By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF) felicitated the recipients of ‘Professor Ghanashyam Dash Scholarship for Higher Education’ (PGDS). Every year, six meritorious students, pursuing professional degree in engineering, medicine and liberal arts, receive this prestigious scholarship. The selected candidates get 90% of the academic fee and eligible expenses for 4 year course amounting up to Rs. 6 Lakhs per recipient.
In the academic year 2022-2023, three recipients have qualified for pursuing engineering at IITs, Ankit Jha-IIT Mumbai, Aditya Narayan Rout-IIT Delhi and Anisha Samantray-IIT Roorkee. While three other recipients pursuing degree courses are Rohan Rupam-NIT Rourkela, Prakash Kumar Sahoo-VSSUT Burla and Badal Kumar Sahu MKCG Medical College, Berhampur.
Instituted in 2005 by IMFA, this scholarship is named after renowned historian Late Prof. Ghanashyam Dash, father of late Mrs. Ila Panda; is to provide equal opportunity through financial assistance to meritorious students’ to facilitate higher education.
Since 2016, BIPF has taken over the mantle of this scholarship and has now added a new dimension by introducing a meaningful segment for “Mentorship” programme (Utshah). All recipients will be mentored by the executives from within IMFA’s Employee Volunteer Scheme. Mentoring will provide students with counselling, moral support, strengthening academic focus, identify their inner potential, networking opportunity and unleash their capability for a well-planned trajectory.
The scholarships were awarded by Ms Shaifalika Panda (Trustee & Founder CEO, Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation) and she said “PGDS scholarship is a highly inspiring support to meritorious students. We feel privileged to facilitate higher education for these brilliant minds. Our aim is to provide them a level playing field, which will allow them to follow their dreams and contribute significantly to national growth. This year onwards, Mentorship provided to our recipients will guide these young aspirants on a successful journey and enhance their leadership to excel in their chosen profession”.
In 2011, the Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF) was established to implement sustainable and scalable interventions in the areas of health, education, livelihood and water sanitation. BIPF is structured to partner and collaborate with the Central and State governments as well as local and international organisations to implement programs and drive results for the marginalised communities of Odisha. Skilling & training of rural youth, helping rural household women on being self-reliant, health & hygiene of adolescent girls are some of our key initiatives spread across six districts in Odisha (Cuttack, Rayagada, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Angul and Khorda) touching lives of more than 21 lakhs beneficiaries.
