The first step in changing someone’s life is education. However, access to high-quality education requires financial resources, which frequently prevents low-income rural students from pursuing higher education. Where does one begin, even with government programs in place to assist such individuals? Over the past 21 years, this 83-year-old retired instructor has helped millions of children overcome this obstacle. Scholarships of Rs. 5 crores have been made available to disadvantaged students under his direction.
The individual responsible for the numbers K. Narayana Naik, a former teacher from Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, saw firsthand the financial hardships faced by many prospective students and made comparisons between his own life and theirs. “Because he couldn’t afford it, my father wanted to stop my schooling after class five. However, he told TheBetterIndia, “I never wanted to give up.” I thus adopted Gandhi ji’s philosophy and went on a hunger strike, or satyagraha, for days at home. My father changed his mind as a result, and I was sent back to school.
At the age of 20, Naik started working as a primary school teacher after earning a B.Ed. and two MA degrees in Hindi and Kannada. Before he finally retired, he had positions as a school inspector and a high school teacher. There are several scholarships offered by both public and private organizations, but students are unaware of them and how to apply for them. He told The BetterIndia, “So, my efforts have been focused on sourcing all the available scholarships, raising awareness about them among students, and helping the most deserving students obtain them.”
Known as the “Scholarship Master” He visits 350 educational institutions annually, using more than half of his monthly pension of Rs. 40,000 for travel and student assistance. Meeting with his students’ families, Naik helps them with online and offline applications and follows up with government agencies, foundations, and non-profits until the process is finished. Naik’s dedication to ensuring that everyone has access to higher education has been warmly acknowledged throughout the nation. Regarding his efforts, G. Ramesh, the District Education Officer, said, “His intervention has been pivotal in ensuring that financial hurdles do not cut short the academic dream of hundreds of students in rural Karnataka.” Because of his efforts, he has earned the affectionate nickname “Scholarship Master,” which serves as a lifesaver for low-income rural students who want to go to college and eventually better their quality of life.
