FIVE INDIANS CHOSEN FOR RHODES SCHOLARSHIP-2012

FIVE INDIANS CHOSEN FOR RHODES SCHOLARSHIP-2012

Five Indians are among 83 students chosen for the prestigious Rhodes scholarship for the year 2012. Apart from them, five Indian-Americans and a Tibetan are among those selected. Those selected from India are: Vrinda Bhandari from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore; Akul Dayal from IIT New Delhi; Nikita Kaushal from the University of Pune; Amit Kumar from IIT Roorkee; and Sujit Thomas from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi. The Indian-American students are Ishan Nath, Aysha Bagchi, Nabeel Gillani, Anand Habib, Mohit Agrawal. Tenzin Seldon is the Tibetan selected for the scholarship. Those selected will begin courses at the Oxford University next year across the entire range of Oxford's academic disciplines.

Vrinda Bhandari is completing the fifth and final year of her law degree. Driven into the study of law by her keen interest in using the legal system as a tool for social change in India, she has already published a number of articles.She has also acted as Chief Editor of theSocio-Legal Reviewand Editor of theIndian Journal for Alternate Dispute Resolution.Akul Dayal is in the final year of the B.Tech course that focuses on Thermodynamics and Manufacturing Practices. Nikita Kausahl completed her Master's in Geology in 2010, specialising in Quaternary Geology and Climate Change.Her fascination with the beauty of nature, and consequent love of Earth Sciences, led to her travelling across India as an instructor for a wildlife and trekking organisation. Amit Kumar is in the final year of the five-year Integrated M.Sc. in Chemistry. Sujit Thomas is in his final year of a Master's in Sociology. In Oxford, he hopes to focus on modern British and European history. Elliot. F. Gerson, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, said Rhodes scholarships are “the oldest and best known award for international study, and arguably the most famous academic award available to American college graduates”. Rhodes scholarships provide all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford and may allow funding in some instances for four years. 

                                                                      Prof. John Kurakar