~Tata Steel’s initiative to provide financial aid to meritorious tribal students moves another milestone~

Tata Steel today awarded the Jyoti Fellowship Award to meritorious backward caste students at a ceremony held at Tribal Cultural Centre, Sonari.

A sum of Rs. 13,32,500/- was disbursed among the qualified college level students, out of which 204 are renewal candidates, 230 are fresh, and 3 have received the Birsa awards. Three topper students, Ms Anjali Kumari, an Intermediate student of J.N. Tarapore School; Mr Jhareshwar Murmu, a Degree student of Baharagora College; and Chaitanya Biruly, a Post Graduate student of Tata College, Chaibasa each from Intermediate, Degree and PG have been selected for Birsa Awards and has been handed over an amount of Rs 5000/- each.

This year 230 fresh students have been selected for Jyoti fellowship, out of which 119 students hail from East Singhbhum, 82 students from West Singhbhum and 29 students from Saraikela Kharswan districts. Besides this, 250 school level students have already been given Jyoti fellowship Award on 22nd October 2011 in an event organized in Jamshedpur.

In the year 2011-12, total fund for Jyoti fellowship has been increased from 35 lakhs to 75 lakhs. The fellowship is targeted to benefit 1892 students out of which an amount of Rs 4,22,500 for 160 students of Chhatisgarh and Rs. 6,88,500/- among 250 high school students of Kolhan region have been already disbursed.

The Moodie Endowment, funded by Mr Finlay Moodie and Mrs Sheila Ann Moodie of Great Britain, extends support to students from backward classes of society as well.60,000/- was disbursed among the students. Moodie Endowment covers students of areas such as East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikella, Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore. This fellowship is for pure Science Professional courses such as BE, MTech, MBBS , biotechnology, Micro Biology and Diploma in Tool & Die making, Electronics , Mechatronics.

The Jyoti fellowship has been funded by Tata Steel Ltd since 1974 and is awarded to meritorious candidates every year. The objective behind the fellowship is to provide financial assistance to meritorious students from economically backward Schedule Tribe and Schedule Caste communities. Jyoti Fellowship extends financial help to students from East Singhbhum, West Singhbum and Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand and other operational areas of Tata Steel include Orissa and Chhatisgarh. This initiative is taken to encourage meritorious students to accomplish their educational and career aspiration.

A couple of days back, a sum of Rs. 4,22,000/- was disbursed among 160 qualifying students under this scheme at Jagdalpur. This was for the first time that the fellowship programme has been conducted outside Jamshedpur. 42 sets of toys and volumes of essential books were also distributed to Anganwadi Kendra, Lohandigura under this scheme.

While addressing the gathering Shri Deepak Birua said, "Tata Steel's Tribal Cultural Society has been doing commendable job in the areas related to education and preservation of tribal culture and heritage. The classes on Tribal Scripts started by TCS are one of the mile stones."

Mr Sanjiv Paul reiterated the initiatives taken up by Tata Steel for the upliftment for the tribals in past and said, “Tata Steel has always been concerned about development in the rural tribal areas. Jyoti fellowship is one such step which is aimed at benefitting the youths of the tribal areas.” Looking at the need of the hour to educate our present generation, Mr Paul also informed that apart from ensuring unhindered education to the awardees, Tata Steel also proposes to set up an ITI School and a school for tribal children.

Tribal Cultural Society (TCS) is a non-profit voluntary organization supported by Tata Steel. It came into existence with its registration in 1993 and has been working for the development of the marginalized communities. TCS works in the rural areas to provide academic assistance to the deprived children. Jyoti Fellowship is one of the many education programs undertaken by TCS to grant scholarship.