Indian-American to study Bollywood music's effect on Mumbai youth

Wadhwa, who graduated in 2007 with a BA in Political Science and Economics, is one of four American youths to be awarded the prestigious scholarship, the State Department announced Wednesday.

She will now travel to India to create a documentary exploring the impact and influence of Bollywood music on underprivileged youth in Mumbai, the announcement said.

She will also develop the music and drama centre of the Akanksha Foundation while focusing on the role of music as a vehicle for collective expression and understanding among the children.

The Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships were established in 2007 by State Departments' Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and mtvU, MTV's 24-hour college network to promote "the power of music" as a global force for mutual understanding.

The other three winners of this year's award are Andrew Magill of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Michael Silvers of the University of California, Los Angeles and Rod Solaimani of Georgetown University.

They will conduct research abroad in Malawi, Brazil, and Morocco respectively for one academic year on projects of their own design, around an aspect of international musical culture.