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KOHIMA, SEPRTEMBER 12 (MExN): The TCK Foundation awarded the first TCK scholarships for Undergraduate Studies to two female candidates of the Lotha community at Hotel Vivor in Kohima on September 11. The two students selected for the scholarship are Mharhonyingi Odyuo pursuing her Civil Engineering at NIT Chumukedima and Daisy Kikon, pursuing her B.A. Honours at Don Bosco College, Kohima.
Both candidates were selected after going through two rounds of selection; the submission of the forms with essays and a physical interview. The selection panel consisted of Nellayappan B., OSD at CMO, Government of Nagaland and Thungjano Kithan, Senior Assistant Professor, Department of History and Archaeology, Nagaland University and a Managing Trustee of the foundation.
The selected candidates will each receive a sum of rupees fifty thousand for the period of their four years of undergraduate studies.
The TCK Scholarship For Undergraduate Studies is an initiative of the TCK Foundation for the facilitating deserving candidates, who are unable to pursue higher education owing to financial constraints, with valuable financial support towards their undergraduate studies so as to enable them to achieve their desired life goals.
The scholarship was instituted in the memory of the Late T.C.K. Lotha who was the first direct recruit IAS officer to the state cadre of Nagaland and also the first IAS officer from the Lotha tribe. He retired as the Chief Secretary and entered into a brief political career as the Cabinet Minister of Tourism till his demise in the year 2000.
The family members and trustees of the foundation felt that a scholarship program that assisted a new generation of leaders to emerge from humble backgrounds would be the ideal reflection to the legacy and heritage left behind by him, who also rose from very humble beginnings, surpassing various financial and educational challenges with deep determination and finally entered into the administrative service in 1964.
The scholarship program for the initial year invited candidates from the Lotha community. However, in the coming years the trustees say that applications will be invited from all Naga tribes of Nagaland. More information is available on the website www.tcklothafoundation.org.
The guest of honor for the function was Banuo Z Jamir (IAS), Lokayukta Nagaland and retired Chief Secretary. In her address to the gathering, she reminisced on her years of association with the late TCK Lotha, especially mentioning his calm and cool composure when dealing with stressful and difficult situations.
The function was attended by close family members and friends. Reverend Dr Benry Lotha, Senior Pastor of the Kohima Lotha Baptist Church said a prayer of blessing over the two awardees. The gathering was also treated to a special song by the Yentsso Von, a lotha male voice singing group.
