India helps fund centre for sustainable development at Oxford University college

The centre has provided around £3 million in funding to help launch a UK-based centre on sustainable development to address some of the most pressing issues for India and the world in the 21st century and provide scholarships for Indian post-graduates.

Named after Mrs Indira Gandhi, the centre, Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development, will be based at the late prime minister's alma mater, Somerville College, Oxford, where she read modern history in 1937, but was forced by illness to leave Oxford at the end of her first year. Later she was conferred an honorary fellowship of the college. As prime minister of India, she visited Somerville again during her trip to Oxford in 1971 to receive an honorary Doctorate of Civil Law.

Dr Alice Prochaska, principal of Somerville College, said, "Somerville College is extremely proud to have contributed to the education of Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India and one of the most important statespeople of the 20th century. This new Centre for Sustainable Development will honour Indira Gandhi's legacy to the world by addressing key issues of global significance."

"Central to the project is interdisciplinary research into areas directly relevant to India's development in the 21st century, including food security, environmental sustainability and international governance," Oxford University said in a statement.

The centre will focus on three core activities: advancing research, developing talent and facilitating collaboration.

Five fully-funded scholarships will be available to Indian students studying at the centre, with scholars being encouraged to return to India to put their expertise into practice. In addition, post-doctoral positions and fellowships will be established.