foot”, estimated at a cost of US$33. The procedure will reportedly take about 24 hours.
The Indian High Commissioner shared the news with members of the Sindhi Association of Barbados during a “meet and greet” hosted at Casa Grande Hotel, St Philip.
Kanyal used the occasion to update the Sindhis who now hold Barbadian citizenship on developments in the land of their birth.
“We are indeed proud of our diaspora, their
India has vowed that mistreatment of its students through fraudulent operations by any Indian medical institution set up in Barbados in the future will not be tolerated.
Making this clear Wednesday night, new Indian High Commissioner Mahendra Singh Kanyal also gave Indian students here who were the victims of last year’s Washington University of Barbados’ alleged misdemeanours, the assurance that their Government would stand up for them and protect them in the future.
After getting an earful from former Washington University students Alameera Malik and Aisha Kamilya at Casa Grande Hotel, Kanyal said: “There will be no tolerance at all for any fraud with any of the students and parents living in India, spending so much of money for the career of their children, taking loans from the bank, having lots of expectations from their children and then they meet this fate.” He added: college set students and with
‘When is a college want of the get
When there a new medical college set up,we want the parents the students to in touch with the Embassy …’
and the Ministry of Education to ensure that the basics such as registration, accreditation, equipment labs, teachers, professors are all there in the university before paying the fee.”
He also advised parents to “try to avoid agents” when setting up their children in the offshore medical institutions, saying the students “simply don’t deserve this”.
“It is a new India and credibility as an Indian and as a country and as an institution must be maintained by all concerned,” Kanyal said.
The Indian offshore institution set up here in 2016 was closed last year and its chief executive officer Gopi Venkat Rao arrested after students alleged they were bilked of thousands of dollars for services they were not receiving.
Over 200 students, mainly from India, complained of being duped by the educational consultancy headed by Venkat Rao.
Most of the students left Barbados, the majority of them returning to India. A few have remained, after shifting to the American University.
Gift of prosthetic limbs for
Barbados
Barbados is in line for a gift of prosthetic limbs from India.
It is one of 12 countries the Indian government has selected in the India For Jaipur initiative, under which artificial limbs will be distributed free to people around the world.
New Indian High Commissioner to Barbados Mahendra Singh Kanyal said Wednesday night the government of India had announced the initiative, in which it is collaborating with Indian charity Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, to mark the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth.
achievements, as they have gone through a period of hardships, a period of challenges and by dint of their hard work they have earned a position which is respected globally.”
Two attached
Financial aid Referring to India-Barbados bilateral relations, Kanyal observed the two countries were “sentimentally attached” and he noted that Barbados “greatly appreciates” the contribution made by the diaspora to Limb fitness camps to be set up globally through the India For Humanity programme will be supported financially by the Indian government. Beneficiaries will be fitted with the “Jaipur
Former medical student at the now closed Washington University, Kanyal with the story of his experience at the problem-plagued
(Pictures by Reco Moore.)
Members of the Sindhi Association of Barbados (from left), Prakash Mahtani, association president Kiran Vensimal, her husband Prakash Vensimal and Asha Mirchandani, in conversation during Wednesday night’s meet and greet with new Indian High Commissioner Mahendra Singh Kanyal.
stories by Gercine Carter
gercinecarter@nationnews.com
Indian High Commissioner Mahendra Singh Kanyal (right) addressing members of the Sindhi Association at Casa Grande Hotel on Wednesday night.
the island’s social, economic and cultural development.
Indians who adopt foreign citizenship are not permitted under the Indian Constitution to hold dual citizenship, but Kanyal assured the Sindhis the Government of India nonetheless attached “high importance” to engagement with its diaspora. He shared information about a range of outreach programmes India had put in place for the benefit of Indians living abroad.
the
fate.”
added: “When there is a new medical set up, we want the parents of the to get in touch with the Embassy the Ministry of External Affairs
University, Alameera Malik ( standing), regaling Indian High Commissioner Mahendra Singh plagued medical school, while other former Washington University students listen.
