An opportunity that changed a Life.

Dawa Tshering Sherpa

It brings a smile on my face when I think back of those days. I had achieved something big; had a very beautiful opportunity, but back then it meant nothing to me, I was all blank. I was selected for the Chief Minister meritorious scholarship scheme when I even didn’t know the meaning of it properly. I was quite young to realize it. But now I realize and I know what it is for me. It was a life changing opportunity for me, it was a proud moment for myself and for my parents and for the school I was studying in. It was indeed a moment to be celebrated.

Through this scheme I chose St. Xavier’s school, Pakyong and my first day in hostel was that I felt like a lost person. I shall always remain grateful to the then Principal of the school, Fr. Jerard Lepcha and to Mr. Rana who taught us how to communicate in English and who made English very easy for us because back then I didn’t know how to communicate in English as I had joined there from a government school.

When I completed my schooling I was totally a new guy. I wasn’t the same guy who joined in 2010 when I was leaving Xavier’s in 2017. Xavier’s gave me a lot and the greatest gift was I learned how to play football.

It was all made possible only because of the introduction of the Chief Minister meritorious scholarship scheme. Private schools provide us with lots of exposure, sports facilities, coaching and many other different opportunities and I was also provided with all these. A very big THANK YOU to the Honorable Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Pawan Chamling for introducing this scheme. Many got benefited by this scheme. It brought new light in many lives. It brought light in the life of the family of the students, the government schools from which students were selected, the village or the place where the student belonged to. Through this scheme many got opportunities to study outside the state too.

Government is investing a huge amount for this scheme. Instead of doing that can’t the facilities provided in the private schools be provided in the government schools too? Can’t the amount invested in private schools be invested in government schools? So that not only one student from the school would get all those opportunities but everyone else also gets the same opportunities. Though it’s not possible to invest in all government schools, but if the government decides that whichever school is performing best or doing best than those few schools would be selected for their investment, then wouldn’t there be a competition between schools? If the competition arises between schools then wouldn’t all the teachers and the Students give their 100%? These are neither some requests to the government nor my belief that it should be done but these are some of the questions that I have in my mind.

I feel very proud of myself that I was selected under this scheme and yes I can proudly say that I am a student studying under Chief Minister Meritorious Scholarship Scheme.

Dawa Tshering Sherpa from Kabi, North Sikkim joined St. Xavier’s School, Pakyong after he was selected for Honourable Chief Minister’s Meritorious Scholarship Scheme. Currently, after completing his schooling, he is pursuing B. Pharm. from Himalayan Pharmacy Institute, Majhitar, East Sikkim.

(Editor’s Note: This is our third article in the series. In this series we are trying to bring out write ups contributed by the meritorious recipients of Chief Minister’s Meritorious Scholarship Scheme. This is a scheme envisioned by Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to sponsor meritorious students completing their primary level education from Government Schools to pursue their further studies from reputed boarding schools, both within and outside the state.)

More in the Series: Destiny that was reshaped.

My Journey – From Sikkim to Scindia School.