Dubai: BDNE to Award Scholarships Worth Rs 7.5 lac to Students in Mangalore
Shodhan Prasad
Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Aug 13: Billavas Dubai & Northern Emirates (BDNE), one of the largest community organizations for Billawas in Dubai, will distribute over Rs 7.5 lac to around 231 deserving students in Mangalore, at a programme on August 28 at Shri Adhyaksha Koragappa Memorial Hall, Shri Gokarnanatha Kshetra's Kudroli Temple Complex in Mangalore.
The function will be graced by Janardhan Poojary, former union minister, Jaya C Suvarna, president of Billawa Maha Mandala, H S Sairam, president of Shri Kshetra Kudroli, Vasudeva Kotian, chairman of Bharat Co-operative Bank, Mumbai, Krishnappa Poojary, principal of Narayana Guru Pre-university College, Beltangady, Muddu Moodubelle, poet, writer and senior staff at All India Radio and trustees of Guru Charitable Trust, who will release and distribute the scholarships.
Also, representatives of various Billawa Sanghas in and around Mangalore and Udupi districts will be attending the function. Office-bearers of Billawas Dubai & Northern Emirates viz, president Jeetendra Suvarna, vice-president Pravin Attavar, educational secretary Uday Kumar Kateel, ex-president Mohan Attavar, general secretary Madhav Poojary, internal auditor Prabhakar Suvarna, joint secretary (cultural) Deepak S P and many more members will be present.
During the programme, BDNE will also distribute medical aid to various needy individuals who have appealed for help, details of which will be released later.
BDNE follows the teachings of philosopher and great social reformer Swamy Guru Narayan. Its dedication to serving the poor, needy and deserving fellow members of the community has become even more resolute through the years.
"This year’s figures have broken all previous records in scholarship distribution and we remain committed more than ever - as an organization and as the Billawa diaspora in the UAE – to uphold our promise of providing comprehensive educational opportunities for those in dire need “ stated president Jeetendra Suvarna of BDNE in a press release.
Every year the meticulous selection process of the deserving students is smoothly handled by a charitable organization called Shri Guru Charitable Trust , Mangalore. With the help of their committed voluntary members, the Trust conducts impartial surveys on the flood of applications it receives both directly and those being received by BDNE. The Trust’s professionally prepared survey result with clear comments after actual visits to each and every home is then forwarded to BDNE to scrutinize further and finalize with the clear consent of the working committee of BDNE.
BDNE this year released the names of 231 needy merit students classified as follows:
Grade of Education No of Students
MBBS 1
BHMS/BAMS 3
Bachelor of engineering 54
Chartered accountant 2
Master of arts/
postgraduates 9
Diploma engineers 22
Graduates 66
ITI 2
Nursing 5
SSLC 12
PUC 35
Others 20
Total 231
BDNE with the voluntary support from Guru Narayana Charitable Trust members in Mangalore, ensures that the education fund reaches the needy, deserving and merit students. Additionally, in the whole process the interest of the students and the parents is observed and a follow-up competition amongst the listed students is held every year so as to recognize the top two achievers who will be awarded special cash prizes. This is to create a spirited instinct among the students for achieving the best results. Billawas Dubai & Northern Emirates is one of the few organizations achieving such a commendable feat year after year. In fact, BDNE has been able to assist majority of these needy students, and the number of recipients gets doubled every year.
One MBBS, four engineering, 12 diploma engineering, four undergraduate and two each of postgraduate and nursing students who were awarded BDNE scholarships have successfully completed their courses this year with top marks:
As stated by the president of BDNE, "Our primary objective of running the organization is to strengthen and support our unfortunate and deprived community members back home and give them an opportunity to excel in the field of education. Education is the true source of liberation – liberation from poverty, from caste-based prejudices, from evil habits and criminal tendencies. Our organization’s unending effort is aimed at helping our youth become the strong pillars of their family and consequently strengthen our society. This will help our community become self sufficient and achieve unparalleled laurels. A collective support from all will surely erase the so called ‘down trodden’ name tag and uplift the entire community into literacy and towards better living. If community organizations and leaders across the world take initiative and work for the betterment of their community, in any small or big way, one day we will definitely see our country’s stature raise before the whole world."
He also said it was nice to hear that now many other organizations all over have also followed these principles of Shri Narayana Guru.
Talking on education, BDNE educational secretary Uday Kumar Kateel said, "Education is very important since it is the process of putting one's potentials to maximum use. Training of the human mind is not complete without education. Education makes man think right and helps him/her to take decisions independently."
He added, "Unfortunately not everyone has an opportunity to receive this type of formal education. Because there are not enough resources to provide schooling, parents sometimes end up sending their children to work in factories, have odd jobs or just do farm work on account of financial burden. But no matter what, education is the key that allows people to move up in the world, seek better jobs, and ultimately succeed in life."