Ludhiana Administration’s ₹1-Lakh Support Helps Labourer’s Daughter Secure IIT Guwahati Admission

In a heartening example of timely intervention, the district administration in Ludhiana stepped forward to help a meritorious student overcome financial barriers and secure admission to a prestigious programme at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.

On Monday, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain handed over a cheque of ₹1 lakh to Harpreet Kaur, a resident of Sahnewal and daughter of a daily wage labourer, enabling her to confirm admission to IIT Guwahati's four-year work-integrated BSc (Honours) programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

Harpreet had successfully cleared an online entrance examination conducted by IIT Guwahati on June 7 and was subsequently informed of her selection. However, she faced a financial hurdle, falling short of the ₹50,000 required to confirm her admission before the June 16 deadline.

Academic Excellence Against the Odds

Harpreet's achievement is backed by an impressive academic record. She secured 94 per cent marks in Class X in 2023 and scored over 90 per cent in Class XII in 2025 while studying at the Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students.

She also cleared a competitive selection process under the TechBee pathway, which included a written examination, group discussion, and personal interview.

Financial Challenges and Community Support

The total cost of the programme is approximately ₹3.74 lakh, spread across 12 trimesters over four years. For Harpreet's family, where her father works as a daily wage labourer and her mother is a homemaker, meeting the educational expenses posed a significant challenge.

In a major boost to her aspirations, industrialist Rakesh Bharti Mittal, through the Nehru Sidhant Kendra Trust, has announced full sponsorship of Harpreet's education for the entire duration of the programme.

A Story of Opportunity and Support

The combined support from the district administration and private philanthropy has ensured that financial hardship will not stand in the way of Harpreet's higher education journey. Her story highlights how timely institutional assistance can help talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds access opportunities at some of India's premier educational institutions.

With her admission now secured and her educational expenses covered, Harpreet is set to begin her studies in one of the country's emerging and high-demand fields—data science and artificial intelligence—at IIT Guwahati.