Indian student testimony

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Testimony Kolkata, India - 30th August 2012

Respected Sir, with due respect this is to inform you that I was (2010-2012) Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarship student from India at UMISARC, Pondicherry University. Sir let me start my experience at UMISARC by thanking you in all ways.

Sir the time I joined UMISARC I was like a blank paper and the good academics of UMISARC coloured me in so many different colors. As I am an Indian student so initially I had to go through a test for the MSG scholarship and the time I got that I was one of the happiest person on earth. Sir the scholarship helped me a lot during my two years study in Pondicherry University and the help we got from Prof. N.K Jha is speechless. He treated us like a UMISARC family and he never made us to feel far from home.

Sir I have heard of many living angels on earth and I can say that you are one of them. The initiative taken by you for the South Asia Regional Co-operation is not only a great thing but the contribution you have done to make it possible shows all well wishes of yours. It was a very unfortunate thing that during our two years stay at Pondicherry University we missed you in many occasion. In 2011 we shifted to the new building of UMISARC and the time we entered inside the new UMISARC building we felt like it was a dream of yours which has come true.

One of the great things happened there, was the meeting of hearts of SAARC nations though we missed our Pakistani fellow but happy to see a Pakistani fellow in 2012-2014 batch (though we are not there). It was very unique thing in itself that we celebrated each other’s festivals and respected each other’s cultures without any difference. Sir you’ll be very happy to know that in the UMISARC building there is a big portrait of you and we always took your blessings.

In the last semester of our MA we had to go through a dissertation work and for that we received enough financial help. As I was working on Nepal, I went to Nepal for a week for my data collection and field work and the only worry I had in my mind was my accommodation at a safe place and suddenly one of my seniors and classmates from Nepal invited me at their home to stay and I felt like I am at home in Nepal.

Last June I left UMISARC for my further studies as there were no PhD seats in UMISARC. It was a moment of deep sorrow that I was leaving my home for two years. Though I am now far from UMISARC but I feel proud to be the part of UMISARC and your blessings.

Sir at this juncture of your life you are thinking so much to sacrifice to make South Asia a place of peace. Sir this is a great thing and the meeting of hearts at UMISARC contributes a lot to your dreams.
 
Sir I am attaching few of the pictures of our last day at UMISARC. Hope you'll like them.  

--
Rishi Gupta
Institute of Foreign Policy Studies
University of Calcutta

Indian UMISARC Student