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British Council to felicitate 100 Indian women
By Nivedita
New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) As many as 100 Indian women will be awarded the British Council’s 70th Anniversary Scholarships to mark the organisation’s 70th anniversary in India here on Saturday. It is the organisation’s largest investment in a scholarship programme in India, according to a top official.
The UK-India Year of Culture saw many new concepts and digital ideas coming to life. The 71st year of British Council will witness a heightened focus on placing Indian women from different fields on the global map, as a step to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s shift to women-led development, said Alan Gemmell, Director, British Council India.
“The investment in women scholars supports Prime Minister Modi’s shift to women-led development and the British Council’s own focus on women and girls and Sustainable Development Goal 5. It is also part of the organisation’s drive to partner the economic growth and knowledge ambitions of states across India,” Gemmell told IANS in an email interview.
The programme, costing almost Rs 18 crore, is the organisation’s largest investment in a scholarship programme in India, he said.
Together, they will be aiming to fix global problems — from climate change to drug discovery — all the while building the societies everyone wants to live in.
“We’re already inspired by them (the women) and by what we will do together. The scholarships, which are the first British Council scholarship programme solely for women, will cover tuition fees for a one-year master’s course in science, technology, engineering or mathematics during the 2018-19 academic year,” Gemmell said.
British Council – partner to India’s knowledge ambitions – has been consciously working towards increasing the participation of women in science, across multiple phases of the education and career span.
The year will also see new digital ideas and activations to augment its digital presence, enhancing relevance and engagement for the Indian millennial.
The 71st year of the British Council will begin on Saturday with a celebration of Indian talent and creativity through a multitude of programmes including a line-up of Indian musicians for Mix The City Soundfest and The Selector Pro-Woman workshops, apart from the scholarships.
“We’ve been inspired by India everyday of the last 70 years – by its artists, students and its teachers. This year we want to say thank you for 70 inspiring years. We want to share the stories of the great things we’ve done together, tell new stories, and inspire millions of young people to develop connections for the next 70 years,” said Gemmell.
The organisation will even train 30,000 teachers across India to improve their proficiency in the English language through the myEnglish online course. This apart, there will be a training programme to support 120 women in their ambitions to make it in the music industry. Participants will learn to DJ, sound engineer and venue manage and get to apply their skills at professional events across India.
On their plans to promote talent from the northeast, he said: “We’re inspired by young people, artists and musicians across the northeast.
“Mix The Northeast is our digital celebration of their unique fusion of contemporary and tradition. With performers like DJ Sagar and the Tetseo Sisters and content from all eight states, Mix The Northeast will inspire people all over the world with a unique introduction to a unique part of India.”
(Nivedita can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.