Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid is to support a scholarship scheme for Indian students at a well-known college in Scotland – Adam Smith College – where the British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown, is the Chancellor.

The British Council’s newsletter ‘Connecting’ quotes Dravid as saying: “I was invited by Gordon Brown to consider supporting a scholarship scheme, which is something I considered very carefully. I was very impressed at the college’s focus on skills and the preparation they provide for getting students a job. It is important to me that young people aspire to be the very best they can be. That is why I am backing them to reach their true potential with scholarships through Adam Smith College in Scotland.”

Dravid added, “Through cricket I recognise the value and importance of education and the personal development that comes from international travel and exposure to new communities and cultures.”

The initial scholarships will be awarded to 10 students from India who will be chosen through a selection process by the Charitable Foundation of the college. Ten scholarships of GBP (pounds sterling) 1,000 for the first and second year of study will be available to assist with student fees. Scholarships in the second year are dependent on the students’ academic performance.

As well as the 10 scholarship holders, all new students who enrol at the college this summer will also receive a new laptop computer from the Rahul Dravid scholarship scheme to help with their studies. 

Mark Cullens, Assistant Principal of Adam Smith College, said, “We first came to India in 2006 to talk to students who were considering studying in the UK. We have been delighted at the high calibre of the students that have come to study with us from throughout India.”

Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy, Fife, is the third largest college in Scotland and the largest in central Scotland, with approximately 20,000 students and a staff of more than 700. It offers students undergraduate courses in science, engineering, multimedia, computer networking, hospitality and business management.

The college is named after the Scots-born economist Adam Smith, best known for his book The Wealth of Nations.

(For further information, e-mail: enquiries@adamsmith.ac.uk)