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Hello everyone, my name is Fiza Harchirkar, and I am a visually disabled artist from Kolhapur. I am excited to share with you that I have been selected for a Master's in Media and Cultural Studies at Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) Mumbai for the academic year 2025-27. As a visually disabled student, earning admission in a prestigious institution has been a milestone that I could not achieve without all the support from you, as I do not have any financial privileges to fund my studies.
Coming from a big family with 2 younger brothers, where only one person (my father) is earning, has been very difficult to work with finances. With limited funding available, there is quite a struggle to get back on our feet. Our financial limitations and struggles affected me negatively and at a wider on during my UnderGrad degree. I had to move from a physical Bachelor's to external ones just to earn money that would help me pay my fees and daily necessities. I had to take up multiple jobs to save money for my fees and also provide for myself. I moved from my hometown to a low-cost hostel where I could focus on my studies along with my job. Some months, I would barely manage to travel to my workplace, which led me to walk kilometres to reach and then come back right in time for the closing gates of my hostel. With all the struggles, I barely managed to complete my BA from Pune University.
I have lost my left eye due to an accident and have no vision in it. I have been checking up with my doctors in order to gain advice on whether there is any possibility of restoring the vision, but have not gained any positive answer. While getting my disability certificate, I did all the necessary check-ups at the government hospital, yet I have received only a 30% disability category on my certificate. As Indian policy in regards to disability concessions is for people with 40% or above disability category, I am unable to apply for any government or institutional scholarship or financial aid. I will be trying to get the category corrected, but the process will require time.
With all the support from friends, family and relatives, I did manage to get my registration fees, semester 1 fees and semester 1 hostel fee, but as limited financial support and challenges accessing scholarship and financial aid have made it difficult to pursue education without external support, I am unable to get the remaining fees for my 2-year program. Thus, I am seeking support for the funds I require for my master's degree. I am raising funds to cover the following:
Your contribution will allow me to continue my education without disruption, focus fully on my research and coursework, and advocate for inclusive practices in media and education. Every donation, kind words and share bring me closer to making a meaningful impact and completing my degree. Thanks for standing by me in this journey.
With gratitude,
Fiza Harchirkar
Coming from a big family with 2 younger brothers, where only one person (my father) is earning, has been very difficult to work with finances. With limited funding available, there is quite a struggle to get back on our feet. Our financial limitations and struggles affected me negatively and at a wider on during my UnderGrad degree. I had to move from a physical Bachelor's to external ones just to earn money that would help me pay my fees and daily necessities. I had to take up multiple jobs to save money for my fees and also provide for myself. I moved from my hometown to a low-cost hostel where I could focus on my studies along with my job. Some months, I would barely manage to travel to my workplace, which led me to walk kilometres to reach and then come back right in time for the closing gates of my hostel. With all the struggles, I barely managed to complete my BA from Pune University.
I have lost my left eye due to an accident and have no vision in it. I have been checking up with my doctors in order to gain advice on whether there is any possibility of restoring the vision, but have not gained any positive answer. While getting my disability certificate, I did all the necessary check-ups at the government hospital, yet I have received only a 30% disability category on my certificate. As Indian policy in regards to disability concessions is for people with 40% or above disability category, I am unable to apply for any government or institutional scholarship or financial aid. I will be trying to get the category corrected, but the process will require time.
With all the support from friends, family and relatives, I did manage to get my registration fees, semester 1 fees and semester 1 hostel fee, but as limited financial support and challenges accessing scholarship and financial aid have made it difficult to pursue education without external support, I am unable to get the remaining fees for my 2-year program. Thus, I am seeking support for the funds I require for my master's degree. I am raising funds to cover the following:
- Tuition fees for the remaining semesters of my 2-year Master’s program
- Hostel and basic living expenses
- Academic resources to support my education during my course.
Your contribution will allow me to continue my education without disruption, focus fully on my research and coursework, and advocate for inclusive practices in media and education. Every donation, kind words and share bring me closer to making a meaningful impact and completing my degree. Thanks for standing by me in this journey.With gratitude,
Fiza Harchirkar
