To celebrate ten years since its launch in 2013, the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD) at Somerville College, has established a new scholarship for Indian students from Dalit Bahujan and Adivasi backgrounds and/or first-generation students to take up their place at the University of Oxford. Somerville College, with its pioneering history of women’s education and empowerment, is honoured to establish this new scholarship in Savitribai Phule’s name to support the next generation of Indian leaders from underrepresented backgrounds and provide them with a platform to change the world.

The inaugural address will be given by Lord Harries of Pentregarth, who has led efforts to end caste discrimination in the UK.

This will be followed by a panel discussion on issues of higher education access for students from underrepresented backgrounds, with Raju Kendre of Eklavya India, Emeritus Professor Barbara Harriss WHite, and Surajkumar Thube, representative of Oxford’s South Asian Alternative Forum and Project EduAccess.

The event will be followed by a drinks reception.