Srushti Kulkarni 8th September, 2020
Divya B., daughter of an agricultural labourer secures full scholarship in a Private University (Source: tswreis)
An 18-year-old girl was working in cotton fields to tackle her family’s financial problems caused by the pandemic. Divya B. was one of the students to pass the numerous tests with flying colours conducted by Krea University, according to Times of India. The university is reported to have been convinced to admit her on full scholarship into the varsity based on her outstanding merits.
Divya is a student of the distinguished Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions (TSWREI) at the Gowlidoddy campus. The meritorious student performed exceptionally in her board exams at the intermediate level and became a topper in her batch by securing 96.6 per cent in the aggregated subjects of MEC (Mathematics, Economics, and Commerce), according to the institution’s website.
Her father, an agricultural labourer, struggled for a living amidst the pandemic—having the responsibility of a large family consisting of 6 members. Divya, who hails from Artula village of the Ranga Reddy district, worked in the cotton fields during her vacations to earn a daily wage of ₨. 250 and helped her family to keep their heads above water.
The determined Divya was among the fifteen students from her society who signed up for the entrance tests conducted by the Krea University for a three-year course for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics degree. Divya’s grit and innovative thinking skills drew the attention of the examiners while she performed through various tests such as aptitude, essay writing, ground discussion, and more. Impressed with her communication and leadership skills, the university offered her an admission letter but without any funding.
Divya and her family could not afford the course—which costs 28.5 lakhs for three years. She communicated her financial status to her lecturers and the society. A. Gopinadh, a faculty at the Gowlidoody campus and also the State coordinator for professional courses, convinced officials at Krea University to admit the girl based on her academic performance. The university, located in Chennai, agreed to admit Divya on a full scholarship which included both the course and accommodation.
Divya has three younger sisters who look up to her. She inspires them with her ambition of becoming an economist at the end of this course. She considers this course to be her only opportunity to study and secure a job to enable her family to have a better life. Out of the 15 students who applied, only Divya and Aditi K. from the science stream were chosen and provided scholarships.
(Sources: Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institution, Times of India)
Edited by Varun Vyas Hebbalalu