* Dinesh Bhagat, 31, worked at his father’s stationery shop in Ranchi for seven years and used his spare time to apply for scholarships in universities abroad.
* Hercules Singh Munda, the son of an assistant conservator of forests, grew up hearing how his father sold goats to get an education. Inspired by his father, he worked as a researcher at IIIT Hyderabad, after completing his B.Tech.
* Anjana Pratima Dungdung, 21, a graduate in political science, counts her father, a block welfare officer, who worked as a construction laborer in her early years, as her inspiration.
What binds him with Ajitesh Murmu, Akanksha Mary and Priya Murmu are the stories of their struggle, as well as their determination to make the most of the opportunity opened to them in the form of the Jharkhand government’s scholarship scheme.
All six, aged 21 to 31, have been selected as the first batch of Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholars, a government initiative for tribal students to pursue higher studies in universities. England and Ireland.
Was launched on 29th December last year This scheme provides full financial assistance to 10 tribal students of Jharkhand To pursue a two-year Masters or one-year MPhil course at 15 select universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The scholarship is named after Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda, one of the most famous names from Jharkhand – a tribal boy who looked after cattle but later became an Imperial Civil Service officer and later, The captain of the Indian hockey team, which won the gold medal. 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games.
“On an average, tuition fees of Rs 30 lakh per year per student, plus around Rs 10 lakh in living expenses, will be spent. We have a budget of Rs 10 crore for 10 students, but both the budget and the number of students are flexible,” said Tribal Welfare Commissioner Naman Priyesh Lakra.
Regarding the selection process, he said, those who have secured 55 per cent marks in graduation and whose family income is less than Rs 12 lakh, were encouraged to apply. The applications were scrutinized by a panel of government-selected professors from universities across the state, after which the selected candidates were called for interviews. Lakra said that out of 22 candidates, six scholars have been selected.
Surendra says, “I fought for my education, worked as a daily wage labourer… We would not even dream that she would study abroad (I did not even dream that my daughter would study abroad), Says Surendra. Bhagat, who is working as Block Welfare Officer. His daughter Anjana Pratima Dungdung, who hails from the Kharia tribe, will pursue a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Warwick. She says she plans to “give a voice to the voiceless” and “definitely return to Jharkhand to give back to society”.
Dinesh Bhagat, who is pursuing a masters in climate change from the University of Sussex in England, wants to “improve the lives of people living in mining areas” and find ways to reduce the harmful effects of mining in Jharkhand when he returns home . .
“In the past, I had applied for Commonwealth and Central government scholarships, but never got through. I came to know about this initiative and applied,” he says.
Hercules Singh Munda will do a Masters in Linguistics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; Ajitesh Murmu will study architecture at University College, London; Akanksha Marie has been selected for the MSc in Climate Change Science and Management at Loughborough University; and Priya Murmu will study creative writing and the writing industry at Loughborough University.
Speaking at the felicitation ceremony of six scholars in Ranchi on Thursday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, “Tribals are considered a weaker section, but the time has come for us to stand on our own feet… and protect ourselves for the state and society.” Dedicate. “Do…our scheme will help more and more tribal people in the coming days.”
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