By Tricity News
Srinagar 03rd May:- The Drukpa Order, which
has shaped and contributed to the Himalayan and Central Asian culture and
heritage for over a millenium, has launched the Naropa Fellowship
programme to develop entrepreneurial skills that will foster a robust
socio-economic environment in Ladakh and the greater
Himalayas. This modern approach to serving the people of the
Himalayas will help ensure that the communities and cultures cradled in
the Himalayas thrive for generations to come.
The
Naropa Fellowship is a one-year, fully residential, post-graduate,
academic programme focused on creating and nurturing agents of change who will
work towards building a sustainable socio-economic environment in
Ladakh and the greater Himalayas. It seeks to foster
entrepreneurship, retain local talent while preserving the cultural heritage of
the region. The fellowship is designed to address the rising challenges of
unemployment, lack of training and professional skills, and gradual cultural
erosion in Ladakhi and the Himalayan societies. The Naropa campus is
located at Hemis, a beautiful village in Leh.
The Naropa
Fellowship is inspired by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa
and co-founded by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, Spiritual
Regent to His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa and Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha,
the founding dean of the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, and the
co-founder of Ashoka University, Sonipat.
Expanding on the
Drukpa Order's centuries old tradition of experiential learning, the curriculum
of the fellowship will include entrepreneurship, society and culture,
communication skills and personal development tied up with a live project which
will engage the fellows in working on sustainable solutions for the local
community in Ladakh and surrounding regions with support from faculty which
includes industry experts, academicians and practitioners who will guide and
instruct the fellows.
Speaking on the
occasion Dr Pramath
Raj Sinha said that the Naropa Fellowship
is a wonderful initiative that fosters entrepreneurship, leadership and
responsible and sustainable solutions for society. It is a great opportunity
for the youth to engage and involve themselves with a programme that
develops their leadership skills and prepares them to contribute to their
communities.
Speaking on the
occasion His
Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche said that education is the key
for creating a sustainable
future and finding solutions for the challenges that face
us today. The Naropa Fellowship is a step in the direction of inspiring
our youth to take on these challenges, provide leadership and direction to efforts at
revitalizing the land, the society and the balance of nature.
Over 40 of the world's leading academics, industry experts and
practitioners will guide and instruct the Naropa Fellows as visiting faculty-
facilitating professional development and growth. Some of the reputed faculty
includes Kenwyn Smith- Professor, University of Pennsylvania, School of
Social Policy and Practice, Kathy Dewitte- Dean, Arteveldehoge school,
Belgium, Stuart Hendry- Entrepreneurship Lead Professor, University of
Cape Town, Sara J. Corse- Associate Adjunct Professor, Thomas Jefferson
University and many others.
The
Fellowship is currently inviting applications from graduate students for
the first session beginning September 2018. 40 of the total 50 students
of the first batch will be rewarded full scholarship worth INR 10, 00,000. Full
or partial scholarship will also be available to international students on a
needs-only basis. Students can apply for the Naropa Fellowship 2018 through the
website (http://naropafellowship.org/) and last date of the submission of
the application is 7th July 2018.
