City-based foundation honours 26 achievers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13

City-based Bhai Jaitajee Foundation (BJF) on Friday felicitated their 26 students, who despite facing socio-economic challenges, made it to prestigious educational institutes such as IITs, NITs, IIITs, PEC and AIIMS. 

Notable among them, Amarjeet of Jansher Khas from Jalandhar and son of a scrap vendor, made it to the IIT-Delhi. He had secured the 177th position.

In girls, Manpreet Kaur, daughter of Malkeet Singh, a small farmer at Ghaurava village in Gurdaspar, made it to AIIMS, New Delhi. She studied up to Class X at her native village.

Dr BNS Walia, former Director, PGI, Chandigarh, and presently the chairman of the foundation; and Harpal Singh, managing trustee, felicitated the students in the presence of their parents.

In 2014, the foundation started a two-year free residential coaching programme in partnership with Saint Soldier International School, Chandigarh, and the AKSIPS, Mohali.

The foundation was established in 2011 in Chandigarh. It aims at grooming Punjabi youth facing financial hurdles. Students are prepared for competitive exams for admission to several prestigious institutions such as the IIT/JEE and NEET.

They are given two-year free residential scholarship worth Rs 5 lakh. This year, of 19 non-medical students, nine secured admission to the IITs and IIITs. The rest 10 students made it to the PEC and NITs.

As far as the medical stream is concerned, three out of six students made it to medical colleges, one joined BSc nursing in AIIMS and remaining two are planning to join dental colleges. This year, the foundation has started a one-year program for MBBS admissions.