13 differently abled students from Manipur get higher education scholarship
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 19 2021: Indus Towers in partnership with Shishu Sarothi and Spastic Society of Manipur awarded scholarships for higher education to 13 differently abled students from Manipur.

The scholarships were awarded as part of Indus Towers Scholarship Program 2020-2021 which is one of the key CSR initiatives of Indus Towers Limited (formerly Bharti Infratel Ltd) .

Of a total of 120 students selected from across the North-East, 13 students with disability from Manipur were felicitated at an event held on January 19 at the conference hall of Spastic Society of Manipur, Tapokpi Bazar, Langthabal Kunja, said a joint statement of the organisers.

M Harekrishna, Vice Chancellor of Dhanamanjuri University, Seema Jangid, coordinator, Shishu Sarothi, Guwahati and Laishram Tokendra Ricky, secretary, Spastic Society of Manipur attended the event as dignitaries.

Spastic Society of Manipur now functional at Tapokpi Bazar, Langthabal Kunja is a composite centre for empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The organization received the National Award for Best Institution in 2008 for empowerment of persons with disabilities.

It is the State partner organization and a point of local contact for the Indus Towers Scholarship Program for the State of Manipur.

Based in Guwahati, Shishu Sarothi, is a right-based, non-Government, not-for-profit organization which offers a range of services for children with physical and developmental disabilities with the main focus of empowering children and youth and helping them live their life in equity.

Services provided by Shishu Sarothi for PwD include education, livelihood, advocacy, health and HRD (human resource development).

M Harekrishna in his speech commended Indus Towers Limited, Shishu Sarothi and Spastic Society of Manipur for supporting the students with disabilities with the scholarship and congratulated the students for pursuing higher studies.

Every individual is unique and PwDs (persons with disabilities) have talents that need to be explored.

One should not look for charity but work and demand for equal opportunities which is their birthright, he said.

Laishram Tokendra appreciated the Indus Towers Limited for instituting the scholarship programme.

He highlighted the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Sustainable Development Goals of "Leaving No One Behind" and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 which provides provisions for persons (6-18 years) with benchmark disabilities to get free education, reservation in all Government institutions.

He said disability is no more a charity based issue but rather a developmental and right based issue.

Seema Jangid spoke about Indus Towers Limited scholarship program implemented across North-East in association with Shishu Sarothi.

The scholarship aims to promote inclusions of students with disabilities in the mainstream by providing financial support in pursuing their higher education so that they can lead an independent life ahead.

She placed on record that so far 196 students have been supported under the program in the first phase.

28 of the students are from Manipur.

The second phase that commenced in April 2020 is supporting 600 students for a period of five years.

The selected students are being provided support towards their educational fees till the completion of their courses.

A few of the students are also being granted additional assistance towards study materials/assistive devices/hostel/conveyance.

Scholarship certificates were distributed to the students at the event.

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