This just in: Ritesh is a Fulbright Scholar!

This has been a long time coming, but the big news is finally here, and it's official:

Ritesh is now a Fulbright Scholar!

CONGRATULATIONS, LOVE!

For those of you who are not familiar with the Fulbright, it's a "program of grants for international educational exchange for scholars, educators, graduate students and professionals, founded by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright. " And I continue to quote from wikipedia: "The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious awards programs worldwide, operating in 144 countries and with 51 commissions." And get this: "More Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes than those of any other academic program, including two in 2002." (No pressure, Ritesh!)

He got the confrmation letter yesterday - bear with me if I go a little overboard and transcribe parts of it - it's a beautiful letter, and if I'm quoting it at length, it's as much for you present readers as it is for our future selves next year in Mumbai. There are bound to be some frustrations and some difficult times ahead, and it will be good to have this to come back to and remember why we're there:

On behalf of the J.William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), I am pleased to congratulate you on your selection as a Fulbright scholar grantee to India. The FSB is the Presidentially appointed 12-member Board that is responsible for establishing worldwide policies for the Program and for selection of Fulbright recipients. Your grant is made possible through funds that are appropriated annually by the U.S. Congress and, in many cases, by contributions from partner countries and/or the private sector. (...)
Your selection for a Fulbright award is, in itself, an achievement for which you can be justly proud. (...) As a Fulbright grantee, you will join the ranks of distinguished participants in the Program. Fulbright alumni have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEO's, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors and teachers. They have been awarded 39 Nobel Prizes since its inception more than 60 years ago.
Developing international understanding requires a commitment on the part of the Fulbright grantees (and their spouses, if I may say so myself) to establish open communication and long-term cooperative relationships. In that way, Fulbrighters enrich the educational, political, economic, social and cultural lives of countries around the world. We expect that you, too, will (...) demonstrate the qualities of service, excellence and leadership that have been the hallmarks of this program. (...) As a representative of your country in India, you will help fulfil the principal purpose of the Fulbright program, which is to increase mutual understandng between the people of the United States and the people of the over 150 contries that currently participate in the Fulbright Program

There is some talk about research clearance and medical clearance and visas, and then they wrap it up with:

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, which oversees the operations of this program throughout the world, joins the Board in congratulating you. (...) We hope that your Fulbright experience will be highly rewarding professionally and personally, and that you will share the knowledge you gain as a Fulbrighter with many others throughout your life.

CONGRATULATIONS, RITESH! WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF YOU!

And Mumbai - here we come!