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I am a Dalit poet writing in the English language for about ten years and I have been offered admission for MA Creative Writing (Full time), Poetry at University of East Anglia, UK- one of the most prestigious creative writing programs in the UK. I will be one of the 15 students, out of 117 applicants from all over the world.
I have been residing at Trivandrum for the past 10 years. My published collections of poetry include “Letters to Namdeo Dhasal” (2016, Desire paths, Baroda); and “Love after Babel” (2020, Daraja Press, Canada) both of which were shortlisted for the YUVA PURASKAR of Sahitya akademi ,New Delhi, the former was a runner-up at M. Harish Govind Memorial Prize(2017) instituted by Poetry Chain, Trivandrum and the latter had won Nicholas Gullein Outstanding book award (2020) from the Caribbean Philosophical Association.(CPA).One of my individual poems was a shortlist for the prestigious Srinivasa Rayaparol Poetry prize. I was a fellow at the International writing program at the University of Iowa (2018).
I write from the perspective of a Dalit poet writing in English; Dalit is the term of political self-identification for India’s independent indigenous peoples and those—previously called “untouchables”—who have historically occupied the lowest rungs of the subcontinent’s caste hierarchies. I intend to bring into my poems a wealth of experience from my involvement in various civil right struggles of Dalit-Bahujans and also a parallel exploration of intricacies of language in a post-colonial, multi-cultural world. To be frank, Indian writers in English tend to be nearly exclusively from the upper castes and poets of my background and socio-political leanings tend to be a rarity on the contemporary Indian English poetry scene. Since I have been offered only a partial scholarship (India fellowship) from the UEA, I do not have the financial means to pursue this program; hence I need your help.
On the 26th of august, 2021 I have received a confirmation letter from Kerala state government that I have been allotted Rs.25 lakhs for my tuition fees, living expenses, airfare and visa expenses but UEA rules do not allow India fellowship if I am being sponsored by Kerala state government.
I had paid the international student deposit using the resources from this crowd funding campaign. Since classes commence on September 26th, I may have to leave for the UK by September 16th. Thank you all.
P.S. Since I am knocking on all doors for financial assistance, if I am granted money by other sources (like if the UEA decides to give me full scholarship) , the money raised( though crowd funding) will be donated to PK ROSY FOUNDATION(A Dalit cultural collective) , TQT (A poetry collective founded by Arjun Rajendran) and to some Dalit artists who have requested financial relief publicly in platforms like facebook. If you have any queries you can reach me at cmsiit@gmail.com.
Thanks In Advance...
DETAILS OF EXPENSES
1. Tuition Fees: £ 17,600—annexure one. 18,08,789.99 INR
2. Visa costs: £348 --- from UK government website.
https://www.gov.uk/student-visa 35,250.85 INR
3. International Health Surcharge: £705 for one year = 71,323.63 INR
(Certified by India Engagement officer of UEA)
4. Living expenses: £ 13276 (based on UEA e-mail communication).
13, 64,403.18 INR
This is assuming that I need to stay in the UK for 12 months.
5. Airfare (round trip): £700 is 70,817.79 INR
Total = £ 32,399 OR 32, 77,750 INR
Kerala state government SC scholarship is Rs. 25, 00,000/-
Hence balance amount = 7, 77, 750. INR
I am a Dalit poet writing in the English language for about ten years and I have been offered admission for MA Creative Writing (Full time), Poetry at University of East Anglia, UK- one of the most prestigious creative writing programs in the UK. I will be one of the 15 students, out of 117 applicants from all over the world.
I have been residing at Trivandrum for the past 10 years. My published collections of poetry include “Letters to Namdeo Dhasal” (2016, Desire paths, Baroda); and “Love after Babel” (2020, Daraja Press, Canada) both of which were shortlisted for the YUVA PURASKAR of Sahitya akademi ,New Delhi, the former was a runner-up at M. Harish Govind Memorial Prize(2017) instituted by Poetry Chain, Trivandrum and the latter had won Nicholas Gullein Outstanding book award (2020) from the Caribbean Philosophical Association.(CPA).One of my individual poems was a shortlist for the prestigious Srinivasa Rayaparol Poetry prize. I was a fellow at the International writing program at the University of Iowa (2018).
I write from the perspective of a Dalit poet writing in English; Dalit is the term of political self-identification for India’s independent indigenous peoples and those—previously called “untouchables”—who have historically occupied the lowest rungs of the subcontinent’s caste hierarchies. I intend to bring into my poems a wealth of experience from my involvement in various civil right struggles of Dalit-Bahujans and also a parallel exploration of intricacies of language in a post-colonial, multi-cultural world. To be frank, Indian writers in English tend to be nearly exclusively from the upper castes and poets of my background and socio-political leanings tend to be a rarity on the contemporary Indian English poetry scene. Since I have been offered only a partial scholarship (India fellowship) from the UEA, I do not have the financial means to pursue this program; hence I need your help.
On the 26th of august, 2021 I have received a confirmation letter from Kerala state government that I have been allotted Rs.25 lakhs for my tuition fees, living expenses, airfare and visa expenses but UEA rules do not allow India fellowship if I am being sponsored by Kerala state government.
I had paid the international student deposit using the resources from this crowd funding campaign. Since classes commence on September 26th, I may have to leave for the UK by September 16th. Thank you all.
P.S. Since I am knocking on all doors for financial assistance, if I am granted money by other sources (like if the UEA decides to give me full scholarship) , the money raised( though crowd funding) will be donated to PK ROSY FOUNDATION(A Dalit cultural collective) , TQT (A poetry collective founded by Arjun Rajendran) and to some Dalit artists who have requested financial relief publicly in platforms like facebook. If you have any queries you can reach me at cmsiit@gmail.com.
Thanks In Advance...
DETAILS OF EXPENSES
1. Tuition Fees: £ 17,600—annexure one. 18,08,789.99 INR
2. Visa costs: £348 --- from UK government website.
https://www.gov.uk/student-visa 35,250.85 INR
3. International Health Surcharge: £705 for one year = 71,323.63 INR
(Certified by India Engagement officer of UEA)
4. Living expenses: £ 13276 (based on UEA e-mail communication).
13, 64,403.18 INR
This is assuming that I need to stay in the UK for 12 months.
5. Airfare (round trip): £700 is 70,817.79 INR
Total = £ 32,399 OR 32, 77,750 INR
Kerala state government SC scholarship is Rs. 25, 00,000/-
Hence balance amount = 7, 77, 750. INR
