Tamil Nadu Dalit PhD Scholar Alleges Overseas Scholarship Dispute Puts Malaysia Research, Enrolment At Risk

Chennai – A Tamil Nadu Dalit research scholar, Bharathidasan Raman, who is pursuing his PhD at the National University of Malaysia under the Annal Ambedkar Overseas Higher Education Scholarship, has made a tearful plea for his research and enrolment amidst a scholarship dispute. The scholar, invoking the memory of Rohith Vemula's tragic death, claims the delay in receiving financial assistance from the state government has put his academic future at risk.

Bharathidasan, a native of Usilampatti in Madurai district, stated that officials have questioned his research needs and the materials he sought funding to purchase, creating pressure as his PhD was already at risk. He alleges that the social justice department is dismissing his claims as false information. The controversy has sparked a political confrontation in Tamil Nadu, with the Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and DMK President MK Stalin backing the scholar.

However, the Tamil Nadu government disputes Bharathidasan's account, stating that the scholarship has been approved for three years and funds have already been released, pending the submission of expenditure records and supporting documents. The controversy is significant as the scholarship aims to support students from disadvantaged communities to pursue postgraduate and research education abroad.

For Bharathidasan, the dispute is not just about money; it is about the very survival of his PhD programme.