Somerville College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England, in collaboration with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD) and Piramal family, introduced Dr Gita Piramal Scholarship. The full scholarship aims to support students pursuing higher education at the University of Oxford. The eligibility criteria and other application details can be accessed by the official website.
The scholarship has been introduced to honour Dr Gita Piramal, a prominent business historian in India, and to acknowledge her remarkable contributions to both academia and corporate leadership. Dr Piramal has been closely associated with Somerville College, where she has served as a Senior Associate Fellow and mentored numerous students. Her groundbreaking research on corporate India, including influential books featured in MBA programmes globally, has significantly shaped the perspectives of emerging business leaders, as stated in an official announcement.
The Dr Gita Piramal Scholarship aims to support exceptional Indian students by providing full tuition and a living stipend. Targeted at those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, this initiative will be implemented for an initial period of five years, enhancing the intellectual resources of India and fostering the country's sustainable development.
In reflecting on this collaboration, Dr Piramal remarked, "India is my family home, and Somerville has been my intellectual home for many years. This scholarship will allow talented young individuals from India to thrive in Oxford's rich academic setting, contributing to the nation's future progress."
Jan Royall, Principal of Somerville College, praised Dr Piramal's legacy, stating: "It is a privilege to honour such a long-standing friend of the College in this manner. Dr Piramal's name will be linked to empowering exceptional Indian students, providing them with the opportunity to experience a world-class education at Oxford and to make significant contributions back to India."
Since its establishment in 2013, the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD) has assisted over 60 Indian students at Oxford, with many returning to India to address pressing issues in healthcare, technology, and climate change. The introduction of the Dr Gita Piramal Scholarship further enhances this mission, ensuring that underprivileged Indian students gain access to top-tier education and can contribute to solutions both globally and nationally.
