Maharashtra: Shepherd’s son gets scholarship for PhD in Scotland

Saurabh Hatkar celebrates with the people of his village

The Hiwarkhed village in Buldhana erupted in celebration last night as their ‘Mirdha' or chief, Saurabh Hatkar finally got his scholarship of approximately Rs 50 lakh from the Government of Maharashtra to pursue his PhD at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

"I am modernising the role of a Mirdha as the new educated generation. A Mirdha or chief's traditional role is to protect their caravan from danger. In today's age, protection from institutional attacks like the draconian Forest Act is required, apart from healthcare and education rights," said Hatkar.

As the thrill and anxiety of settling into a totally different culture sets in, Saurabh takes inspiration from how he got out of his comfort zone by moving from his village to study in Mumbai at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. "When I came to Mumbai, initially I did not feel that sense of belonging and the culture shock did not allow my capabilities to be displayed. But eventually, my intelligence started weighing more than the fact that I did not know English. I taught the English-speaking students about my culture and they taught me the language," he said.

His aim of studying abroad and coming back to India is to understand global perspectives of how other cultures have approached their movements and revolutions and their Forest Acts. "The importance of visiting the ground, networking in person makes all the difference," he said, adding that going abroad will reduce the inferiority complex their community faces as they hold going abroad at a high standard and feel only urban people and people who know English can achieve it.

mid-day has been reporting on how Saurabh flooded the CMO with 12,000 postcards filled with demands from shepherds across the state. His battle to increase the OBC quota for study abroad scholarships led him into Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's residence and made him consider the demand. It eventually got passed in the Vidhan Parishad. Saurabh also met MLAs including Rohit Pawar and Hasan Musharaf in this regard.

"The key to advocacy is to take continuous follow-ups. Guilt is deeply rooted in my community because we are made to feel like criminals for just living
our lifestyle. But when they see the authorities agreeing to my demands it reduces," Saurabh said.

Rs 50 lakh
Value of the scholarship