Celebrating womanhood with scholarships

The International Women's Day comes dutifully every year to remind the world that the women have paved way for themselves after centuries of wading through the tides of societal shackles, limited beliefs, irrelevant do-and-don'ts and everything that held them back from living the life they've always wanted to.

The harps of you go, girl, more power to you, becomes exceptionally and coherently louder on social media on this day; the newer way of acknowledging her empowerment. But how many of us truly understand the term 'empowerment'?

Cambridge Dictionary says empowerment is the process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control what happens to you. A pretty impressive number is surely living this definition but, the majority is still behind, trying to catch up.

Women have undoubtedly walked thousands of miles to reach where they are today; but, the grim statistics of women workforce in India tell that they must continue with their walk to make their proportion from one-third to 50 per cent in every available industry. Here, education plays a pivotal role in achieving the same. But, the booming inflation rate of our country has made access to quality education a luxurious affair. There's a desperate need of placing the same on the highest pedestal of basic human requirements along with Roti (bread), Kapda (clothing) & Makaan (shelter).

We criticise society for being villainy. But, amongst all the hatred and misogyny, the world is gifted with people who believe in greater good for women. Little does one know how the governments, corporations and various public organisations are playing a crucial role in improving the situation. They provide bursaries and financial assistance and help them steer through the financial blockade purely based on their potential. Mettle is motivated morally, as well, as financially; which are available throughout the year.

Here's the list of scholarships, fellowships and training programmes tailor-made exclusively for women by various national and international bodies:

Fair and Lovely Foundation Scholarships
Every year, in the month of November, Fair and Lovely announce scholarships for graduation to post-graduation degree programme for female students from all across India by backing them financially with INR 50,000 for all the streams. The invite also attends students taking help from coaching classes for various entrance examinations.

Women Scholarship for Peace
United Nation for Disarmament Affairs gives financial support, tuition and travel covering all costs of registration and participation at training courses to women for participation in practical aspects of disarmament, non-proliferation and development-related issues. This scholarship is declared open during August month every year.

Bat and Ball Game Women's Sports Scholarship
The scholarship is open during the month of May which calls female athletes who have studied sports science, physiotherapy, sports management, physical education, sports psychology, nutrition, rehabilitation or any sports related degree. The athletes will be awarded with USD 1000.

Women's Cyber Security Scholarships
This scholarship call is declared open in the March month for women candidates intending to do graduation or post- graduation degree in cybersecurity and information assurance. The offer of up to USD 40,000 is offered that enables them to be future information security professionals.

Indo-U.S. Fellowship for Women in STEM
The government of India and Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum offers airfare, health insurance, contingency grant along with a monthly stipend of USD 3000 to women holding PhD degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine around February month for study in various proposed areas of sciences.

Prabha Dutt Fellowship
This fellowship is declared open every year at the end of each year for women journalists to do research on topics of contemporary relevance. The fellowship offers a grant of INR 1L.

Women Scientists Scheme-C (WOS-C)
Beginning of each year Department of Science and Technology invites women scientists of science, engineering and technology background. The call offers a stipend of INR 20K to 30K p.m. for training in the protection of intellectual property, science, engineering, medicine and allied sciences.

Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship
During the month of September-October Adobe looks for female students in the field of technology to create gender equality in science and engineering domain. Full-time undergraduate students can make the most of the opportunity that provides impressive profile generation opportunity.

L'Oréal India for Young Women in Science Scholarship
Under-graduate female students of science background who find hard pursuing their education out of financial constraint can apply for this scholarship during the month of June-July that covers their tuition fee of graduation programme.

IIE &WeTech Goldman Sachs Scholars Program For Women
Goldman Sachs in association with Institute of International Education looks for women in the second or third year of graduation in engineering, computer science or ICT. One can apply for this in the month of May that provides tuition fee coverage of up to USD 1500.

Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship/ Women Techmakers Scholars Program
Google grants tuition and education-related expenses under this call to female students enrolled in under-graduation, post-graduation or doctoral programme during the month of May, who demonstrates strong academic record in the technical field of computer science, computer engineering or related courses.

Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-A)
Department of Science and Technology supports women by providing this impressive fellowship that amounts INR 30K to INR 55K p.m. to women scientists and technologists who are having a break in their career pertaining to motherhood or family responsibilities. Doctorate degree holder in medical, basic or applied sciences can make the most of the invite at the end of every year.

Said Business School Scholarships for Women
During the month of May-June, Oxford University frisks for brilliant minds for their management programmes which are designed to increase the flow of talented women into senior roles in the industry. They offer up to 50% tuition fee waiver.

Women as Cyber Leaders Scholarship
£6,500 towards tuition fees is offered for M.Sc. Cyber Defence and Information Assurance by Cranfield University, the UK for women to support their part-time study in the same. Applications are open during the month of June.

The real joy will be when there won't be a need for women to prove their worth; the day, when society sees women the other half and not the second sex. It will take time for our society to reach there, until then, opportunities are there for those who seek them, and there are already in ample for women.

-Jincy Chacko
www.buddy4study.com