Kalyani University on Wednesday announced a fellowship in memory of filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Vice-chancellor Sankar Kumar Ghosh spoke about the initiative on the concluding day of a symposium organised by the varsity’s Bengali department to mark Ray’s birth anniversary.

“This fellowship is a tribute to Satyajit Ray. It is a matter of pride for us to dedicate a fellowship to a person who has become an integral part of Bengali culture and literature,” Ghosh said, adding that it was the first fellowship in memory of Ray by any varsity in the country.

Students and researchers from Kalyani University would be eligible to apply for the fellowship. The dates for selection will be announced soon. The varsity will use funds provided by the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan, a centrally-sponsored scheme launched in 2013.

Sandip Ray, the filmmaker’s son, welcomed the initiative.“It is a great gesture. I am very happy to hear of this,” he said. “Many people have been doing research on the life and works of my father. This fellowship would come as a great support to them.”

Ray’s nephew Prasad Ranjan Ray, former home secretary of Bengal, also welcomed the announcement. “This is something... I have been waiting for. A lot of research is being done on him in various institutions, but no one had, so far, come up with such an idea,” he said.

Speaking at the symposium on Wednesday, Seemabaddha actor Barun Chanda thanked Kalyani University for the fellowship. “This is a right decision, one much-awaited. He was no less talented than Akira Kurosawa or (Federico) Fellini. This is a true tribute to a great filmmaker of our country,” he said.

Sukhen Biswas, head of the varsity’s Bengali department, said: “We have so far done three separate works of research on Ray. The researchers also received awards for the works. A fellowship would encourage more such work.”

VC Ghosh announced a yearlong celebration of Ray’s birth centenary next year.