I Had Zero Savings. Here’s How I Funded a UK Research Trip

I used ChatGPT to conduct a deep search for opportunities relevant to my field of work within the same time frame. A couple of results showed up which sounded quite interesting, but sadly, the deadline for most of them had passed. One of them, which still has a deadline to apply, was the “Cultural Heritage Data School” by the University of Cambridge! I opened the application to fill out, assuming it would be easy. But much to my surprise, it had a lot of questions, and they were very specific!!! For a moment, I thought of skipping it. But something within me was pulled to “Cambridge”! I still don’t like to accept that it’s a part of my “colonial hangover”, but it is. It was always my dream to be in the best of places on the planet with the best of people.

I started filling out the form for the Cultural Heritage Data School 2026 Cohort. It was literally starting off the week next to the BSA Conference. What a perfect fit, I thought!! It took me quite some time to fill out the questionnaire. I got to read that Prof. Eleanor Dare was the convener of the data school. I knew this would be the perfect place for me to meet her.

In the application, I clearly stated that I would need the full bursary if selected. A few days after I submitted my application, the offer from Cambridge arrived! I was selected for the data school, but sadly, they had put me on the bursary waiting list! I was mentally prepared to go for it. Still, the fees were £750, if I remember correctly, and I literally had zero balance in my bank account.

My wife sometimes tells me how I plan (wish for) things way beyond my capacity. Haha! And I tell her, sometimes you gotta jump off the plane and build the parachute on the way. Leap and the net will appear, as they say.

In the meantime, I had applied for the “Funded Places” for the BSA. Yashaswinee had also applied for the same. A few days later, I received an email about the funded place. BSA had offered me a “Funded Place”. Sadly, they didn’t offer it to Yashaswinee. The funded place covered the conference fees and included free lunches every day. I was so happy! Not just for the money, but for the way it adds to my CV. “Funded Place! Wow!”

At this point, I could see myself going for both BSA and Cambridge. For Yashaswinee, I was still sceptical given the costs since I didn’t have any savings. Also, given that she had a day job as an assistant professor at RIE, I wondered how long she could take off.

That’s when the miracle happened again. I got an email from Cambridge University that they are happy to offer me the full bursary!! OMFG! Was this real?

It was high time I arranged the remaining funds for the trip to Cambridge. I didn’t know where to start, who to ask, or how much to ask. I was also wondering why anyone would sponsor me. I didn’t want to ask my close friends and family, since that would feel more like an obligation. I wanted this to be more like an institutional collaboration. So I started to reach out to people running foundations to let them know about my needs.

During Jagannath Panda’s exhibition at the Lalit Kala Academy, I tried to reach out to people who might be able to support me. That’s when Sujit bhai, the man behind Bakul Foundation, introduced me to a lady named Sunita from the Ila Panda Foundation for Arts (IPCA). I had a brief conversation with Sunita, and it was very heartwarming. She shared her number and asked me to reach out with my portfolio and details about the program I wanted to attend.

A few days passed, and I didn’t really reach out to Sunita. Maybe it was my imposter syndrome holding me back, or just the feeling that I’m not ready yet and might need more preparation. By then, I had written a script and recorded a 20-minute video explaining the situation. I had made a few web pages with all the details, too. I jotted down my script on some loose sheets, set up the Nikon ZR and OBS to record myself, and bam! An hour later, I had a 20-minute video ready to be published to the public. It was a call for sponsorship and support, framed as a collaboration.

What happened next was so special that it felt as if the stars had aligned just for me. I got a call within hours of posting the video from an NIT Rourkela alum. She straight-up told me that she saw my video and she wants to support me. She added that she absolutely loved the video and it felt so natural, raw and heartfelt. I was sceptical of the length of the video, since it was over 20 minutes. Thankfully, some people took the time to watch the entire 20 minutes! She offered me INR 50,000 straight up and asked me to send the bank details. For a moment, I was like, “Is this even real?

I posted a post on LinkedIn the next day. Within hours, I got a WhatsApp message from an alumnus of the Royal College of Art (RCA). She clearly stated that she would love to contribute in part if I were accepting partial funding. I was more than happy to receive it. I thanked her for her willingness to support me. A day later, I saw INR 1,00,000 credited to my bank account. Yes, One Lac. Again I went, “Omg! Is this even real?” I was honestly not expecting this large an amount from an individual.

Of course, to respect their privacy, I am not sharing their names here. But, you get the feel, right!! It was a very moving moment for me. Similarly, I got a call from a friend in the USA who offered another $500 with no expectations when I asked him about it. He is one of my close friends from my engineering college days, with whom I had tinkered with enough film gear!

Next, I got a message from a senior at RCA. She was willing to contribute in part. After that, I got a message from another NIT Alumni on LinkedIn who was willing to contribute partially. Within just 2 days, I raised more than 2 Lacs, which was enough to cover most major expenses. For the rest, I decided to find an institution or organisation willing to support me.

A few days later, much to my surprise, Sunita Mam from IPCA called me and said she had spoken with the IPCA team, who are willing to support me. It was a pinch-me moment for me. We had to go to Varanasi those days for a family trip. How on earth could I coordinate all this from Varanasi?

But, much to my surprise, Sunita mam proactively did all the paperwork at her end and asked me for my Bank details. I was in the Sarnath temple area in Uttar Pradesh, and drinking coconut water when a message came. “Your A/C has been credited with Rs 1,00,000.” Honestly, that was the best feeling ever. For a moment, again, I was like, “Is this even real???” As I mentioned earlier, it takes a village to raise a kid.

Continue reading this story: With the funding secured through the generosity of mentors and a Cambridge bursary, I packed my bags for the UK. But getting into Cambridge was not an overnight stroke of luck, it was the continuation of a cold outreach that began years ago during my NID days. Follow along in How a LinkedIn Conversation Eventually Took Me to Cambridge.