Saturday, May 15, 2010

Krish Varma Wins U.S. Critical Languages Scholarship to Study in India

May 14, 2010 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) junior Krish Varma, 21, of Mobile has won a 2010 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to study in India.

Varma will study Hindi at the American Institute of Indian Studies in Jaipur, India, for two months this summer. Varma, who is majoring in Spanish and economics, is a student in the UAB University Honors Program and the School of Business Honors Program. He says he plans to pursue a career in international trade.

He is the son of Jyotsna Varma, M.D., of Mobile. "I have been to India twice in my life," says Varma, who is Indian. "I grew up hearing Hindi at home. But I never learned to speak the language on an advanced level. So, I'm looking forward to this experience. I'm interested in a career in international trade. Because India's economy is growing, I think that knowing how to speak Hindi will be helpful in my career."

The Critical Language Scholarship Program is part of the National Security Language Initiative, a U.S. government interagency effort to expand the number of students learning and mastering critical-need foreign languages. The scholarship provides for intensive language instruction, travel, fees and other expenses.

Courtesy UAB REPORTER April 2010

Print Friendly Version

(Permalink)

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.