Indian pupil in Dubai makes the grade to win prestigious scholarship at Canadian university
▶ Radha Hari is the only pupil in the Arab region to obtain the award from Huron University College
An Indian pupil at a school in Dubai has won a prestigious scholarship to study in Canada in recognition of her leadership and youth empowerment work in the UAE.
Radha Hari, 17, has won the C$100,000 (Dh284,741) Huron International Presidential Scholarship from Huron University College, which is affiliated to the University of Western Ontario.
Radha, a Grade 12 pupil at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, is the only pupil in the Arab region to receive the scholarship this year. It is just the second time a pupil in the UAE has won the award.
She starts her four-year studies in economics and finance in the autumn.
She said that finding out she won the scholarship was “a very ... heart attack moment”.
“When I applied for this I just tried to put in my best efforts and did not really expect too much because I know it’s a very hard thing to get. So I was shocked,” she said.
“By getting the presidential scholarship, I have been able to take a huge weight off my parents’ shoulders, and it has also opened a lot of doors for my personal and career development.
“I think my leadership skills made me stand out because I’ve held posts at my school since I was in Grade 8 and tried to bring about new things and programmes.
“I have been a high-scoring pupil, which helped.”
She worked on a women’s empowerment campaign and organised sessions in which pupils could receive advice on going to university.
She also helped to set up a club called Girl Up, which aims to create awareness about issues such as breast cancer, bullying, mental health and discrimination.
Radha was involved in efforts to help protect the environment and collected about one tonne of paper for recycling for the Emirates Environmental Group.
In recognition of the contribution, three trees unique to Al Qudra region were planted in Dubai.
Radha said she applied to universities in Canada and the Netherlands, but chose to continue her education in North America.
“With Canada, I knew that there was a flexibility in my programme,” she said.
“In the first year, although I’m firm on the fact I want to take economics and finance, you can explore your choices. Even if I want to add another minor, they would help me do that.
“With this university in particular, there are guaranteed internship programmes. I wanted work exposure for myself, so I’d get a feel of the corporate world while studying.
“In terms of studying in the US, I did not look at it for my undergraduate studies because affordability was one of the major factors. The scholarship opportunities in Canada make the education accessible to every student.”
She aims to become qualified as a chartered financial analyst after completing her studies.
She then plans to work in investment banking.
“This year, Radha Hari’s application truly stood out from the pack,” said Barry Craig, the president at Huron University College.
He said he was on the lookout for young people who wanted to use their education to make the world better.
“Radha’s desire to use the business foundations she’ll learn at Huron to tackle social inequalities around the world is the type of ambitious, innovative thinking we need,” he said.
Moustafa Ezz, director of international recruitment and strategy at Huron, said that 10 presidential scholarships were awarded to pupils each year.
The recipients are those who are “drawn to service and who are determined to use their education to positively impact global society and tackle some of our world’s greatest challenges”, he said.
“For 2022, Radha Hari was the only student to be selected from the UAE and across the Arab world,” he said.
“She is the second scholarship recipient from the UAE, the first having received the award in 2019.”
Rema Menon, the director of career guidance service Counselling Point, gave Radha guidance for her application and said the teenager’s leadership roles in school helped her to stand out.
“More importantly, in spite of all the commitments and demands of the rigorous Central Board for Secondary Education curriculum, she found time to pursue the things she enjoys,” Ms Menon said.