Pune: Ramdas Athawale Bats for Strong Support System for Students Seeking Foreign Scholarships
Pune, 30th November 2025: A discussion session focused on challenges in higher education and international scholarship opportunities was organised on Saturday afternoon at the Geology Department Auditorium of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). The event was hosted by the Republican Bahujan Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the Republican Party of India (Pranit).
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale was the chief guest. Addressing the students, Athawale emphasised the importance of unity and active support systems for learners aspiring for advanced studies abroad. He encouraged youth from all backgrounds to pursue global education opportunities without hesitation.
Director of Higher Education in Maharashtra, Dr. Shailendra Devlankar; SPPU Vice Chancellor Dr. Suresh Gosavi; Director General of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Sunil Ware; and SPPU Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Parag Kalkar attended as guests of honour.
Dean of Humanities at SPPU, Dr. Vijay Khare, and Director of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Extension, Prof. Vilas Adhav, delivered welcome addresses. They highlighted the need for increased awareness about scholarships and academic development programmes available to students, especially those from marginalised communities.
The programme was chaired by Parshuram Wadekar of RPI (Maharashtra State), while RPI State Vice President Sachin Bansode also marked his significant presence.
Other dignitaries at the event included RBVP Maharashtra State President Chandrashekar Kamble, Vishal Shewale, Avinash Kadam, Pune Deputy Mayor Sunita Wadekar, Maharashtra State RBVP General Secretary Sushil Mahadik, and several organisational office-bearers and student representatives.
Suraj Shriram Gaikwad, City President of Republican Bahujan Vidyarthi Parishad (A), led the event’s organisation, ensuring smooth arrangements.
The programme concluded with a collective call for expanding access to global education, as leaders and experts urged students to take full advantage of available government support schemes. The organisers stated that the event received an enthusiastic response from students and was declared a grand success.
