A college seat for an engineering degree and now a chance to specialise in multi-media over a year. Manish Chowdhury, the son of a housekeeping department staffer at Nicco Park, is dreaming big and this Friday the dream closest to his heart will take wing when he boards an Emirates flight for the United States.

He has qualified for a course in media studies at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. The 19-year-old will study there on a scholarship as part of the Community College Initiative Program, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States department of state.

“The Community College Initiative Program is designed to provide leadership training and an enriching educational experience for students from underserved communities around the world. Manish impressed us with his dedication to community service through his volunteer work at the NGO Prayasam. His superior academic record of obtaining a first division in the higher secondary science stream, passing the mandatory written English test, and his ability to express his goals clearly and enthusiastically during the interview carried him through,” Andrew Posner, public affairs officer, US consulate general, told The Telegraph Salt Lake.

Proficiency in English for a student who studied in a Bengali medium school (Acharya Prafulla Chandra Higher Secondary School for Boys in BK Block) did not come easy.

Working in the community since 2012 with the CG Block-based Prayasam (he is now the NGO’s group leader from Nazrul Pally), he was picked for the group’s Ontrack programme in which emphasis is laid on English language skills as well as soft skills. “It was a delight to teach him as he is so focused and so eager to learn,” said president Piyali Mazumdar.
Manish cleared the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), scoring 520 out of 600 marks. “We had to answer 70 multiple choice questions asked through headphones.”

The second year student of mechanical engineering at Techno India is a resident of Nazrul Pally. That’s the colony to the left of the bridge when approaching from Sector V to New Town. The brick-lined approach road into the locality starts from a cow shed under the bridge. The lane meanders by ponds on one side and two-storeyed shanties on the other where women in nighties with a dupatta flung over the bosom stand chatting in huddles. Off the brick lane, an alley, barely five feet wide, wends in through facing thatched bamboo hutments. In a dingy ground floor room of one, Manish stays with his parents and sister.

“My father has been saving up ever since I did well in Madhyamik,” says the tall sturdy boy, brimming with determination. His Madhyamik score was a creditable 78 per cent. “Father encouraged me to study science as his dream was to make me an engineer even if it meant funding a course in a costly private college.” The first semester’s fees have been paid at
Techno India and Prayasam has filed an application on his behalf seeking a waiver of his tuition fees.
Manmohan Chowdhury himself has studied till Class VII. “I did not dream of building a house and even sacrificed on day-to-day luxuries. My only goal has been education for my son,” says Manish’s father. He earns around Rs 8,000 but works overtime to earn another Rs 3-4,000.

Other than pursuing his engineering degree, Manish has been working hard at the Grassroots Film Studio set up at Prayasam, with support from Adobe Foundation. “I have made three short films so far.” The last has been screened at a number of places, from Nandan to IIM Joka, along with the other productions from the studio.
As part of his preparation, Manish is watching English news these days on the small TV set at home. “I have also watched a few Hollywood films to get used to the American accent.”

With Manish set to fly abroad, there is a buzz in the colony. No one in the area, after all, has travelled so far. Neighbours stop by to ask when he is leaving. “The only worry is what kind of food he will get,” admits mother Leena, adding that her son has never been away from home for so long. “As long as we get some news of him from time to time…” her voice trails off.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta,India / Front Page> Salt Lake> Story / by Sudeshna Banerjee / Friday – July 31st, 2015