By Samadhan Galande, Samavesh Scholar
Young India Fellow, Ashoka University
Where I Come From
I was born and raised in a drought-prone village in the Dharashiv district of Marathwada, Maharashtra. This region faces some of the harshest conditions in the state—frequent droughts, farmer suicides, and deep systemic neglect. My family worked as small-scale farmers. When I was 15, my father left us, and my mother took full responsibility for our home. She worked as a daily-wage laborer—breaking stones, lifting loads—just to ensure that my siblings and I could eat and stay in school.
Ours was a household of quiet strength, not privilege. We had no access to guidance counselors or role models who had gone to university. No one in my extended family had ever completed higher education. But somewhere deep inside, I always carried the hope that education could be the way out—not just for me, but for others in my community.
My mother’s strength made it possible for me to pursue education in Pune—she has been my biggest support.
Barriers to Higher Education
That hope was tested at every step. Moving to Pune to pursue my bachelor’s and master’s degrees brought both opportunity and struggle.
Financially, things were tight. I had to manage living expenses, buy books, and often skip meals or delay rent. At times, I had to take up odd jobs just to stay enrolled. But money wasn’t the only barrier.
Basic documentation like my caste certificate, income proof, and domicile certificate were difficult to obtain. These documents are essential to access scholarships, hostel facilities, and even admissions. But the system was not built for people like me. I remember making multiple trips to government offices, sometimes standing in line for hours, only to be turned away because one detail was missing.
Then came the biggest barrier of all—lack of exposure. I had never heard of Ashoka University or the Young India Fellowship until I was in college. Even when I did, they felt worlds away. These spaces seemed reserved for fluent English speakers from elite schools—not someone like me from a remote village, who studied in a Marathi-medium Zilla Parishad school.
Moving from my village to Pune was a cultural shift—everything felt new, from language to dress codes and daily life.
My Turning Point with Samavesh
The shift in my journey came when I joined the Samavesh Scholars Program while pursuing my Master’s in Agribusiness Economics at Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics.
From the very first session, I felt something different. Samavesh didn’t just treat us as students—they treated us as changemakers in the making. They saw strength in our struggles. For the first time, I felt like someone believed in my potential.
Through the program, I received:
- Mentorship for competitive scholarships and fellowships
- Help with writing Statements of Purpose (SoPs) and preparing for interviews
- Guidance on accessing government and international scholarships
- A 60-hour life skills curriculum mapped to NEP, where we learned self-awareness, communication, research skills, and systems thinking
What stood out most was their emphasis on care, trust, and voice. The team taught us how to speak up, how to navigate systemic injustice, and how to dream big but with deep roots.
Today, I am an applicant for the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University. A few years ago, I didn’t even know such a thing existed. Today, I see it as a very real possibility.
How Scholarships Helped Sustain My Journey
During my master’s studies in Pune, financial stability remained a constant concern. It was the VSM Scholarship made a critical difference. It covered my academic and living expenses in Pune—relieving the burden on my mother and allowing me to focus fully on my education, internships, and fellowship applications. Without it, I would have been forced to compromise on either my studies or my survival.
As I graduated from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics and, with Samavesh’s support, prepared to enter the classrooms of Ashoka University, I did so with a sense of stability, clarity, and confidence—because Pravin Dada and Aditi Tai believed in my potential and mentored me.
My Life at Ashoka University
Today, I am proud to be a Young India Fellow at Ashoka University—a space I once thought was beyond my reach.I was awarded a fully funded scholarship, which covered the full cost of my education at Ashoka University—including tuition, accommodation, and living expenses. This financial support turned what once seemed like an impossible dream into a lived reality. Life here has been intellectually challenging and deeply transformative. I am surrounded by some of the country’s brightest minds and have access to world-class faculty, global reading materials, and cross-disciplinary learning that encourages curiosity and critical thinking. I participate in seminars on climate policy, leadership, and development, and for the first time, I feel like my voice belongs in national and global conversations.
But this journey to Ashoka would not have been possible without Samavesh. They were the first to introduce me to the idea that institutions like Ashoka weren’t just for the privileged—they were for people like me, too. Samavesh mentored me through the entire process: from discovering the fellowship to building my application, preparing for interviews, and believing I had something unique to offer. They didn’t just open the door—they walked with me until I could walk through it myself.
At Ashoka University, New Delhi
Classroom Activity at Ashoka University, New Delhi
My Vision for the Future
I want to dedicate my life to the kind of work that Samavesh does—bridging the gap between the people and the system.
Drawing from my academic training and lived experience, I hope to start a series of climate-resilient rural initiatives in the coming years, including:
- Eco-Village Development is grounded in clean energy, local governance, and participatory planning
- Drought-Resistant Agriculture using traditional crops like jowar and bajra
- Watershed Management Committees led by farmers and youth
- Youth Climate Literacy Campaigns that make adaptation and mitigation a community-led conversation
In the long term, I aspire to build an organisation that brings together rural youth, researchers, and policymakers to co-design solutions rooted in dignity and sustainability.
What Samavesh Taught Me
Samavesh helped me build more than a resume—it helped me build belief.
I now carry with me a stronger sense of self-awareness, a deeper commitment to social justice, and the ability to speak, write, and lead with clarity. Their curriculum didn’t just teach me what to study—it taught me why I want to study, and what I want to change.
“Samavesh didn’t just open a door—it changed my direction. They showed me that being from a small village doesn’t make your dreams small. It only makes them more rooted, and more powerful.”
— Samadhan Galande
Young India Fellow, Ashoka University
Lessons I Take Forward from the Samavesh Scholars Program
- Education is not just a personal achievement—it’s a tool for community transformation
- Life skills like confidence, civic awareness, and communication are as important as academic success
- Self-belief grows when someone else first believes in you
- Systemic change begins with access—and access begins with dignity
This moment—wearing my graduation robe and holding my Ashoka University certificate—is not mine alone. It belongs to my mother, who stood by me when the world didn’t. She never went to school, but she taught me the most important lessons: resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering hope. From lifting stones to lifting my dreams, she has carried me through every hardship with a quiet strength that no classroom could ever teach. Standing beside her at the Young India Fellowship graduation is the proudest moment of my life. This success is hers more than mine—because without her, none of this would have been possible.
Let’s Connect on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samadhan-galande-5a57ab246/
