was able to assist in bringing this new technology to their college. I sincerely thanked Prof. Mutton and Prof.Bernard for their gesture.
We made many friends in Loughborough and had a great time. During Christmas of 1995, our children visited us and that was a very joyous occasion for us.
Leicester is the main city and the seat of authority for the Leicestershire County, in the Midlands. It is also the closest city to Loughborough and we used to visit that place mostly to buy Indian groceries. It is one of the oldest cities in England, with a history going back at least two thousand years. Romans occupied this area for nearly three hundred years. At the end of the War of the Roses, King Richard III was buried in Leicester's Greyfriars Church. His skeleton was uncovered recently.
There is a significant Asian population in Leicester as a result of Uganda's President Edi Amin's expulsion of Asians from his country.
Since I was working only four days a week, we had plenty of time to see different parts of the country. England has perhaps the best transportation system in the world. We also spoke the same language. So, travel was very easy. An excellent train connection is available to every part of the country. We saw most of the country and Scotland. Almost every weekend, we used to go out to visit some part of the country. Without a doubt, when the weather is good (which is not very often), England is indeed a beautiful country.
I learned that the Fulbright Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship offered to highly competitive teachers, artists, professors and scientists for international educational exchange programs. There are many types of Fulbright scholarships. Starting from a few weeks for high school teachers to a full year for research collaborative programs for college and university faculty. The award I received was the one in which American professors are given an opportunity to lecture or participate in research programs in partner countries for up to a year.
The application for the Fulbright Fellowship is reviewed and approved by twelve board members appointed by the president of the United States. Selected applicants are screened through a rigorous process consisting of tests and interviews to determine their eligibility. An interesting fact is that 53 Nobel Prize winners and 78 Pulitzer Prize awardees are Fulbright Scholars. The criteria for selecting the candidate is based on his/her academic achievements and the extent to which the candidate and the project will help to advance the Fulbright’s aim of promoting mutual understanding among nations.
 |
| Sen. Fulbright |
The Fulbright Scholarship program was started in 1946 and
was named after Senator James William Fulbright. He was the United States
Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1974. He was the longest serving
chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was a
staunch multi-lateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations. For
his efforts to establish the international educational exchange program, the
fellowships are named after him.
My application, strongly supported by Dr. Ramsey and Prof. Mutton, President of Loughborough College, was accepted and I was invited to attend two extensive interviews. The first was mostly about the program I was going to collaborate with and my qualifications.
The second was more detailed and about my suitability as a representative of the United States, in a foreign country. This was a much more extensive and difficult interview than the first. In more than a three-hour interview, many questions were asked by six interviewing board members. The last question asked by the chairperson was a very tricky one.
She asked, ‘How can you say that you are more suitable than any other American to represent the US in England’?
My application, strongly supported by Dr. Ramsey and Prof. Mutton, President of Loughborough College, was accepted and I was invited to attend two extensive interviews. The first was mostly about the program I was going to collaborate with and my qualifications.
The second was more detailed and about my suitability as a representative of the United States, in a foreign country. This was a much more extensive and difficult interview than the first. In more than a three-hour interview, many questions were asked by six interviewing board members. The last question asked by the chairperson was a very tricky one.
She asked, ‘How can you say that you are more suitable than any other American to represent the US in England’?
I replied, ‘I am more suitable to represent the US in England because I know England better than any American, as they have ruled the country of my birth, for more than two hundred years!”
She had a big laugh and said, ‘I wondered how you can slip through this one. But you did it alright!’.
I was awarded the scholarship to collaborate in starting a new laser program at Loughborough College in England. I was at Loughborough for eight months between June 1995 to March 1996.
We arrived in London during the first week of June 1995. My wife joined me on this trip and the children stayed back as they were studying. Something interesting happened at London Heathrow airport. Many years ago, when I was coming to the United States to do my post-doctoral work, I had to make a transit stop in London. At that time, the immigration officials had interrogated me for a long time to make sure that I was not trying to stay permanently in England. But this time, I arrived in London, as a representative of the United States. The officer was extremely courteous and welcomed us to England!
To our delightful surprise, Ambassador William J. Crowe Jr gave us a reception and buffet dinner at the American Embassy in London. This was the first time I ever had such an experience in my entire life. He congratulated us for being the cultural ambassadors of the United States and hoped that all of us will have a great time in England and bring honor to our country.
 |
| With Prof. Bernard |
We arrived in Loughborough in the second week of June 1995. Mr. Jim Mutton, the president of the college and Mr. Bernard, the program coordinator were very nice to us. They have provided us a fully furnished house, close to the college. I was given a nice office on the top floor of the new building as well as a secretary. The faculty was wonderful and we started our work.
Loughborough is a small university town in the county of Leicestershire in East Midlands. It is well known for Bell manufacturing and they have a museum for the same. There used to be a weekly market which was quite interesting because many items typical to British local manufacturing used to be on display there. In addition, there was an Indian restaurant nearby. We used to visit that place very often.
None of the faculty members knew anything about lasers and much less about their use in industrial applications. So, I had decided to give two lectures each day for four faculty members on various aspects of lasers and applications. In the afternoon, I used to conduct labs for them and two technicians. I have made an arrangement with Prof. Mutton that I would teach only four days a week so that I could get a chance to travel and see the country.
Once in two weeks, Prof. Bernard and I used to go to some of
the companies which used lasers, for collaborative programs and sending their
workers for training.
There were a few interesting situations during my tenure at the college. In the United States, we are practically, workaholics! We arrive at our work place, almost at eight in the morning and plunge right away in to work. But in England, they are very relaxed and take it easy. I used to arrive at my office punctually at eight in the morning and get ready for my first lecture at 9 AM. My secretary, Mary used to come only a few minutes before 9.00 AM. When I ask her whether she had typed the notes I gave her the previous day, she would say ‘Dr. K, I did not even have my morning tea, how can I even think?’ In any case, we managed very well and completed the job I was there for.
There was a rather slightly unpleasant incident that took place. Each morning, I had to walk through the machine shop to go to my lecture hall.
Some mechanics who used to be there gathered on one occasion, and one of them said ‘This Indian guy has come to teach us!’
I was taken aback by that remark. I just ignored it and walked to my class. But the next day, the same thing repeated. I thought that I must take some action before it goes any further.
So I walked towards them and said, ‘You seem to be very much interested in in learning laser technology, why don’t you attend my class?’
There were a few interesting situations during my tenure at the college. In the United States, we are practically, workaholics! We arrive at our work place, almost at eight in the morning and plunge right away in to work. But in England, they are very relaxed and take it easy. I used to arrive at my office punctually at eight in the morning and get ready for my first lecture at 9 AM. My secretary, Mary used to come only a few minutes before 9.00 AM. When I ask her whether she had typed the notes I gave her the previous day, she would say ‘Dr. K, I did not even have my morning tea, how can I even think?’ In any case, we managed very well and completed the job I was there for.
There was a rather slightly unpleasant incident that took place. Each morning, I had to walk through the machine shop to go to my lecture hall.
Some mechanics who used to be there gathered on one occasion, and one of them said ‘This Indian guy has come to teach us!’
I was taken aback by that remark. I just ignored it and walked to my class. But the next day, the same thing repeated. I thought that I must take some action before it goes any further.
So I walked towards them and said, ‘You seem to be very much interested in in learning laser technology, why don’t you attend my class?’
There was silence and I walked away. Prof. Mutton somehow came to know about this incident. He came rushing to my office and apologized to me. I said that there was no need for that and I am very happy that every thing is going on fine.
The entire plan worked very well and by the time I completed my Scholarship, we had faculty ready to teach, equipment was ordered for the labs and the technicians were trained. Prof. Mutton and Prof.Bernard were very happy with the progress in establishment of the Laser program. He arranged a meeting of all the faculty, to felicitate me for the job well done. I was indeed very happy that I was able to assist in bringing this new technology to their college. I sincerely thanked Prof. Mutton and Prof.Bernard for their gesture.
We made many friends in Loughborough and had a great time. During Christmas of 1995, our children visited us and that was a very joyous occasion for us.
Leicester is the main city and the seat of authority for the Leicestershire County, in the Midlands. It is also the closest city to Loughborough and we used to visit that place mostly to buy Indian groceries. It is one of the oldest cities in England, with a history going back at least two thousand years. Romans occupied this area for nearly three hundred years. At the end of the War of the Roses, King Richard III was buried in Leicester's Greyfriars Church. His skeleton was uncovered recently.
There is a significant Asian population in Leicester as a result of Uganda's President Edi Amin's expulsion of Asians from his country.
Since I was working only four days a week, we had plenty of time to see different parts of the country. England has perhaps the best transportation system in the world. We also spoke the same language. So, travel was very easy. An excellent train connection is available to every part of the country. We saw most of the country and Scotland. Almost every weekend, we used to go out to visit some part of the country. Without a doubt, when the weather is good (which is not very often), England is indeed a beautiful country.
The award of this prestigious Scholarship and the successful
completion of the program was a great honor and satisfaction for me. I wrote a ‘thank
you’ letter to Prof. Mutton, Prof. Bernard for all their help and support in
completing the project and Fulbright organizers for the award along with a
report of what I had done at Loughborough.
The Camden County Freeholders appreciated my work and they organized a meeting in my honor and presented me with a proclamation.
Dr. Ramsey and Dean Tenbrook congratulated me for the job well done.
I kept in contact with President Jim Mutton and Prof. Bernard for many years. As I understand, the program is going on well at Loughborough. For a first-generation immigrant, what greater honor can there be?
I kept in contact with President Jim Mutton and Prof. Bernard for many years. As I understand, the program is going on well at Loughborough. For a first-generation immigrant, what greater honor can there be?
Raman Kolluri
23 comments:
What an honor to go as Fulbright Scholar! Also, great story to remind ourselves to be fearless in what we believe.
he recipients list of the Fulbright scholarship reads like a 'who's who' of the teaching and research fraternity.
Achievement indeed.
Surprise? No. For a person of Prof.s calibre, you wouldn't expect anything less, would you?
His spontaneous response to the interview Q portrays sharp acumen coupled with spontaneous humour very few can pull off.
The royal welcome at London airport and the banquet at the Ambassador's place make interesting read. What a privilege that must have been!
Mary's work habits or the lack thereof provides a rare insight into Prof.s dedication to work regardless of time.
A trait very few imbibe these days.
The slur on the machine shop floor hasn't changed much. Brits sadly even now and more than ever err somewhere between racism and 'colonial hangover'.
His nostalgic reminiscences of Indian grocery stores, Indian restaurants and life in Leicester portray an Indian-to-the-heart yet a scholar truly international without boundaries.
I truly loved reading this many times over.
And forwarded it to Mark, my elder son now pursuing PhD in Computational fluid dynamics at Stanford with the message 'if you think you have arrived, read this article. You have just embarked…'
Thank you SPK for sharing this thought provoking write up by Prof. My utmost regards and respect to him. I'm truly inspired.
Amazing story! From the journey of applying and getting such a prestigious opportunity to successfully implementing the agenda. Peddananagaru’s (Uncle) contributions to laser are above beyond.
n 1997, we had a brief opportunity to see Peddanagaru’s lab at Camden. At the entrance, there was a hologram of a chess ♟ board. I still remember it because I had never seen anything like it before.
Thanks for sharing. Amazing write up.
Your dad comes through as a warm hearted cheerful person in the write up. With what presence of mind and aplomb he had handled two tricky situations - first on how he could represent America in England better than Americans and the second in addressing those who taunted him on his Indian nationality, while in England !
I wish I had the opportunity to attend his classes at PSG College of Technology ... !
That was really a vivid explanation and I could almost visualize each scene playing out. This was truly a great honour and one of the many feathers in Prof's cap. Kudos to Prof for his presence of mind with the answer to the interviewers' tricky question. And for standing up to the bullies!
Thanks so much for sharing. This is top class stuff - literally.
I enjoyed reading it!! It really is a great honor winning the Fulbright Scholarship.
He had the opportunity to contribute at a technical level as well as enjoy his stay there barring the one unpleasant experience.
Please convey my regards to your dad and thank him for writing about his experience.
A little more elaborate and this would certainly be grabbed by a top publisher as a travelogue or something.
The narration is crisp and transports us there into England.
Professor’s smart answer for the final interview question and the way he dealt the troublemakers later in England are amazing.
Also I can add that this Fulbright Scholarship would certainly rank as one that resulted in maximum benefits to the stakeholders
I was not aware that he was in the UK in that time.. it would have been so nice to have met him. The period was when I had moved on from Cambridge to set up my own research center in Leicester.
Thanks for sharing the information with me; such news are welcome! Please give my best to all concerned.
Enjoyed it very much. I'm so proud of him! Didn't know this.
Your father had great experiences.
I was shortlisted for aFulbright scholarship to teach in schools, but
I withdrew at the request of my friend P.K.Srinivasan, a great Math teacher.
I was also lucky to interact with Loughborough Institute of Technology.
I was presented with a glass plaque depicting Huddersfield.
I am very happy to read the account of Dr. Kolluri in Loughborough. I was quiet unaware of this fact. I visited Loughborough a few times during during the last decade.
They are very good in materials science research. Prof. Binner from Loughborough also visited PSG a couple of times.
We have an ongoing research collaboration with Loughborough University now in Fuel Cells.
Incidentally Shri. GRD was an admirer of the industry institute collaboration ecosystem at a Loughborough. He selected and deputed one faculty from Electrical Department to train in Computer Numerical Control in 1983.
Please convey Dr. Kolluri my appreciation.
I Read through it. I notice his style has mellowed down a little.
Pleasant reading. Quite anecdotal and makes for a breezy read through.
Congrats Indian first time Immigrant - You did us proud.
A Colonial Payback, one could say, albeit only in private company.
rof Kolluri’s Fulbright scholar story makes a very interesting re-read.
Competing for a year amidst Nobel laureates, Pulitzer awardees shows what a tough competition it must have been. That too at a time when people weren’t even aware of Fulbright scholarships!
The response to the trick question to represent US- witty and spontaneous!
Detailed descriptions of Loughborough, and the history of Leicester. Smart arrangement for a 4 day week to make time for sight-seeing.
Brave confrontation with the machine shop guys and asking them to attend his class.
Warm and cordial friendship with Dr Multon.
Senator Fulbright - a multi-lateralist and truly global outlook.
Prof. Kolluri has demonstrated he has the technical and inter-social mindset deserving of the award and done his countries proud.
Great read...his British colonization comment was playful!
Every day Professor is amazing us... very impressive article and this article should publish in PSG magazine so that students shall be impressed and motivated.. like us. Thanks Prof. and thanks Surya
Makes a great reading of his experiences and scholarship. Our respects to him. Enjoyed the witty response to the last question.
Must have hit the bull's eye!
Amazing details of 1995 as if it happened today. Prof Dad is the pride of India to represent US in UK.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Representing the country of his adoption, taking up a challenge of implementing a new academic stream in a place which is an interesting mix of familiarity, friendliness and odd contempt all in excellent narration!
A wealth of information on the Fulbright Scholarship program in the process!
I wish to sincerely thank all of you for your kind words.
Raman Kolluri
Very interesting. I especially loved your dad’s answer to the question, ‘How can you say that you are more suitable than any other American to represent the US in England’? Funny and showstopping.
Was somewhat shocked, however, to read that there was some bigotry going on there too, at least in the machine shop. Perhaps a bit of the ‘Midlands’ soccer hooliganism going on at what in high school was considered the dummy class – shop.
BTW, he’s now the second person I ‘know’ who got a Fulbright schlarship/grant. My friend Randy’s son, Kyle, also got some sort of Fulbright grant to do his research for his dissertation on the effects of railroads on the Transandean region of South America (primarily Chile and Argentina).
As your dad points out, there are all sorts of different Fulbright scholarship programs and I think this was one of those lower-end, short-term grants. But in any event, his dissertation was accepted and he’s now both a Ph.D. and a professor at a small college in North Carolina. So here too, the Fulbright program was successful.
Thanks for sharing this. Your dad has reason to be quite proud of this.
This is fantastic! Your Dad should write a book of his life experiences. I love how he found coming through immigration the second time around as a US Citizen different. I am sadly not surprised by the prejudice of the guys in the machine shop, from what I can tell, much of this prejudice still persists today. I am so impressed by your Dad’s response to it though, invite them to learn.
Thanks for sharing your Dad’s story, I really enjoyed it and am very impressed with him! I bet he would’ve been a great professor to learn from.
On the Fulbright link, Conor’s German teacher in High School was a Fulbright Scholar. He swapped places with an English teacher in a German HS for a year. The following year, the German English teacher came over for a visit with a group of her students.
It was not an exchange, but they asked students if their families would host the German students while they were here, we said “OF COURSE!” This was the third German student we were a host family for, Conor had done an exchange in middle school and we hosted two students then. This time, we hosted one student from the group.
It was very interesting though, because these students grew up in the former East Germany. The previous students we hosted were from what was the former West Germany.
We have hosted several kids from around the world (Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Sweden, Norway, Israel, Austria) through various programs over the years, and not only do the kids speak very good English, but their parents do as well. I would always reach out via email to the parents before the kids came to see if there were any special needs or favorite foods, and then to let them know how the kids were doing while they stayed with us. For this group, it was different. I had sent a couple of emails to our student’s parents, but had not heard back from them. Because their parents grew up behind the Berlin Wall, in East Germany, many of them spoke little to no English – why would a Communist bloc country teach English in their schools?
So the generational divide was very interesting and we had to communicate through the students to their parents for the most part. Always a learning experience!!
Thank you very much
Your memoir on being a Fulbright Scholar is an inspiring narrative that embodies the spirit of global collaboration, academic excellence, and cultural diplomacy. It offers a rich account of your transformative journey, highlighting both personal and professional milestones. The story not only captures the challenges and triumphs of establishing a laser program at Loughborough College but also reflects the resilience, adaptability, and intellect that make such an endeavor successful.
Your anecdotal style makes the memoir deeply engaging, from your initial unfamiliarity with the Fulbright program to the rigorous application process, culminating in your impactful work in England. The story of overcoming cultural differences, exemplified by incidents like your interaction with the mechanics and your secretary’s British humor, adds a relatable human element to this extraordinary achievement. These moments reflect your ability to bridge gaps with understanding and wit, embodying the Fulbright program’s mission of fostering mutual understanding between nations.
The memoir also underscores your commitment to leaving a lasting legacy. By training faculty, establishing infrastructure, and ensuring sustainability, you exemplified the Fulbright Scholar’s role as both a teacher and a builder. This accomplishment is a testament to your dedication and a source of pride for both your home and host countries.
Observations and Key Takeaways
1. Cultural Ambassador: Your role as a Fulbright Scholar went beyond academics; you served as a bridge between American and British cultures, showcasing diplomacy and mutual respect.
2. Resilience and Adaptability: Whether navigating challenges at immigration or addressing insensitive remarks, your ability to respond with dignity and resolve is commendable.
3. Professional Legacy: Establishing a laser program from scratch reflects not just expertise but a commitment to nurturing long-term institutional growth.
4. Personal Growth: The experience broadened your worldview, reinforcing the value of cross-cultural exchanges in shaping global citizens.
5. Fulbright’s Vision Realized: Your work perfectly aligns with the Fulbright program’s goals of fostering understanding and collaboration across borders.
6. Inspirational Narrative: Your story serves as a beacon for aspiring scholars, illustrating how curiosity, hard work, and opportunity can lead to remarkable achievements.
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