Indian Express News Service, July 31, 2011 — BANGALORE: Enabling better access to higher education for the children of auto drivers, police constables and pourakarmikas in the city, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) distributed scholarships worth Rs 20 lakhs on Saturday. Around 600 students were chosen and awarded scholarships based on their performance in the tenth and twelfth standard examinations.
The initiative, supported by Srinivasulu Reddy, a donor, aims to laud the contribution of auto drivers, pourakarmikas, railway porters etc by supporting the education of their children through scholarships. Out of 1,700 applications, 628 students were chosen based on merit. Out of the 628, 425 students were from the tenth standard and 175 from the twelfth standard.
“There is a growing need to institute scholarships for the families of these unsung heroes of the city. It is because of them that our city survives,” said Madhu Pandit Das, President, International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Highlighting the fact that the contribution of people with simple professions often goes unrecognised, Das said that ISKCON aims to bring people, who want to support them, together.
The families were selected on the basis of their annual income. Sharada and Sandhya, a mother-daughter duo, said that these scholarships help them get better access to learning opportunities.
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I am very much astonished to read this posting here on a website supposed to be by, and for followers of Srila Prabhupada.
I am not aware of any case in which Srila Prabhupada used the mission’s funds to support mundane education. Nor that he ever endorsed such a thing.
Please correct me if I am mistaken – it seems, though, that this website is losing its way.
Atmavidya Das
Hamburg
a donor is giving the money for these children, not ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada’s donations from temple. In fact this is good publicity considering ISKCON Bangalore is one of the great temples in this city..
I fail to see the difference. It is happening in the name of ISKCON Bangalore. What excatly is the use of such “publicity”? I thought this kind of thing is the business of illusioned people such as Radhanath “Swami”.
Sri Srinivasalu Reddy, a prominent businessman of the city was the chief patron of this program, a philanthropic basically, wanted to help the poorer class of men by giving them monitory benefit for education. He approached Sri Madhupandit prabhu and asked him to do it through ISKCON organization so that it would reach the right people and also the temple would benefit by such activity. Hope this clears the doubt Atmavidya prabhu.
Hey thanks for clearing it up in more detail, Akshara Brahma Prabhu.
Puts things much more in proportion. Still, I see a tendency worldwide that devotees get too absorbed in philanthropic work/seva.
Atmavidya Das,
Hamburg/Germany
Iam B.Chandini, Completed SSLC My Father no more, My Mother working in pvt company so please provide scholarship for my higher Education Contact number: 8884220226
Wow, what a great initiative by Bangalore temple? Really great. This is not the first time they have done this. Elsewhere also, one girl was giving a testimony that because of akshaya patra scheme she was able to go to school and very soon she will be able to stand on her own legs. But as far as I have heard from Prabhupada, he was the greatest enemy of women liberation. Similarly, he was the greatest enemy of modern education, calling it demoniac. I can see the consequences of absence of authority.
And regarding the point of some external person giving charity through ISKCON, it reminds me of a person smoking ganja through someone else’s hand thinking that we are not doing this act. Great service, no doubt Bangalore ISKCON is the best temple in the world. Even a friend of mine told me “The best thing that ISKCON has done till today is akshaya patra”. Till now I was thinking that the best things that ISKCON did was giving vedic literature as it is to the world, preaching Krishna consciousness to everyone, Harinam sankirtan etc, but this friend was of the opinion that the best thing was feeding poor school children food
Firstly i would like to thank ISKCON for providing me a scholarship of RS: 3000 in the year 2009 when i completed S.S.L.C , and now i am studying B.COM 2nd year but my father is not able to pay my final year fee (25000) because of financial problem, but this is my life, i have to complete my degree(B.COM) or else i will not be considered as educated / degree holder, i don’t know what to do so i request u to help me please…
i am a poor guy who is not able to complete my degree final year (B.com) because of financial problem but i want to study, i want to achieve something in the life…
if you are interested in helping me please contact (8892757266)