PA Ranjith Intervenes as Malaysia-Based TN Scholar Waits for Pending Ambedkar Scholarship Funds

Chennai- Research and living expenses due to Bharathidasan Raman, a Tamil Nadu scholar doing his PhD in Malaysia under the Annal Ambedkar Overseas Higher Education Scholarship, have remained pending for months, disrupting his studies and research.

Bharathidasan Raman, a native of Madurai, is pursuing doctoral research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Under the state scheme, which supports eligible SC, ST and converted Christian Adi Dravidar students for higher studies at ranked foreign universities, he was due research expenses and living expenses for the next six months. The delay left him struggling to continue his work, with unpaid fees and stalled lab work. He later released a video saying his research had not moved for about six months, that he risked being dropped by the university, and that he could not travel to present a paper at AIIMS in October.

Democratic groups and social justice organisations had already written to the government and made personal appeals on his behalf. The matter was also raised in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu had earlier said large sums had already been released and that further assistance depended on expenditure records.

Neelam Cultural Centre founder-president Pa Ranjith then contacted Minister Vanni Arasu, department officials and the Joint Director. He briefed them on the scholar’s condition and pressed for immediate release of the pending amount so that the research would not collapse. After that intervention, officials spoke to the student, outlined a procedure for releasing the funds, and assured that the issue would be resolved soon.

The episode has raised a larger question about how the scheme is administered. A student had to fight for months, approach multiple quarters and go public in distress before a procedure was framed. The demand now is twofold: release Bharathidasan Raman’s pending funds at once, and put in place a standing system so that money under scheme reaches students on time, without the same delay being repeated.

Activists emphasise that the government should not have allowed the situation to escalate to the point where a student, deeply distressed about the future of his education and research, felt compelled to release a video statement. Furthermore, to ensure no student faces such a situation in the future, the government must formulate and implement a proper, stable system ensuring that funds under the 'Annal Ambedkar Higher Education Scheme' reach students on time and without hindrance. Neelam Cultural Centre urges that the outstanding funds due to Bharathidasan Raman be released immediately and that a permanent solution be found to this issue to ensure no student is subjected to such harassment in the future.