17-year-old from Erode secures Rs 3.55 crore scholarship to study at Brown University

CHENNAI: A 17-year-old student from Erode, Pranav Ilango, has secured admission to Brown University in the US with a scholarship reportedly worth Rs 3.55 crore for his four-year undergraduate programme.

The student of CS Academy, Erode, will join the Ivy League university for the 2026-30 academic cycle, according to media reports.

What will Pranav study at Brown University?

Pranav will study Public Health and Applied Mathematics at Brown, combining mathematics, technology and data to explore solutions to complex problems. His long-term goal is to use technology and data to address public health challenges, particularly those affecting underserved communities.

How did Pranav prepare for his academic journey?

Pranav began preparing for an international academic journey at an early age.

At 13, he joined Dexterity Global's National Scholar Development Programme, where he received mentorship and training in leadership, problem-solving and other skills. He was also recognised among the Outstanding Cambridge Learners and received a World Topper distinction in IGCSE Mathematics.

What other international scholarship did Pranav receive?

Brown was not the only university to offer Pranav a major scholarship.

He also received a 100 per cent scholarship offer from The University of Hong Kong before choosing Brown University for his undergraduate studies.

What are Pranav's interests and future plans?

Pranav has developed interests in software, entrepreneurship, engineering, artificial intelligence and data science. He hopes to eventually build a public-health venture that uses data and technology to provide insights to governments and communities, particularly in underserved regions.

The scholarship attached to his Brown admission has been widely reported at around Rs 3.55 crore over four years.

However, media reports noted that a publicly visible post associated with CS Academy described the award as a 90% scholarship, and said the exact coverage should be treated with caution unless confirmed directly by Brown University or Pranav's family.