Consulate General to Expand Educational Opportunities for Island’ Youths
Denis Giles, Port Blair: U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin conducted her first official visit to the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, February 15-17, 2022. Ms. Ravin met with Lieutenant Governor Admiral (Retd.) Devendra Kumar Joshi, other local officials, academics, scientists, and civil society leaders. CG Ravin also visited the Port Blair Port, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Research Campus, Zoological Survey of India, and witnessed the light and sound show about India’s freedom fight at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
Consul General Judith Ravin said, “This trip is to learn more about developments in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands while exploring opportunities for collaboration with the U.S. government, academia, or private sector to help build a more resilient Indo-Pacific in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic and environmental challenges, and climate crisis. It was wonderful to see close up the natural beauty of the Andamans and experience firsthand the Islands’ rich biodiversity.”
U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin interacts with Zoological Survey of India scientist Dr. C. Sivaperuman to observe inter-tidal marine species at Burmanalla Beach on Wednesday, February 16.
The Consul General extends special thanks to three U.S. government exchange program alumni, who shared how their participation in short-term exchange programs in the United States expanded their professional knowledge base in disaster management, sustainable development, infectious diseases, and journalism.
The U.S. Consulate General Chennai is also looking to expand educational opportunities for youth from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through the Community College Initiative Program and the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program. Both programs offer fully-funded scholarships to study in the United States.
Lead scientist Dr. N.V. Vinithkumar at the National Institute of Ocean Technology’s Atal Center for Ocean Science and Technology at Minnie Bay, Port Blair, shows U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin around the laboratory on Tuesday, February 15.
Outstanding Indian academics, teachers, policy planners, administrators, and professionals in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also encouraged to apply for the 2023-24 Fulbright-Nehru, Fulbright-Kalam and other Fulbright Fellowships, which are currently open to Indian citizens with varying application deadlines beginning May 16, 2022. Administered by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), the Fulbright program is the U.S. government’s flagship educational and cultural exchange program, that offers fully funded opportunities to study, teach, or conduct research in the United States. Fellowship details are available on www.usief.org.in. Prospective applicants in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands may send their queries to usiefchennai@usief.org.in.
Links to U.S. Department of State funded exchange programs:
Community College Initiative Program: https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/community-college-initiative-program
Global Undergraduate Exchange Program: https://www.worldlearning.org/program/global-undergraduate-exchange-program/
