Karnataka :
A total of Rs. 63.79 lakh would be given as scholarships to 1,052 needy students pursuing higher education in the district by the Yakshagana Kalaranga organisation under its Vidyaposhaka scheme at a Student Beneficiaries’ Conference here on Sunday.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Murali Kadekar, Secretary of Kalaranga, said that of the 1,052 students, 320 students were doing their first year PUC, the rest of the students were pursuing second year PUC, degree courses, postgraduate courses, engineering and medical courses.
The organisation had been given scholarships to poor students for the last 11 years, he said. The organisation supported needy students who had passed their SSLC exams with over 80 per cent of marks in SSLC. The organisation supported these needy students in higher education and even helped them pursue engineering, medicine and other courses. “The intention of the scheme was to encourage students to carry on with their education,” he said.
The Kalaranga has also built houses for four poor students as they were in poor shape in the last 11 years with the help of donations from philanthropists. It had also provided solar lamps to the students in remote villages, where there was no power supply, with financial assistance from Canara Bank. “We will be providing solar lamps for 16 students coming from remote villages this year on Sunday,” he said.
The organisation kept a track of the academic progress of students so that the money being spent on them was utilised in the right manner. “It is compulsory for the students under the Vidyaposhaka scheme to write at least four letters to philanthropists sponsoring their education. The students should show gratitude to the donors,” he said.
A 17-year-old girl who was murdered near Byndoor in Kundapur taluk in June was also under the Vidyaposhaka scheme. She had written a touching letter to her donor expressing her wish to pursue higher education. This letter would be circulated to the students at the function on Sunday. In the last 10 years, the Vidyaposhaka scheme had provided financial support to the tune of Rs. 2.62 crore to 5,962 needy students in the district.
A five-day residential education camp was organised annually here for the students after they completed their first year PUC, to prepare them for the second PUC. Final year degree students were encouraged to attend a six-day Employment Readiness Camp in Mangaluru.
Vishwapriya Tirtha Swami of Admar Mutt will inaugurate the students’ conference at Rajangana here at 10 a.m. K. Annamalai, Superintendent of Police, would participate as chief guest and also give tips to the students on self-defence, Mr. Kadekar said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka /by Ganesh Prabhu / Udupi – August 28th, 2015