INDIA OFFERS 51 SCHOLARSHIPS TO ZAMBIANS

By KALOBWE BWALYA AN Indian youth organisation has offered 51 fully-funded scholarships for Zambian youths in honour of Zambia’s First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda. Confederation of Young Leaders (CYL) Ambassador Series chairperson Himadrish Suwan said the youth in India mourned with the government and the people of Zambia following the death of Dr Kaunda. This came to light when Zambia’s High Commissioner to India, Judith Kapijimpanga, presented a virtual lecture to the Indian academia on actualising natural convergences between Zambia and India. The lecture was organised by the Zambia High Commission in India and the CYL Ambassador Series. Ms Kapijimpanga praised CYL Ambassador Series for the 51 scholarships at a time when Zambia was on a 21-day national mourning in honour of Dr Kaunda. She said Dr Kaunda was a Gandhian student who got inspiration from India’s Founding Father Mahatma Gandhi to embark on a non-violent movement. The crusade saw the independence of Zambia from the British on October 24, 1964 and he was the First Republican President. She said Dr Kaunda valued Zambia’s relations and friendship with India, adding that he visited India 10 times during his Presidency. Ms Kapijimpanga said President Edgar Lungu was following the steps of Dr Kaunda as he is the first President to visit India in 16 years in a State visit executed in August 2019. She said in April 2018, President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind was the first to visit Zambia after a span of 30 years. Ms Kapijimpanga said Zambia had built fly over bridges and expanded existing roads through the decongestion of Lusaka Roads Project under an EXIM Bank of India line of credit. She said Zambia was also building 650 health posts project under an EXIM Bank of India line of credit.