Living an Indian dream

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The past few days have been more than fun for Ewan Frost-Penni-ngton. A chemistry student from the University of Edinburgh, UK, his just ended Indian sojourn has resulted in him becoming a desi wearing khadi and bargaining at Dilli Haat.

“Well, the Indian trip was more than that,” he clarifies, “Looking back, I can say that the Study India Progra-mme made me know India and its education system better. It is much removed from the myths and clichés. It’s a changing country and we should be aware about this.”
Part of a group of 86 British students chosen for the Study India Programme — sponsored by the UK-India Education Research Initiative with IndoGenius and King’s College London, from August 18 to September 15, Frost-Pennington has experienced Indian culture, history, politics and economy first hand. The mission helped create a better cross-cultural understanding and work and culture exchange between the two nations. Its highlights included a talk by Mark Tully, former chief of bureau, BBC India on the Indo-British interpersonal relations; an address by William Bissell, MD, Fabindia on social entrepreneurship; informal addresses by noted expatriates on living and working in India; a talk on Enterprising India: From NGO to IPO; and a freshers’ party.
The programme aimed to help the mobility of students towards India. “Few years down the line, we expect these students to take up India as their study destination. It is really exciting to hear so many of them talking about returning to India not just to visit but also to work, volunteer and even set up businesses,” says Nicholas Booker, CEO, IndoGenius, the organiser of the programme.
The participating students have been picked from over a dozen UK universities, including Oxford University, the London School of Economics, The School of Oriental and African Studies and King’s College London. “The programme culminated with one-week internships across prime Indian cities. The companies included TCS, HCL, Crazeal, Genesis Colors and several NGOs to help us with on-hands experience of the Indian work culture,” says Ria Jesrani, a student of Univ-ersity of Oxford, who interned at a media house in Delhi.
The trip has already worked for Harry Seago, now a graduate in Mathematics from Warwick University. He is looking for a good Masters course in Philosophy in the Indian capital. “Studying here is economical as compared to the UK. But I need a course that has good curriculum and is delivered through the pedagogical tools we have back home,” he says.
To Professor Keith Hoggart of King’s College London, it is important for the UK students to learn more about India, a nation that will have increasing bearing on their lives and careers in fut-ure. “And the visit is a step in that direction,” he says.