Moroke Sekoboto
FORTY Basotho students are set to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and master’s degree studies at various universities across India after securing fully funded scholarships under the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) programme.
The students, drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines, were officially unveiled during a pre-departure ceremony held at the Lesotho Red Cross headquarters over the weekend.
Addressing the students, First Secretary for Consular, Education, ITEC, and Press, Information and Culture (PIC) at the Indian High Commission to Lesotho and South Africa, Sona Soman, described the ICCR Scholarship as one of India’s flagship educational and cultural diplomacy initiatives, providing talented students from around the world with opportunities to study at some of India’s leading universities.
She said the scholarship programme had produced distinguished alumni who had excelled in various professions while strengthening ties between India and their home countries.
“On behalf of the High Commissioner of India, I would like to congratulate all of you for being selected for the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholarship. You become bridges between India and Lesotho. You become India’s guests and Lesotho’s ambassadors,” Ms Soman said.
She said India remained committed to sharing knowledge, building human capacity and fostering partnerships for shared prosperity through education.
“India believes in sharing knowledge, capacity building, human resource development and partnership for common prosperity for all. ICCR is one of such initiatives, bringing together more than 3400 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students from over 160 countries,” she said.
Ms Soman noted that Lesotho is among the largest beneficiaries of the ICCR scholarship programme, with 40 scholarship slots allocated for the current academic year.
She encouraged the students to maximise the opportunity by excelling academically while embracing India’s diverse culture.
“As you prepare to embark on this exciting academic journey, I encourage each of you to make the most of this valuable opportunity. Learn from accomplished faculty and talented peers, participate in academic and extracurricular activities, learn new languages, travel to different states and experience different cuisines. I assure you that India is not foreign to you.”
Honorary Consul of India in Lesotho, Biju Abraham Korah, assured the students that support would always be availed during their stay in India.
He urged them to maintain regular communication with their host institutions, the ICCR and the Indian High Commission regarding their arrival, accommodation, academic registration and any challenges they might encounter.
“In case of any emergency, you may contact the commission through WhatsApp or email. We are just a call away,” Mr Korah said.
He further advised the students to seek assistance from their universities’ international students’ offices, the ICCR or the High Commission of Lesotho in India whenever necessary.
Mr Korah also reminded them to travel with all essential documents, including passports, visas, admission letters, scholarship award letters, academic certificates, passport-sized photographs, medical records where applicable and emergency contact details, while keeping both physical and electronic copies securely.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Counsellor in the Department of Asia and Pacific Realm, Ngaka Ramoroke, said the scholarships were a product of the strong bilateral relations between Lesotho and India.
He urged the students to remain disciplined, excel in their studies and return home equipped with skills that would contribute to Lesotho’s development.
“Many Basotho have benefited from this initiative over the years, and we are identifying areas where the country lacks expertise, such as medicine and aviation, so that students can pursue those fields in India.
“As the ministry, we want to expose our young people to the world so they can build partnerships and networks. We expect the students to play their part, just as the governments of Lesotho and India have done by creating these opportunities. Maintain discipline because you will be living in a different country. We have a High Commission in New Delhi, and if you encounter any problems, contact them. They are now your parents while you are away,” Mr Ramoroke said.
