Kendrapara: Meet NRI Dr Debendra Das, 72, a former resident of Badahat, who is now living in the US, but visits his home district every year to provide scholarships to meritorious students so that they can go for higher studies.
Dr Debendra Das, who retired last August as the Head of Department Mechanical Engineering of the University of Alaska, says he hails from a lower middle class family.
Although his family was lower middle class most of his relatives are well educated and have established themselves in their fields. The success of his relatives inspired him to do well in studies and go for higher studies, Dr Das said.
After completing Class XI at Baladevjew High School, he studied in Ravenshaw College and later at the Regional Engineering College (REC), Rourkela, and graduated in Mechanical Engineering in 1972 with a gold medal.
The Brown University of the US gave him full scholarship to pursue master’s degree. He settled in the US later, married Katherine Cross and has a son.
As India has a lot of talented people who does not have enough money I decided to help the poor students of my district pursue higher education, says Dr Das. Since 13 years, I have been giving scholarships to meritorious school and college students in the town as well as remote pockets of the district, he added.
Dr Das gave a scholarship of Rs 1,000 to 300 college students of the district through the Shree Banchanidhi Das and Srimati Devi Charitable Trust at a function held at the Kendrapara Municipality town hall Monday.
He is also providing help through the Shree Banchanidhi Das and Srimati Devi Charitable Trust to poor meritorious students.
Dr Das said that he is giving scholarships to college students so that they can become successful and serve their country.
PNN