BIPF Honours Recipients of Professor Ghanashyam Dash Scholarship
The Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF) recently felicitated six exceptional students who have been awarded the 'Professor Ghanashyam Dash Scholarship for Higher Education' (PGDS) for the academic year 2024-2025. This prestigious scholarship provides crucial support to meritorious students pursuing professional degrees, covering 90% of their academic fees and eligible expenses up to Rs. 6 lakhs per recipient over their four-year course.
Meet the 2024-25 Scholars
This year's cohort of scholars are pursuing their education at some of India's premier institutions:
- Engineering: Sandip Subhrajit Sahoo (IIT Hyderabad) and Tarini Prasad Mishra (IIT BHU Varanasi).
- Medicine (MBBS): Satyajeet Parida and Alok Kumar Sahoo (AIIMS Bhubaneswar), Dibya Jyoti Jena (SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack), and Ariyan Sahoo (FM Medical College & Hospital, Balasore).
Legacy of Support with a Focus on Mentorship
Instituted in 2005 by IMFA to honor the legacy of renowned historian Professor Ghanashyam Dash, the scholarship program aims to create equal opportunities for talented students facing financial constraints. Since BIPF took over the program, it has enhanced its scope by introducing a structured "Mentorship" component.
Subhrakant Panda, Managing Director of IMFA and a Trustee of BIPF, highlighted the program's vision during the felicitation ceremony. "Education is a powerful catalyst for social transformation and economic progress," he said. "Through the Professor Ghanashyam Dash Scholarship, we invest in future leaders who will drive innovation and change."
Under this new initiative, each scholarship recipient is paired with an executive mentor from IMFA’s Employee Volunteer Scheme. This one-on-one mentorship will provide the students with professional counseling, academic guidance, moral support, and valuable networking opportunities. The goal is to nurture their holistic development and help them chart a well-planned career path, ensuring they can achieve their full potential. This dual approach of financial aid and personal guidance positions the PGDS scholarship as a comprehensive program for empowering the next generation of professionals.
