Kolkata: In the aftermath of the tragic rape and murder of a female PG trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College Hospital four months ago, the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum (WBDF) has launched the Abhaya Scholarship program to honor the victim’s memory and support the future of healthcare professionals.
WBDF members said that the Abhaya Scholarship Programme was introduced to offer annual scholarships to meritorious students pursuing medical education. Initially, five scholarships will be awarded to students entering medical school (MBBS) and five scholarships will be given to students who have completed Class 10 and aspire to pursue a career in medicine. The organizers stated that they would seek suggestions from various stakeholders to enhance the scope of the program.
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As per the recent media report, Arjun Dasgupta, a leading ENT specialist from West Bengal and a member of the forum, who was also present at the scholarship launch, told The Hindu, “Justice for Abhaya is a long-drawn process, but we want to keep her name alive throughout the time. In the process if we can help a few students along the way that would be a positive outcome. Of course, they have to be medical students, but we also want to extend the scholarship to others where there is a need.”
Dr Dasgupta mentioned that he and all other members of the forum had spoken to the parents of the victim regarding the scholarship. He stated that once the legal case is concluded and they are no longer legally restricted from using the victim’s name, the intention is to rename the scholarship to reflect the victim’s real name rather than ‘Abhaya.’ This would serve to preserve her memory, provided her parents grant permission.
The selection process of this program will be based on socioeconomic criteria, ensuring that the scholarship supports those who are most in need, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. A selection committee comprising WBDF members, academics, and other stakeholders will oversee the process.
Scholarships will be awarded based on socioeconomic criteria, through a selection process overseen by a committee consisting of WBDF members and other individuals, including academics. The forum stated that, if finances permit, it will try to implement any recommendations made by the committee over the years.
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As one of the organizers, Dr Dasgupta also highlighted the vision behind the scholarship. He mentioned that if their finances become sustainable in the long term, the WBDF aims to offer this support across all medical colleges in West Bengal, reducing the financial burden on aspiring doctors. He pointed out that medical equipment can be very expensive, even in government medical facilities with subsidies.
