First Manmohan Singh scholars to join Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is all set to welcome the first three outstanding Indian students who have been awarded scholarships named after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who graduated from the university in the 1950s.

The three Indian students are Neal Duggal from Mallya Aditi International School, Bangalore, Jesika Haria from Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, and Rudrajit Banerjee from The Cambridge School, Kolkata.

The 2010 Manmohan Singh Undergraduate Scholarship will fund their studies at the university, and provides full funding to cover fees and maintenance allowance.

Professor Alison Richard, vice-chancellor of the university who recently visited India, said, "I am so pleased to be congratulating these wonderfully able young people and to say how much we are all looking forward to their arrival in Cambridge".

"The long standing bonds between Cambridge and India are made even deeper with the inauguration of the Manmohan Singh Undergraduate Scholarship scheme.

The university is honoured that these scholarships are in the name of the prime minister, and deeply grateful for the vision and generous support of the donors," Richard said

The scholarships are administered by the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, a charity organisation established by the University of Cambridge.

 The scholarships have been funded out of gifts from Sir Evelyn and Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild through the Eranda Foundation, and from the Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company, Bharti Airtel (through the Bharti Foundation).

Neal Duggal and Jesika Haria have received conditional offers of places to St John's College and Emmanuel College, to study for degrees in Economics and Engineering respectively, while Rudrajit Banerjee has received an unconditional offer to study Natural Sciences at Christ's College.