Swega Saminathan, the 17-year-old daughter of a farmer from Erode, Tamil Nadu, has been awarded a full scholarship of Rs3 crore to study at the University of Chicago (UChicago) in the United States.
Swega will be the first in her family to attend college, having been born and raised in Kasipalayam, a small village in Erode district. Swega intends to study Biology at UChicago in order to pursue a career as a scientist. Dexterity Global, a national organisation that empowers the next generation of leaders via educational opportunities and training, groomed Swega.
Swega's whole cost of education for four years will be covered by the Rs 3-crore full scholarship, which includes tuition, accommodation and board, books and supplies, health insurance, personal and travel expenses, and so on.
"This is incredible!" Swega exclaimed after obtaining the scholarship. My father is a small-scale farmer, and my mother is a stay-at-home mom. I grew up in rural Tamil Nadu villages where girls get married before they reach my age. They are not exposed to the sights and sounds of college. And I'll have the opportunity to study at the world's finest university on a full scholarship of Rs3 lakh," says Swega.
“For the last two years, Dexterity has been my home and my greatest hope. Had it not been for Dexterity, I may not have even heard of UChicago. It is truly an emotional day for me, my parents. I promise to use my education to help build a better India — something we are taught at Dexterity every day,” she says.