Hi, I hope you're doing well. My name is Bhimraj M (Before you ask, the 'Bhim' in my name is from Babasaheb 'Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar'). I hail from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. I have been selected for the MPhil in Law Course at the University of Oxford, and I need your help to study at Oxford.

The Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, based at Somerville College, has awarded me the Ratanshaw Bomanji Zaiwalla Scholarship to pursue MPhil in Law. The exact value of the scholarship is yet to be confirmed, but it is a partial scholarship which will amount to at least £25,000. The scholarship amount almost covers the tuition fee of £26,450. However, the living and other expenses (like the visa cost, immigration, health surcharge, airfare, etc.) amount to approximately £19,518 or INR 20,50,171/- I am reaching out to you all for support regarding the same.

I have an unwavering commitment to fight against discrimination despite the highs and lows of life. My dream is to use academia to be a rights-based educator, engage with young minds on stifling socio-political challenges that we face today and create a more egalitarian society. My journey so far is a testament to this commitment. After completing my undergraduate law degree from The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, I joined the South Asian University (established by the SAARC Nations) for my LLM in Public International Law. During my research career, I have tried analyzing the conceptual and legal frameworks that can be effective in addressing the problem of caste-based discrimination.

Through my research paper, 'A Dalit Critique of Environmental Justice in India', I have attempted to use the concept of ‘Environmental Justice’ to address the discrimination faced by the Dalits in the environmental sector. Further, during my postgraduate dissertation, I analyzed the adequacy of international human rights law mechanisms to address the problem of caste-based discrimination and highlighted the stark gaps in the legal framework to address the same. My dissertation got published as two research articles in the International Journal on Minority and Group Rights (Brill | Nijhoff).

Proceeding this, I got selected for the 'Indian Equality Law Visiting Fellowship Programme' organized jointly by the University of Melbourne and the University of Oxford. During my fellowship, I will be writing a research paper on the adequacy of the SC/ST (PoA) Act in eradicating caste-based atrocities under the supervision of Prof. Tarunabh Khaitan. Finally, this trail continues in my research proposal for the MPhil in Law Course at the University of Oxford. My MPhil research proposal deals with the adequacy of Indian legal mechanisms in addressing discriminatory waste facility siting.

When I was doing my PhD at the South Asian University, I participated in a number of protests against the discriminatory practices of the university. One of our protests against the mental harassment suffered by a student at the hands of her supervisor led to the formation of an inquiry committee in which I served as a full member. Further, in 2022, we organized another protest against the dictatorial policies of the university administration, such as a substantial reduction in the number and amount of scholarships and refusal to include student members in the university's anti-harassment committees.

I was one of the five students against whom the university took 'disciplinary' action to diffuse the peaceful students’ movement. I was arbitrarily rusticated from the university for one year without enquiry on 4th November 2022. One of the students against whom 'disciplinary' action was taken suffered cardiac arrest and was admitted to the ICU. We continued the protest demanding justice for our friend fighting for his life in the ICU because of institutional harassment. Later, I was again arbitrarily expelled on 25th November 2022, along with one of my comrades. We have approached the Delhi High Court against the arbitrary proctorial orders of the university, and we hope the judiciary finally delivers us justice. 

In short, my goal is to research and write on the structures of discrimination and create an intellectual community to fight against the unequal structures affecting marginalized groups. I feel that studying a research degree at one of the premier educational institutions in the world will help me enrich my research skills and prepare me for the war against various forms of discrimination and inequality.

So, I request you to help me in any way possible to pursue my studies at the University of Oxford. And it would be of great help if you could share this message with your networks. 

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