From Class 12 Physics Struggles to a PhD in Linguistics at IIT Hyderabad

A 23-year-old PhD scholar from Theni in Tamil Nadu is researching Linguistics in the Liberal Arts Department at IIT Hyderabad after initially studying computer science in school. The student grew up moving across four different places because the father is a defense civilian with the Indian Navy, attending Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in Arakkonam, Port Blair, Secunderabad, and Mumbai, alongside living in Tiruchirappalli. During Class 11 and 12, the student took maths, physics, chemistry, and English in the Computer Science stream while parents hoped for a technical institution. Faced with difficult physics textbooks, the student frequently turned to reading novels. This habit led to a BA in English and an MA in English at NIT Tiruchirappalli, where a batch of 17 students studied an intensive curriculum that introduced the scholar to Biolinguistics. After clearing the UGC NET exam and the Junior Research Fellowship exam on the first attempt, the scholar applied exclusively to IIT Hyderabad for a PhD. The admissions process required shortlisting, a research proposal, and an online interview, culminating in joining the institute in July 2025. The research at the Language and Cognition Lab explores the relationship between word order in sentences and internal connections shaped by cognitive constraints. In addition to research, the scholar heads the Visit IITH club, which organises guided tours for school students and visitors, and engages in hobbies like crocheting, cycling, and walking near the campus water reservoir.

Context

Liberal arts departments at premier technical institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology often house interdisciplinary research areas that bridge humanities and sciences, such as cognitive science and linguistics. Scholars pursuing doctoral degrees in these fields typically rely on fellowships like the Junior Research Fellowship funded by national bodies to support their multi-year academic research.