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10,000 SAF-Madanjeet Singh Scholarships
Instigated by Prof. Uma Coomaraswamy, Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka in a meeting in New Delhi on 14th December 2003, the SAF launched 10,000 Scholarships for economically and socially disadvantaged students who wish to pursue Post Graduate or Vocational courses via Distance Learning.
The Memorandum of Understanding had a duration of three years.
In India, the SAF-Madanjeet Singh Scholarship Scheme enables meritorious students from poor and remote areas, scheduled castes/tribes, or/and students who are physically handicapped to pursue higher studies and vocational diplomas through distance learning.
The scholarships are offered through State Open Universities in several states throughout India, which have agreed to partner with the SAF-Madanjeet Singh Scholarship Scheme by entering into an Agreement with the Foundation. It has been SAF's endeavor to keep the SAF Madanjeet Singh Scholarship open and transparent.
Merit and means were the important criteria in the selection of candidates. The founder of the SAF wants the scheme to aim to maintain gender equity.
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Jist of my address given at the SAF Regional Cooperation Seminars during the Indian Open University Cheque Distribution
The South Asia Foundation (SAF) is a secular, non-profit and non-political organization; it was founded in 2000 by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh. The cardinal objective of the organization is to sustain a movement, in particular involving youth, to promote regional cooperation and peace through education, cultural interaction and mutual understanding among the people of South Asia.
Recently SAF has been admitted into official relationship with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and recognized as an Apex Body of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The aims, objectives and activities of SAF are in conformity with the spirit, purpose and principles of the two international organizations.
From his days photographing the tragedy and chaos of the partition in 1947, to being thrown in prison as a Freedom Fighter, to writing one of the first and most definitive books on the art of the Ajanta caves, and eventually becoming a celebrated Indian diplomat - no person has a better understanding of our South Asian society and culture than Ambassador Madanjeet Singh. In fact, it was during these travels across South Asia, as a young man, a budding photographer and as a freedom fighter, that Ambassador Singh first experienced the concept of Regional Cooperation.
Our story begins in 1939, as Ambassador Singh boarded a train for Benares to start his studies at the Benaras Hindu University. His experiences at BHU were life altering, as he fondly recalls in his book, the SASIA Story - students from all over South Asia, from all economic backgrounds would live, eat, play sports and study together. At the time, this way of life proved to be very different from the existing societal norms, not only in India, but of South Asia as a whole. It was this experience of living in harmony and in close quarters that contrasted with the degradation of society brought about by prejudice (of colonialism, the caste system and the like) which would ultimately lay the seeds for the South Asia Foundation.
It is well known, now with the onset of globalization, that no society or country can survive or sustain itself without cooperation from other societies or countries. The idea of Regional Cooperation, in this context however, extends the notion of cooperation from beyond economic, into the cultural and academic realms as well. At a deeper level, the necessity of cooperating regionally must be instilled in the youth of today, who will become the leaders of tomorrow. As such, the South Asia Foundation has from the very start, promoted programmes such as Scout Camps, Environment Camps and Group Scholarships to create a cross cultural youth movement across the South Asia. Every year, students from all eight SAARC countries participate in SAF Scout and Environment Camps that promote the individuality of each country, yet at the same time, also celebrate their binding cultural commonalities. Group Scholarships, on the other hand, provide students from these countries, the chance to study at the very best graduate programmes at various SAF Institutes of Excellence. Hence forth, the South Asia Foundation will concentrate on Group Scholarships.
SAF – India would like to particularly thank your University and all those involved for the hard and dedicated work that you have done in regard to the SAF Madanjeet Singh Individual Scholarship Programme. As for the students, we at SAF – India, hope that you will carry forth the ideals of Ambassador Singh, so that, one day, we can provide a meaningful, secure and fulfilling future for the following generations.
Thank you for your participation,
Karan Khosla
Director of Operations, SAF India
As decided in November 2006, the SAF Madanjeet Singh Individual Scholarships Programme with the Open Universities across India, would come to an end upon the completion of the Scholarship distribution process for the year 2007-2008. However, SAF-India will honour scholarship commitments made to students who are in 2 or 3 year graduate programmes enrolled either during this, or last year’s session.
During the months of April and May 2007, twelve Open Universities were visited to get an idea of how they felt about the Scholarship programme and how they function in general. The overall sentiment was quite strong for the SAF Scholarships, as the Open University phenomena is still quite young in the country, and not many third party organizations sponsor Open University / DistaJnce Learning initiatives. Of course, this sentiment may change, as Distance Learning is slowly beginning to gain favor as the preferred way of imparting education to India’s masses.
Copies of the SASIA Story were handed out to all the students in their local language, and the new SAF Brochure was also displayed
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujrat
May 8, 2007
Although the staff at BAOU was tremendously hospitable, the University only held a Cheque Distribution ceremony with no Seminar component – this is strange considering the Seminar was the focal point of all correspondence with the University since the beginning of the current session’s cheque distribution process.
As BAOU works closely with the Association for the Blind in Gujrat, around 15 very poor blind students were also given SAF Madanjeet Scholarships for PG Degrees in Physiotherapy; I was glad to learn from them, that upon completion of the programme, all of them were instantly employed.
| I got to talk with many of the other students as well, the feedback was extremely positive about the programme and the University. BAOU along with YCMOU (Maharashtra), are the only two Universities that I have seen so far that actively promote distance learning by broadcasting many of their courses across their respective States through satellite TV.
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Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad
May 2, 2007
BRAOU is situated right in the middle of Jubilee Hills, near the outskirts of Hyderabad, making it easily accessible from both the city and rural areas. Apart from being the very first Open University, BRAOU offers interesting and important programmes, such as various Bachelors of Science and Arts degrees. The University will soon introduce a Masters of Science Distance Learning programme as well.
The turnout of the seminar was excellent; I was told that almost 98% of the 400 students showed up. As the weather was oppressively hot, the seminar was kept short, The Vice Chancellor Mr. Ramachandram spoke briefly (in Telegu) about SAARC and its initiatives, and how the students can promote the ideals of SAF at a local level, by encouraging them to become members through the website and take part in our programmes.
| Although BRAOU provides financial aid to its students (INR 10 is taken from each students fee’s towards a Financial Aid Trust), the SAF Madanjeet Singh Scholarships are, till date, the only scholarships offered to the University.
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Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi
April 16, 2007
As most of the cheques had already been sent through direct mai, Dr. S.H. Ansari (temporarily overseeing the SAF programme) talked briefly about SAARC, SAF and the objectives of both organizations; together, we handed out the remaining cheques to the students.
Jammu University
April 27, 2007
Despite the oppressively hot summer weather, Jammu University’s campus is a treat for the eyes; it has a beautiful campus. Mr. Kuljeet Singh, Coordinator of the SAF programme, organized a seminar on Regional Cooperation, the Dean Academic, Prof. P.S. Sehgal and the Director of Distance Learning, Dr. O.S. Sudan, drew heavily from the SASIA Story. Professor of International Relations and Chief Speaker, Dr. P. Stobdan, argued for the adoption of the SAFTA agreement, and said that if Governments were to immediately start by trading essentials like energy, and water, drastic changes could take place by the end of the decade. It’s fascinating when we think that only around 6 % of the total trade in South Asia is done amongst member countries, whereas 94% is all external to SAARC. Even though regional trade will take a lot of time to develop, it will be a necessary step towards realizing the importance of Regional cohesion, and perhaps one day, even a common currency.
At the end of the ceremony, the cheques were handed out to students, subject wise – refreshments were also included.
Karnataka State Open University
April 18, 2007
KSOU is one of the largest distance learning institutions that SAF – India has worked with; it also has a beautiful, sprawling campus. I was told by University officials that, as third party funding from institutions like the Distance Education Council and State Government is limited, all infrastructure and personnel related expenses are paid directly from the fees collected by the students – which is why the SAF Scholarship programme is helpful.
The seminar itself was very good and the student turnout was spectacular! Obvious as it may be, many institutions deliver seminars in English, which leave local students in the dark; however, Professor Sudha Rao insisted on inviting experts who could deliver their addresses in Kanada and in English. The Chief Guest, Dr. H.M. Rajashekhar, Chairman of the Dept. of Political Science at Manasa Gangothri, talked about the history of SAARC, its member States, and what the region should expect from the organisation in the future, including the recently adopted South Asian Free Trade Agreement and resolutions for certain ongoing internal disputes. Professor Sudha Rao, also took pride in introducing Ambassador Singh as the recipient of an Hon. Doctorate from the University.
| Most of the students that I got to interact with, said that the SAF Scholarship programme had given them hope and a sense of purpose.
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Kashmir University
April 25, 2007
Headed by Dr. Shafiqa Parveen, Kashmir University’s Distance Learning Department organized the SAF Madanjeet Singh Individual Scholarships cheque distribution ceremony / Regional Cooperation Seminar on April 25, 2007.
An introduction was given about SAARC, its members, and of course, the South Asia Foundation.
Various professors at the department of International Studies (at Kashmir University) addressed contemporary issues relevant to region, such as the possible benefits of the recently adopted South Asia Free Trade Agreement, and the necessity for promoting regional arts and crafts. After each presentation, the floor was opened to discussion. | |
The general sentiment from local Kashmiri’s is that, regardless of what policies are implemented by regional and local Governments, civil society (including organizations like SAF) in the region must step up and take action, otherwise Kashmir will become more isolated.
It was especially interesting to hear these thoughts from local intelligentsia The University staff described the strong impact of the SAF Scholarship programme over the years; they said that even though the scholarship itself is a token amount, it has encouraged all those who have benefited from the programme to study further and demand more from their lives. On a further note, Dr Parveen said that the Distance Learning department is making efforts to convert all courses offered at Kashmir University to the distance learning mode. As such, they plan to introduce a basic distance-mode Pre-Primary Teacher Training Programme course as well.
I would like to especially thank Dr. Tariq A. Chisthi for his excellent work in organizing the Seminar, and also for being very proactive during the cheque processing phase.
Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad
May 3, 2007
MANUU, has by far, one of the best University grounds I have seen in the country – at par with Universities in the United States and in Europe. The officials organized a brief, yet highly informative seminar on Regional Cooperation. Furthermore, even though MANUU is well funded by the UGC, they see the affiliation with the SAF Scholarship Programme as more about Certification / Brand Affiliation than mere financial support.
| Dr. I.K. Brahaman, from Hyderabad Central University, talked about each of the SAARC Countries, and discussed their individual profiles with an elegant PowerPoint presentation. He also argued that educationists must look beyond technical / skill oriented programmes and must also include creative and culture-enriching courses to ensure the long term survival of our regional heritage.
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Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkotta
May 29, 2007
Dr. Arunanshu Dasgupta, organized the event and invited noted History and International Relations professors from both Kolkotta University and Jadavpur University.
The most interesting address was given by a young lecturer at Kolkotta University, Dr. Chakrabarty. He said that, in the political arena, it is becoming commonplace to judge the success of SAARC with the same measuring index used for organisations such as the European Union and ASEAN. As a result, there is a tremendous amount of internal apathy within member states of SAARC in regard to the organisation, so much so, that that many proposals and papers presented at SAARC summits are funded from external agencies (e.g. European and American think tanks. However, Mr. Chakrabarty added, the South Asian community should not be quick to judge SAARC, as a true measure of success would be its longevity and stability - over the last two decades no member has called for disengagement, nor has any member opted to leave. Further indications of success and relevance come from recent requests for “observer status” by countries such as China, the United States and the European Union.
After the address, there was a general discussion with all the speakers and students right, at the end of which, cheques were distributed and lunch was served.
| Within the city of Kolkotta, NSOU has 5 main campus’ spread across the city of Calcutta and over 166 distance learning centres across West Bengal. NSOU was my very last Seminar on the Open University circuit and also turned out to be the most intellectually stimulating. (Prof Surabhi Banarjee Vice Chancellor of Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkotta).
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Tamil Nadu Open University
April 20, 2007
I was most impressed with TNOU. With minimal, yet extremely proactive staff, the University runs a very tight shift; both the scholarship allotment process and the seminar were very well organized.
The Vice Chancellor, Dr. M.S.Palanichamy, told me that for the 2007-08 Session, the State Government and the DEC together have increased their grants for the University to about INR 80 Million as well as allocated land for a new campus - TNOU is at the cusp of a major expansion of its programmes. The Chief Guest, Prof. Ramanujam, who is currently a Director at IGNOU, briefed the students about SAARC and its members. Towards the end of his discussion he also provided some “capacity building” pointers for TNOU to keep in mind at their up and coming expansion. All addresses were given in Tamil, and Professor Murugan, the SAF Coordinator for the University, graciously translated my address into Tamil for the audience. Almost all 200 SAF Scholarship awardees showed up, most were girls, and many of them had come from far away places like Pondicherry, and Tsunami affected areas.
It was really amazing for me to see how many of the young women had traveled so far, some even with their new born children to receive their scholarship cheques. Dr. Palanichamy knew the names of all the students by name, and personally introduced me to each one.
Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University
April 12, 2007
Located in the heart of Allahabad, the University itself is quite rudimentary, yet the staff consists of well educated and dedicated members. Dr. Dwivedi, Coordinator of the SAF Programme at UPRTOU put together a seminar, drawing together professors of Political and International studies from local Universities across Allahabad.
Most of the selected speakers talked about how important the SAF Scholarships were to the University and to the students; many argued for the continuation of the programme. Dr Dwivedi’s speech was perhaps the most insightful for the students – and it was delivered in Hindi; he said that the process towards Regional Cooperation must be developed in parallel with respect to regional security, regional trade and of course the creation of national policies that are not based on fear. Dr. Dwivedi, quoted heavily from the SASIA story, and encouraged the students to take inspiration from the book.
Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Rajhastan
May 24, 2007
Located on the outskirts of the city of Kota, Rajhastan, VMOU has a vast 75 acre campus. With the recent increase in funding received from the Distance Education Council and the Rajhastan State Government; new buildings are being constructed all across the University Campus, including what will be a top notch satellite TV broadcasting studio for propagating Distance mode courses.
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| Despite the blistering heat, over 40% of the 150 scholars were present for the seminar. Mr. P.K Sharma, Coordinator of the SAF programme spoke at length about the SASIA story; using anecdotes from the book, he talked about how all young people can participate in creating a greater sense of community and regional identity by embodying the principles of Ambassador Singh.
The Chief Guest, Mr. Garg, State Secretary of Education, praised both the University and the SAF programme for their dedicated work in the field of distance education, and said that, in the future, more non-governmental institutions such as SAF should take an interest in promoting distance learning. At the end of the brief seminar, cheques and refreshments were distributed to all the students.
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Yashwant Rao Chavan Open University, Maharashtra
May 10, 2007
YCMOU is one of the largest Open University in the country, it spends a tremendous amount of capital on the Research and Development of its Agricultural courses and the continual improvement of its infrastructure. It has eight regional sub-centres, spread across Maharashtra and Goa; I was informed that the Regional Cooperation Seminar would be held in all 8 sub-centres, similar in presentation to the one in Nashik.
The 396 awardees students live very far from the Nashik headquarters. However, the seminar itself was brief, to the point, and most importantly in Marathi. Dr. N.R Chaudhary, a Reader at the University’s Social Sciences department, spoke of Regional Cooperation in the most basest of terms i.e. that cooperation must start within the village, between neighbours, then between districts and states and finally between countries.
| A brief introduction about SAARC, its member States and functioning committees was given - the rest of the time was dedicated to discussing the SASIA Story. After the seminar, I got a chance to see some of the truly wonderful work that YCMOU has done in regard to alternative agriculture practices. For example, they have hundreds of acres of land that are irrigated with minimal water usage using a new “drip irrigation” technique that optimizes water usage by 5 times as much as traditional drip irrigation techniques. Since most of the students are from farming communities, YCMOU offers terrific hands on training for their agricultural and horticultural courses.
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Distribution of scholarship cheques have so far been held at the following universities:
- Aligarh Muslim University, U.P.: 28
- Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat: 480
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, A.P.: 1215
- Guru Nanak Dev University,Amritsar, Punjab: 186
- Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU): 1169
- Jamia Hamdar, New Delhi: 83
- Karnatka State Open University, Mysore: 2390
- Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, Bhopal: 160
- Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, A.P.: 455
- Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, West Bengal: 416
- Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad, U.P.: 239
- Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai.T.N.: 520
- Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota, Rajasthan: 285
- Yashwant Rao Chavan Open University, Nashik,Maharashtra: 1980
The total number of scholarships awarded: 9915 scholarships.
309 more have been given for vocational training in Jammu and Kashmir.
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Disbursement of SAF-Madanjeet Singh Scholarship
In 12th April 2007, we have completed the disbursement of SAF-Madanjeet Singh Scholarship in respect of the 16 Universities.
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