NEW DELHI: The environment ministry will launch post-doctoral research fellowships in the name of former president late APJ Abdul Kalam to nurture young scientists working in the fields of environment and ecology.

"The main focus of the new fellowship programme and also the ongoing National Environmental Sciences Fellows Programme is to nurture young scientists working in environment and ecology for undertaking good quality scientific research under the mentorship of established scientists of the country," an official statement said on Friday.

The programme, announced on the occasion of Kalam's 85th birthday, is targeted at young scientists working in the area of environment and ecology in the country and those who have completed their PhD or are about to complete their PhD in areas related to environment and ecology.

The applicants are required to be preferably below 35 years and the tenure of the fellowship is for three years. The fellowship includes a monthly fellowship, equivalent to that of a research associate, together with an annual research contingency grant of Rs 1.5 lakh.

The post-doctoral fellowship will also be entitled to house rent allowance and other benefits as per the ministry's guidelines applicable for research associateship.

The ministry will advertise about the fellowship to call for applications shortly and the guidelines for the programme will be uploaded on the ministry's website.

It proposes to constitute a committee of experts headed by RA Mashelkar for selection of fellows.

The ministry said that Kalam, the people's President, had an abiding trust and faith in the abilities of the youth of the country to transform India into a global power.

He was also firmly convinced that science and technology would offer solutions to the pressing challenges facing the country, including those of environmental protection and sustainable development, the statement added.