Orissa Educational Activities – An Update and Appeal

 

Sukant K. Mohapatra and Rabi N. Mahapatra

 

The FFE Story By Sandip K. Dasverma, FFE Coordinator

 

Foundation For Excellence (FFE) is known by its acronym more widely than it’s full name.  FFE was started by Er. Prabhu Goel of Silicon Valley, CA from his own money.  Later Mr. Kanwal Rekhi and many others have joined FFE it’s board of Directors and donor list.    Following are the quick facts about FFE.

Mission:   To transform the lives of academically brilliant and financially needy students in India.

Program: Providing scholarships for studies in high school, diploma, college, professional and post-graduate courses to students who meet academic excellence and family income criteria.  Scholarships are awarded on annual basis; renewal is based on student’s continued academic excellence and financial need.

Process:                US based volunteers (coordinators) identify volunteers in India (facilitators). Facilitators identify eligible students and assist them in submitting applications. Scholarship checks sent to facilitators for distribution to approved students.

Scholarship Amounts: Ranges from $100 to $125 per year per student for high school studies to $450 to $500 per year per student for engineering, technology, medical and health science studies. Over a 6-year period, around $2,000 is provided to each eligible student.

Accomplishments: Since inception in 1994 to date, 11,500 scholarships have been awarded to 6,500 students for $2.25 million.   40% were awarded to girl students. More than 1,000 students have completed their education with FFE’s aid.

FFE Activities in Orissa:

• Scholarships Awarded (1998 – 2004) to Students in Orissa: Since 1998 to 2004, total amount of scholarship awarded to student in Orissa is $67,000. To date 17 students from Orissa have completed their Engineering, Medical or B.V.Sc and AH studies with FFE scholarships. 
• This Year (2003-2004) Accomplishments: To this date 160 scholarships worth Rs. 1,208,780.00 have been sanctioned to FFE scholars from Orissa, which includes 47 renewals.  Count is expected to go up to 164. Oriya community of Bay Area has significantly helped in this regard with 17 out of 24 total coordinators from Orissa and raising nearly $4000 this year. A special initiative taken this year has resulted in practically 250% increase in scholars and tripling of coordinators and facilitators each. 

·         Number of Coordinators from Orissa: 24

·         Number of Facilitators in Orissa: Currently there are 64 facilitators from Orissa. 13 districts: Jharsugda, Bargarh, Sonepur, Bolangir, Nuapada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nawarangpur, Kandhamal, Boudh, Gajapati, Keonjhar and Deogarh do not have any facilitators. People volunteering as facilitators, specifically from un-represented districts will be highly appreciated.

Sri Purna Mohanty of Bay Area has contributed significantly with time and effort to bring this to fruition.  Sujata Das and her husband V. Nagbhusan, needs special mention though there are many others who have silently contributed, their might and mite. In India, Sri Subhas Chandra Choudhury has been the super facilitator and star organizer but for whose help and dedication these FFE efforts of this scale would not have been possible. Dr. Swadhin Pattnayak, Director, Math Institute, BBSR and his wife Dr. Sumitra Patel, deserve special thanks for their help and support. Efforts of Sri Sadashiv Mohanty, Sri Iswar Rout, Ms. Nita Das, Ms. Mamta Sahoo and others have been commendable.  Sri Manaswi Sahoo deserves special mention for his commendable work in spreading FFE message in Western Orissa. Sri N. K. Sahoo of Boston has shown exemplary initiative and enthusiasm, which needs special mention. Many others have helped in various ways but have not been mentioned here for want of space.

Donate to FFE: Sponsor the education of an academically bright and financially needy student.  Donate any amount in lump sum or recurring payments, by check or credit card.  Donations are tax deductible in accordance with the provisions of the IRS, USA.

Volunteer:   Join FFE’s team to build and enhance FFE’s visibility in the community.  Make an impact on FFE’s future direction and growth. Help in scholarship program implementation, marketing, and community outreach and fund raising activities.

For information, please contact:

Suresh Seshan, Executive Director, 1850 Warburton Ave., Suite 201, Santa Clara, CA 95050-4111.

Tel: (408) 985 2001; Fax: (408) 985 2003; Or. S. K. Dasverma 509-371-1286; Website: www.ffe.org

 

An Effort for Establishment of an IIT in Orissa

In the backdrop of OSA development seminar organized on December 24, 2003 at Bhubaneswar, a few NROs and OSA volunteers met Dr. Damaodar Acharya, Vice Chancellor, Biju Patnaik Tecnological University, Rourkela and Orissa government officials in an effort to potentially establish an IIT in Orissa. This is in response to Govt. of India’s recent announcement for establishment of five IITs in the country. Since govt. of India is tentatively planning to upgrade existing institutes to IIT, following institutes in Orissa are proposed for upgrading to IIT: College of Engineering Technology (CET), Bhubaneswar, University College of Engineering (UCE), Burla, and National Institute of Technology (NIT – formerly REC), Rourkela for govt. of India consideration. The effort is currently led and coordinated by Prof. Damodar Acharya with active support form NRO community members. Many of the NRO community members from academics and industries (particularly from North America) have pledged their support including providing letter of commitment on proposal for establishment of an IIT in our home state of Orissa.

 

IT Olympiad – Organized by Orissa Information Technology Society (OITS)

In an effort to spread and popularize information technology (IT) in Orissa, in addition to many other activities, Orissa Information Technology Society (OITS) conducts annual IT Olympiad for senior (MCA, BE, B.Sc.(Eng) and B.Sc.(hons)) and junior (upto class XII) level students in Orissa.  This year IT Olympiad was held on 7^th September 2003 with participation of students from all over Orissa.  The IT Olympiad prize distribution function was held on 18th January 2004 with Bikramjit Maitra, Head, Infosys Centre at Bhubaneswar, as chief guest. For additional detail information 2003 IT Olympiad please visit http://www.oits.org/olympiad/results03.html , at OITS cyber home.

 

Many NROs are active members/supporters of OITS.  In December 2003, OSA contributed about $900 for OITS activities. Funds were primarily raised through personal contribution of non-resident Oriyas in North America. OITS cyber home is at: www.oits.org .

 

An Appeal to Adopt a School in Orissa

Adopt Your Alma Mater and Make it Your Dream School: The school system in Orissa is presently not in a good state. Due to lack of infrastructure and resource, the quality of education, and the achievement of the students in the state are going down. The separation of community from the schools over the last decades has been one of the main reasons for the present state of affairs.  The Government of Orissa also realized that it does not have resources needed to develop the desired quality education. Therefore, Orissa Government has notified the School Adoption Program in 2001, under which, Individuals and Corporate can take-up various types of works in the schools viz., Laboratory, Library, Computer Center or develop the School as a whole by signing an agreement with the Director of Education.

All the Non-Resident Oriyas are requested to adopt their Alma Mater, the school in which they studied and set-up an IT / Computer Center in that school. This would bridge the digital divide and also make an impact in changing the mindset of the Teachers, Local Community and Students.  The details on adopt a school program and contact information can be found at education committee page of OSA website: www.orissasociety.org.

World Links Can Support Your Dream School: World Links is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC, with operations in 26 developing countries across the world. World Links, which started as an initiative of the President of the World Bank in 1997, is today a global learning network linking thousands of teachers and students on the Internet. The core "value-added" of World Links is its training program, designed to help teachers and students learn to use information and communication technologies (particularly the Internet) to improve teaching and learning. The World Links program continues to support teachers for three to four years building on the skill levels learnt and adapted in classroom teaching. World Links is also recognized as one of the most innovative and successful education programs assisting developing countries in bridging the gap.

World Links India operations began in 2002 in 32 schools in two states. Today World Links operates in 105 schools spread in four states viz; Andhra, Karnataka, Delhi and Mumbai. All of World Links schools are the underserved government schools in rural districts. For additional detail and contact information, please visit education committee page of OSA website: www.orissasociety.org or www.worldlinksindia.org.

Minutes of the Annual Symposium of the Orissa Society of the Americas held on 24th December, 2003 at Hotel Swosti Plaza, Bhubaneswar

Dr Dhanada Mishra, Local organizer

OSA organized a symposium on Orissa's Development on December 24, 2003 at Swosti Hotel, Bhubaneswar. The chief minister Naveen Patnaik was the chief guest. Following is the minutes of the symposium. The complete report of the symposium is available at http://www.orissasociety.org.

1. The OSA Symposium, the first EVER annual symposium organised in Orissa by NROs was held on December 24th, Hotel Swosti Plaza, Bhubaneswar and inaugurated and addressed by the Chief Minister.

2. The intention to create awareness among our Oriya friends in Orissa and abroad that the Non-Resident Oriyas (NROs) are concerned about their motherland has been successful in a large measure. Some NROs are already involved in a number of development projects in Orissa and others are ready and willing to take up similar development projects in the state.

3. The Government of Orissa can assist and guide the NROs in planning and implementing many of these projects with or without financial aids from the government.

4. The Symposium proposed to involve the government officials as suggested by the Chief Minister's Office as guides and coordinators in the projects they take up in Orissa.

5. NROs would like to involve local press, NGOs and others, who can contribute to this symposium.

6. Though many points have been thrown up during the discussion the NROs would continue to receive the comments from everybody interested in Orissa's development including the government contacts and prepare tentative recommendations. Although OSA cannot direct any NRO to do particular projects, NROs hopes to collect lots of information from future symposia that will help them to plan their Orissa development projects in a better way.

7. The OSA requests the Chief Minister, as he has assured in his inaugural speech at the first ever Annual Symposium here, to create a Cell, or if possible a Department, that would work hand in hand with NROs in the Orissa Development Projects. This NRO Cell/Department should be able to directly report to the Chief Minister. The NROs will not be able to make frequent visits to Orissa to monitor the projects they take up and it would be the responsibility of the local NGOs and returning NROs to oversee the projects. To achieve this noble goal the synergistic efforts and cooperation of many are required.

8. This NRO Department, in collaboration with OSA, will conduct OSA Symposium (Oriya Pravasi Divas) every year in Orissa in which the development projects, plans and programs will be discussed openly. In these symposiums the NROs and local organizers will be recognized for their efforts in Orissa development.

9. The Cell/Department should be empowered to deal with proposals of the NROs under a single window system and facilitate implementation of any development project proposed by any NRO and cleared by the OSA. No time overrun should be tolerated.

10. Orissa Government should extend the opportunities to NROs to adopt schools, colleges and such others for their development. OSA is making some sincere efforts thanks to the initiative of some NROs to take up the Orissa Development Project in a big way. But to achieve this, it needs the cooperation of the government as well as like-minded people in the state. The NROs will not be able to make frequent visits to Orissa to monitor the projects they take up and it will be the responsibility of the local NGOs and returning NROs to oversee the projects. To achieve this noble goal the synergistic efforts and cooperation of many are required.

The following list of issues was discussed with the Chief Secretary (CS) and the Chief Minister (CM):

1. Creation of an NRO Cell
2. Office and staff for NRO cell
3. Briefs (jobs) for NRO Cell
4. Specific immediate tasks/goals: e.g., IIT for Orissa - enlist NRO support enlist NRO support for promoting exports, tourism etc. policy level participation by prominent NROs, NRO day celebrations - recognition of achievements by NROs, Assisting in NRO investment related issues, returnee migrant's problems, dealing with corruption and harrassment etc.
5. Other Miscellaneous items

The NRO cell is already in existence with Mr. Tuhin K. Pandey, Spl. Secy (GA) as our point of contact. His email address is gadmin@ori.nic.in. He will be happy to help with any queries, problems etc. until the NRO center or equivalent comes in to being. I found him to be a thoughtful, motivated and committed officer under whose responsibility this initiative should do well.

CALL FOR NOMINATION FOR OSA AWARDS

Nominations are invited for the following awards to be distributed during the OSA convention during the July 4 weekend at Dallas, Texas.

   

1. Distinguished Oriya Award
2. Kalashree Award
3. Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das Memorial Award (New)
4. Subrina Biswal Award
5. Yuva Kala Vikash Award (New)

    6.   Youth Volunteer Award

Distinguished Oriya Award, Kalashree Award, and Subrina Biswal Award are the existing in OSA for a number of years. The title of Young Oriya Award has been changed to Youth Volunteer Award and the eligibility has been extended to between 15-35 years to include young OSA members who are involved in volunteer work in North American society. Two more new awards have been created starting this year. They are: Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das Award to recognize an OSA member for his outstanding contribution to Orissa in humanitarian and community service; and Yuva Kala Vikash Award to recognize a youth for his/her contribution to promotion of Oriya culture, literature, arts, music, dance etc in North America. The nominee for the second award must be a High School student/ graduating High School student.

Further information and details regarding the nomination process are contained in http://www.orissasociety.org/. Click on awards menu.

Please send your nomination to the OSA Award Committee Co-Chairman Dr. Birendra Jena (jena-1@att.net) Tel: (330) 494-2618 before May 15, 2004. His postal address is 175 Applegrove St. NE #A-12, North Canton, OH 44720.

PROPOSED AGENDA FOR GENERAL BODY MEETING
OSA CONVENTION 2004

(a)	OSA Organizational Issues: 
1.	President's Report – Activities and Future plans
2.	Creation of position of Secretary to handle membership, Convention, and NRO cell
3.    Distribution of duties to Vice President, such as awards and culture
4.    OSA membership requirement for chapter presidents, information update, 
      and distribution of souvenirs
5.    ?

(b)	OSA Financial Issues
1.	Treasurer's Report
2.	Increasing fees for patrons to $600
3.	E-mail approval from Executive council for expense over $500
4.	OSA Budget – Expected income, expense, benefit to members
5.	OSA Fixed deposit and investment
6.	Tax-free status for chapters
7.	?

(c)	Orissa Activities
1.	OSA Symposium on Orissa Development, Dec 2005
2.	Organization of the NRO Cell
3.	?

Secretary/Treasurer’s Report, April 1, 2004

Hari Arjun Patro

                                

Income:

 

Opening Balance	$534.00
Donation Received	$199.23
OSA Fees from NJ 2003 Convention	$2453.00
NJ 2003 Convention Annual Membership	$1140.00
Other Annual Membership	$50.00
Total	$4,376.64

           

Expense:        

Paid to IPAP, Washington DC	$1000.00
Hosting Server	$100.00
Mailing to OSA Journal	$430.65
Cash Advance for Dallas OSA convention 2004	$1000.00
Total	$2,530.65

 

 

Projected Expenses Before July 4, 2004:

 

Travel cost for OSA Chief Guest for 2004 convention:	$500.00
Newsletter Printing and Postage:	$1000.00
OSA Awards	$500.00

 

Life Membership Collection since July 2003:

Benefactor:	$1600.00
Patron	$3500.00
Life	$7995.21
Total	$13,095.21

 

                                 NEXT