Daily Times

The inaugural Asma Jahangir Scholarship was awarded to student Sana Gul on Thursday by the British High Commissioner.

This annual scholarship, which was launched earlier this year, honours the legacy of the late human rights champion Asma Jahangir. Each year the scholarship will be awarded to the top-ranking female applicant in the competitive recruitment process.

The Chevening scholarships are awarded to outstanding emerging leaders to pursue a one-year Masters programme at any United Kingdom’s university. The scholarship programme provides a unique opportunity to future leaders, influencers and decision-makers from all over the world to develop professionally and academically, to build networks, to experience UK culture, and to form lasting positive relationships with the UK. This year, 62 Pakistanis have been awarded Chevening scholarships – including 23 women.

Presenting the new scholarship, British High Commissioner Thomas Drew said, “It is an honour to mark the extraordinary legacy of Asma by awarding this new scholarship to the top Pakistani female Chevening scholar. Asma was a remarkable woman. She was a champion of human rights and fought for the rights of women, children and oppressed people. Congratulations to Sana Gul for being the first winner of this prestigious award. It is an honour that Asma’s family has joined us today and I am grateful for their support in the creation of a scholarship in her name as part of the UK Chevening Scholarship Programme.”

Speaking at the event, Gul said, “I still remember the words of Asma, ‘Through hardships, strong people find their strength and you are the chosen one’. Thank you Chevening for the journey of living my dreams to reality by continuing her noble missions of empowering women through education.”

“As the family of Asma, we congratulate Gul for receiving the best female Chevening Scholar 2018/19. We thank the British government for starting this new scholarship award to honour Asma who always said that, ‘It will be the women of Pakistan that will bring about real change’. This scholarship will empower women to improve the lives of others,” Asma’s daughter Munizae Jahangir said.

This year, 64 Chevening scholars and fellows will go to study in diverse fields including law, communications, public service, technology, development and public policy. Chevening alumni consist of over 1,650 alumni which includes senior journalists, civil servants, professionals, politicians and members of society from all walks of life.

Published in Daily Times, August 10^th 2018.