The KET is delighted to announce that we have awarded the first two bursaries from our Overseas Naga Bursaries Initiative. Thanks to the enormous generosity of one of KET’s supporters, we were able to launch this new programme in early 2025 and are now able to announce the first two recipients of a bursary. They are:
Anoushka Mair Kitson: she is a final year Medical student at Cardiff School of Medicine at Cardiff University:
"I have always had a desire to help others from a young age. For me, Medicine combines my love for learning about the human body and my desire to care for and look after people. A few years ago, my Paternal grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Doctors were able to use the latest cancer treatment options to prolong her life for two years. It was during this time that I learned and appreciated the depth of what the medical profession can do and the true meaning of caring for someone, as we rallied around her as a family. My Paternal Grandmother was treated in Tata Medical Centre (TMC) Kolkata), and this year I had the privilege of returning to TMC as a Medical student for my Elective placement. I was able to experience and learn more about the care for cancer patients from all across the East and North East of India. This experience also helped shape my understanding of healthcare beyond the UK and appreciate how Medicine is a universal language.
"When I complete my course, I will commence working as a resident Doctor within the NHS Wales. This consists of two foundation years before completing further internal medical training for three years. After this I hope to specialize In Geriatric Medicine, an area of medicine that I have a particular passion for. I also believe that geriatric Medicine is particularly important here in the UK, given the nature of our ageing population. I intend to stay on in Wales as Doctor, as I believe it is a privilege to be able to give back to the community I grew up in.”
Kimaya Seren Kitson: she is a 4th year Medical student at Cardiff University:
"My passion and desire to help others alongside my long term and growing fascination with Medical science has driven me towards pursuing a career in Medicine. During a period of illness I was struck by how focused and dedicated the Doctors that treated me were. They worked seamlessly together, and quickly came up with solutions for my needs, despite being in a pressurised environment. Being a patient helped me to experience first-hand, the care and compassion shown by doctors and nurses. This particular event left a lasting impression on me and further reinforced my decision to pursue a medical career. I became a Volunteer in my local nursing home to gain insight into the needs of patients . I spent time with the residents and assisted them during mealtimes .This allowed me to gain a better understanding of the adversities faced by an ageing population and how they can be overcome .This opportunity helped me to widen my knowledge and understanding of what caring for others really means . I am currently a fourth year Medical student at Cardiff University .
"I hope to graduate in 2026, I will then spend two years working as a Foundation Doctor. My wish is to work within South Wales where I will be able to give back to the community where I was born and raised. I then aspire to apply for the Internal Medicine Training programme where I will commence further training in order to specialise in an area of Medicine."
Photographed below are Kimaya (left) and Anoushka (right) - we wish them many congratulations and the very best of luck with their continued studies!
We are presently still waiting for the KES’s licence to be renewed, which will allow us to re-commence our Scholarship programme in Nagaland. In the meantime, we have set up the bursary scheme offering financial assistance to tertiary level students of recent Naga heritage who are permanently residing outside India, with a focus on those studying in the UK. The bursary support will prioritise STEM subjects and professional qualifications in the trades and services sectors. We aim to reach out to the diaspora of young Nagas already living abroad who may benefit from financial assistance in order to complete their studies.
Recognising the cost of education in the western world, we have set each bursary at a total of £3,750, which is 10 times the cost of a 3-year scholarship we were awarding in Nagaland. This is a very large amount for a donor to consider, so to make the bursary amounts achievable we would be delighted to receive donations that can cover a part of a bursary to match the amount a donor wishes to contribute. The bursary will be paid to the successful applicant on a prorated basis across the terms or semesters of their course.
If you would like to contribute to this new initiative or to learn more about it, please email sylvia@kohimaeducationaltrust.org
If you are wishing to apply for a busary, the next round of applications will open in September 2025 and will be announced nearer the time.
