University of Sydney celebrates India Scholarship recipients

Established in 2019, the Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Program supports outstanding Indian international students to study at Sydney who have big ideas to bring about positive change in their country. Since then 109 students have received the scholarship, as part of the University’s commitment to building educational ties with India and supporting students from different backgrounds to achieve their full potential.

The University held a ceremony on 6 September for scholarship recipients from 2020 to 2023, giving students an opportunity to network in person and share their experiences of living and studying in Australia.

Speaking at the event, Shane Griffin, Associate Vice President Sydney Future Students, congratulated the students and thanked them for their contributions.

“This scholarship program is part of our commitment to deepening engagement with India and we are delighted to celebrate our recent and current scholars, as well as their successes.

“We are committed to continued investment in India through education, research and collaboration with industry partners – and importantly, to fostering our diverse student community.

“Our Indian students contribute to a vital part of our campus experience – exposure to different perspectives and different ways of doing things – and they are valued members of our University community.  Whether you’re beginning your studies or have been here longer, I encourage you to get involved with campus life wherever you can and make the most of the opportunities available to you,” said Shane.

Aryan Bhatia from Delhi was the first recipient of the Sydney Scholars India Scholarship in 2019 and recently completed a Bachelor in Software Engineering. His big idea was to create an application to connect farmers with storage facilities to help reduce the wastage of crops in India, sparked while witnessing the challenges he saw his father face on his own farm when he was growing up.

“The scholarship changed my life’s trajectory. Uni made me more independent, more confident and more mature. I came here alone not knowing anyone and now it is my second home,” said Aryan.

Aryan is now working as a software engineer in the Sydney CBD and encouraged current students to be proactive with career opportunities and keep learning. “Be on the lookout for career fairs and networking events, have an extremely solid LinkedIn profile. I got my first paid internship as a software engineer during my second year by approaching start-up CEOs on LinkedIn.”

“Additionally, constantly upskill yourself. Go beyond what is being taught in class. Doing courses and having personal projects goes a long way – you just need to connect with the right industry mentors or students.”

2020 recipient Ava Khan is in her fourth year studying a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Advanced Studies, majoring in health and infectious diseases. Her big idea for making an impact on the Indian population was to develop and implement an e-health system across Indian public hospitals that would be accessible for both doctors and patients and reduce the burden of paper records.

“Studying here and engaging in the several research projects and opportunities that I have been afforded and speaking to leaders in industry in digital health has helped me reshape my idea and figure out the kinks that I need to smooth it out,” said Ava.

Ava’s advice to students beginning their scholarship is to take the first step with a project and have confidence in themselves.

“If there is a project or cause you want to pursue, reach out and express your interest. Seek out mentors and professional relationships that will guide you and help discover the passion that is key to your success. Believe in yourself and your impact as you embark on this exciting journey.”

The Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Program is one of Australia’s most generous scholarship programs for Indian international students, valued at more than $500,000 in total each year. A total of 28 scholarships are awarded annually:

• 3 x $40,000 per annum for any undergraduate degree of up to four years
• 10 x $20,000 first-year scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students
• 15 x $10,000 first-year scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students.