British deputy high commissioner Nick Low on Thursday praised the initiative of the Jharkhand government to provide scholarship to tribal students for higher studies in the UK.

In a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren, Low congratulated him for successfully rolling out the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme and helping students from tribal communities go abroad to pursue higher studies and expressed sadness for not being able to attend the felicitation.

“I have the honour to write this letter with both joy and sadness in my heart. Joy because I am truly delighted to convey my heartiest thanks and congratulations to the government of Jharkhand for launching the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme for students belonging to tribal communities to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom. Sadness because I am unable to rearrange my programme to join you for this afternoon’s event,” the letter states.

Praising the state government’s visionary initiative for supporting marginal communities, Low said: “In the direction of bridging the inequalities of access in higher studies, I sincerely congratulate you for steering this visionary initiative to bridge the inequalities of access to higher education faced by marginal communities in India.

“Your leadership and the efforts of the state government of Jharkhand to drive this knowledge partnership between Jharkhand and the United Kingdom deserve the highest praise. The legacy of Jaipal Singh Munda, who started his Oxford BA programme a century ago will, I believe, now be taken forward both through this batch of scholars and subsequent beneficiaries.”

Welcoming the first batch of students to the UK universities, Low said: “It gives me immense pleasure also to welcome the inaugural cohort of six scholars selected to follow masters programmes in prestigious universities across the United Kingdom.”

On Thursday, the chief minister and tribal welfare minister Champai Soren felicitated the students selected for the scholarship and their parents at a programme in Ranchi. The scholarship scheme has been rolled out for Scheduled Tribe students to pursue higher studies in universities across the UK.

The awardees are entitled to a complete cover of tuition fees along with living and other miscellaneous expenses. Under this scheme, 10 ST students will be selected every year in Jharkhand.

Addressing the students, Soren said that a budget provision of Rs 10 crore has been made for higher education abroad. He urged the department to adjust the budgeted amount left in the next financial year so that more and more students can get the opportunity of quality education abroad. He also announced that efforts are on to increase the number of students to be selected for the scholarship in future.

The chief minister said since this scheme is giving opportunities to the students of tribal communities for higher education abroad, the government will also consider in the near future about giving a similar chance to children from other communities as well.

Among the selected students, Hercules Singh Munda is going to pursue an MA at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, while Ajitesh Murmu is going to study for an MA in Architecture at the University College of London. Akanksha Mary Balmuchu has been selected for an MSc in climate change science and management at the Loughborough University, while Dinesh Bhagat will pursue an MSc in climate change, development and policy at the University of Sussex.

Apart from this, Anjana Pratima Dungdung has been selected for an MSc at the University of Warwick and Priya Murmu will pursue an MA in creative writing and the writing industries at the Loughborough University.