A step towards bridging the gap

Last Sunday was a memorable day for me. I met a lot of extraordinary people. As a part of Panasonic’s Ratti Chattr Scholarship Program, 30 IITians were awarded with scholarships to pursue their dreams. 

These scholars come from humble family backgrounds and we aim to ensure hurdle-free higher education for them by supporting them financially. We all know how hard it is to crack IIT admissions. It is one of India’s most prestigious institutions, where the foundation of tomorrow’s India is built. If you have got admission in an IIT, you’re definitely special. In order to enable the pool of talent to exclusively focus on education, we have decided to eliminate the roadblock of high admission fees for them.

Awarding the Panasonic Ratti Chattr Scholarship was a moment of pride and humility at the same time. Do you know what Ratti means? It means rare and Ratti Chattr is a rare breed of extraordinary academic talent, which needs to be supported for the greater good. Meeting them was an enriching experience as the level of motivation in the air was unmatchable. 

Interacting with the scholarship winners, I learnt how determination can break barriers if you really want to achieve something. 

I remember Roshan Kumar from IIT Kanpur, one of the scholarship winners telling me how amazing it is to study at IIT. He couldn’t stop talking about how huge the campus is and how learned the faculty is. His excitement was so pure and it was very satisfying to know how this scholarship will help him pursue his education at IIT. 

Aditya Jain, scholarship winner from IIT Kanpur recited a few lines of poetry written by him. I was amazed by the wisdom his poetry depicted at such a young age. It made me think that not only will the scholarship allow them to pursue their education freely, but also give them space to pursue their passions. 

Another scholar Pranav Anupam from IIT Kanpur shared his pleasure of being at the institution for the best students. Elaborating, he told me how IIT has provided him with a platform to achieve his goals. I was touched when he spoke about the limited opportunities that students from not-so-privileged families have and this scholarship from Panasonic means a lot to him. 

Suraj Mishra, another winner of the scholarship revealed an interesting story. At IIT, the students are given the freedom to be who they want. For the same, there are different clubs which one can join basis their interest. The discussions during the club meets are full of innovative ideas and solutions. He also emphasised on the fact that learning by passion is more important than learning for marks or a degree. 

I thank Mr. Amitabh Kant (CEO – NITI Aayog) for gracing the occasion and Sir, I fully agree with your thoughts that corporate assistance should be a mass movement in India. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Prof. M. Balakrishnan (Deputy Director – Strategy & Planning, IIT Delhi) for motivating us and the students. I cannot thank enough Sh. Murli Manohar Joshi (Member of Parliament, Kanpur) and Sh. Vijay Goel (Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports) for taking out time from their busy schedules and supporting us. Without everyone’s support, we would not have been able to take up this initiative to encourage the future of India. I have high regard for my team at Panasonic for putting in their best efforts in pulling it off so well, and bridging the gap for the deserving.

I am optimistic that these scholars will be the winners of tomorrow. They will create a better world for the upcoming generations ensuring a better quality of life. Wishing all the Ratti Chattrs the best for their future endeavors, I hope to meet you again once you’re out of IIT.