TD leader, daughter thank CM for financial aid to pursue studies abroad

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam leader and former sarpanch Bodrothu Srinivasa Rao and his daughter Sailaja have thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for helping her daughter pursue her higher education in the US.

Sailaja, currently pursuing her master’s degree at University of Washington in Seattle, has been provided with financial support under the state government’s Jagananna Videsh Vidya Deevena scheme.

The Chief Minister recently released the first installment of financial assistance the scheme for 213 students to pursue higher studies in foreign universities.

The TD leader and former sarpanch hailing from Sangam village in Vizianagaram district told the media in Vizianagaram on Monday that his daughter studied at the IIT in Hyderabad and went to the US for higher studies. “We raised a loan to support her education but were worried as to how we could clear the loan.”

“My daughter received a financial assistance of ₹13.99 lakh as first installment out of a total amount of ₹84 lakh under Jagananna Videshi Vidya Deevena. We are thankful to the CM for this,” he said.

Srinivasa Rao described Jagan Mohan Reddy as a revolutionary leader, saying, “he is more concerned about the welfare of the people”, and sounded confident that his daughter would, after completion of her studies, return to AP and contribute her share for the state’s development.

Sailaja expressed her gratitude to the CM and said it was because of him that she could confidently pursue her Master’s programme in the US.

As part of the Videshi Vidya Deevena scheme, the AP government provides 100 per cent reimbursement of tuition fees to SC, ST, BC and minority students, up to a sum of ₹1.25 crore and upto Rs 1 crore to EBC students who secured ranks in the top 100 universities abroad.

The financial assistance comes in the form of reimbursement of university fees, airfare, visa fee etc. Soon after the students receive their immigration cards, the first payment will be made. The second payment will be done following the announcement of results of the first semester. The third payment is done after the completion of both the second and third semesters.

The criteria for availing financial aid under the scheme is that the candidate’s annual family income should not exceed ₹8 lakh.