Media Release

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Monday, 19 November 2012

The Premier of South Australia, the Honourable Jay Weatherill MP, and the University of Adelaide have launched a new scholarship for an outstanding Indian teacher.

The Ashok Khurana scholarship was launched today at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi.

University of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) Professor Pascale Quester says the Ashok Khurana Scholarship will not only benefit the successful teachers, but enhance the already strong education ties between Australia and India.

The scholarship will support the postgraduate education of a practising and tertiary qualified school teacher working in the Indian education system.

One scholarship will be awarded to an Indian national undertaking a Master of Education at the University of Adelaide, valued at AUD$38,500 for one year.

The scholarship is named after Professor Ashok Khurana, a former University of Adelaide staff member. He generously established the scholarship so that he could give back to the Indian education system from which he benefitted.

"My life was changed by a scholarship. As a young man in India I received a scholarship to study overseas, which led to 39 years in Australia," Professor Khurana says.

"After a successful career as an engineer in the petroleum industry, I reflected on the benefits that my family and I received.

"I felt a great debt to the Indian education system and to the Australian nation for welcoming me as an immigrant and giving me every opportunity in life."

Professor Pascale Quester says: "This scholarship is a great example of Australia giving back to India, of the strength of the Indian community in Adelaide, and of the Indian diaspora retaining connections with the mother country."