Those looking to further their studies beyond high school can do so through the provision of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships that will open for applications next week.
Indian High Commissioner Palaniswamy Subramanyan Karthigeyan made this announcement during the celebration of ICCR’s Foundation Day held at Holiday Inn, Suva, on Tuesday.
Mr Karthigeyan said the occasion coincided with 75 years of India’s diplomatic presence in Fiji.
“Fiji has a very important role in the history and evolution of ICCR,” he said.
“One of the earliest Indian cultural centres was established in Suva in 1972 and this centre has played a critical role in not just promoting and preserving the unique Indian culture and heritage, but also has contributed immensely to the capacity building of this country.”
He said Fiji and the Pacific boasted thousands of ICCR alumni, who played a pivotal role in the making of a new and confident Pacific region. “I am very happy to also share on this occasion that the 2024/2025 ICCR scholarships, that were delayed significantly this year, are going to open for admission from coming Monday.”
Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka extended gratitude to the Indian Government, on behalf of the Coalition Government, for the continued development assistance. “India is not only known for the beautiful ‘Taj Mahal’ but also as an education hub in the Asia Pacific and the world,” he said.
“India has a rapidly growing economy, especially with the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which we in Fiji lack in terms of human resource.
“This partnership will benefit Fiji with the availability of scholarships to our Fijian students.”
Mr Gavoka said the ICCR administered various scholarship programs annually and awarded more than 3000 scholarships under 26 different schemes to foreign students from 140 countries.
“The Coalition Government encourages successful applicants to take full advantage of this opportunity and gain as much education and knowledge as they possibly can.
“But you must come back and share your newly gained knowledge and skills back here in our beloved Fiji.”