Sitare Foundation announces first batch of talented students who have secured admissions in renowned US universities

Sitare Foundation, a not-for-profit organization aiming to “Transform fifty thousand lives through education by 2050” today announced the names of its first batch of five talented underprivileged senior secondary school students who have secured admissions in renowned universities in the United States of America, in undergraduate Computer Sciences programs. Milan Ramdhari will be joining Virginia Tech, and Tanisha Nagori will join Case Western Reserve University. Kusum Choudhary, Mahendra Kumar, and Nisha Choudhary have received multiple admissions from several universities including University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, University of California – Santa Cruz, and Arizona State University. Many more admissions for these students are expected over the coming weeks.

The Foundation works towards empowering children from impoverished backgrounds by assisting them to enter middle school (through an aptitude test and an interview for admission in Class VI) and providing them with quality education for seven years. Alongside academics, Sitare especially focusses on building their social, emotional, and language capabilities to prepare them for a successful future as a world class professional, starting with preparing them for admissions into prestigious universities in India and in the United States. Sitare’s unique style of one-on-one mentorship, led by its founder Shilpa Singhal, has been pivotal to the success Sitare students have achieved in securing admissions in top US universities. We are hoping for similar success from the students taking various entrance exams in India.

Sitare scholar Kusum Chaudhary is the daughter of a farmer who works on someone else’s farm. As a middle child and the older of the two daughters in the family, Kusum did not have the luxury to avoid work. Although illiterate, Kusum’s mother believed that education is the only way out of poverty. Kusum took the Sitare entrance exam and qualified for the scholarship. Her dreams took flight when she wrote her first computer program and imagined herself as a software engineer. Now Kusum will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in a renowned US university.

Sitare scholar Mahendra Kumar is the youngest of five boys in his family. He comes from a family of generational barbers with a humble background. His father, the only person in his family who finished high school (10th grade), works in a sheet metal factory rolling stainless steel sheets. With the support of Sitare Foundation Mahendra has been admitted this year to the Ohio State University to pursue a degree in Computer Science.

Sitare scholar Milan Ramdhari comes from a backward community. His father is an auto-rickshaw driver who works both day and night shifts to make ends meet. Milan’s life changed when he qualified in the entrance test for the Sitare Foundation. He joined Euro International School, a partner school for Sitare Foundation’s education initiative in Jodhpur. He is ready to pursue his undergraduate education in Computer Science at Virginia Tech.

Sitare Scholar Nisha Chaudhary never imagined a life outside her village. Nisha is the second oldest daughter in the family of four children. She took care of her siblings while her mom, aunts and uncle worked the fields. Nisha aspires to become a software engineer and wants to work with leading technology firms. She also plans to help Sitare Foundation and carry the organization’s mission forward in helping underprivileged girls with opportunities that could aid in lighting up their future.

Born into poverty to a tea-stall owner, Tanisha Nagori has overcome every obstacle that has come in her way to get here today. In her community girls are actively discouraged from going to school. Her mother was married at an age of fifteen, and Tanisha was born when her mother was just sixteen. Once Tanisha was selected into the Sitare program, her mother ensured that the community doesn’t get in the way of Tanisha’s education.

Shilpa Singhal, Founder, Sitare Foundation said, “I have personally witnessed the transformative power of education in my studies from Cornell University (Masters of Engineering, Computer Science) and Binghamton University (MS, Physics). My deep involvement with my children’s education, and my volunteer work in schools led me to realize the advantage privileged children have over the underprivileged just because they won the birth lottery. This led to the start of Sitare Foundation. The challenge of educating underprivileged children might seem daunting, but that does not, and will never, deter us from our mission.”

Amit Singhal, Founder, Sitare Foundation said “Education has a major role to play in ensuring the growth of our nation as an economic powerhouse and achieving PM Modi’s vision of transforming India into a $5 trillion economy. It is something that each and every human being deserves but the saddest part is that not everyone can afford it. In India, less than half of children finish Class 12. I firmly believe that by supporting these bright minds we not only transform their lives, but also help in building a better and brighter future for this great nation.”

Currently over 400 bright underprivileged children are enrolled in the Sitare’s educational programme in Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhopal, and Indore, and over sixty-five thousand children registered to take the entrance exam later this month. The Foundation has partnered with some of the best private schools through which they are able to impart quality education to their bright children. The Foundation’s office in Gurugram offers online education through Sitare’s experienced faculty to the selected students in a scientific approach.

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