Tata Fellows develop, engineer, and research solutions to a broad spectrum of issues facing India and other developing countries. These include low-cost consumer products, systems and software, and case studies that benefit communities in underserved areas, taking into account economic, social and political factors as well as environmental constraints. The Tata Fellows travel in India for six weeks in the summer and at least two weeks between semesters, establishing relationships within communities and conducting extensive fieldwork.

Projects span six overlapping thematic areas, and range widely within each area, reflecting the diversity of opportunities for impact and the many strengths of Tata Center students and faculty.