TN farmer’s daughter Swega receives Rs 3 cr scholarship to study in Chicago University

17-year-old Swega Saminathan, who belongs from Kasipalayam village in Erode, Tamil Nadu, has received a full scholarship worth Rs. 3 crores. The scholarship has been offered so that she can pursue a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Chicago (UChicago) in the United States of America. The 3-crore full scholarship will cover TN farmer's daughter Swega’s entire cost of study for four years – tuition, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, personal and travel expenses, etc.

Swega Saminathan is the daughter of a small farmer from Kasipalayam village in Erode. She was born and brought up in Kasipalayam, a remote village in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. She is the first one in her family who will be going to college for further education. She will be studying the subject of her interest which is Biology at Chicago University and aims to become a scientist.

In the acceptance letter sent to Swega, James Nondorf, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Chicago wrote, “Congratulations! It is my great pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the University of Chicago's Class of 2026. With your exceptional academic record, strong voice, and impressive accomplishments, you have distinguished yourself in one of the largest and most competitive UChicago applicant pools.”

Girls are married by the time they are my age: Swega

On receiving the scholarship, Swega said, “This is unbelievable! My father is a small farmer and mother is a housewife. I grew up in small villages of Tamil Nadu where girls are married by the time they are my age. They don’t get to see what college looks like. And, I will have the privilege of studying at the world’s topmost institution on a full scholarship worth 3 crores – it is an emotional moment for me and my parents. This wouldn’t have ever been possible without the support and mentoring I received from my mentors at Dexterity Global, especially the founder Sharad Sagar Sir.”

How did Swega get scholarship?

She was groomed from the age of 14 by Dexterity Global, a national organization powering the next generation of leaders through educational opportunities and training. After being identified, she received rigorous training under Dexterity Global’s leadership development and career development programs. Talking about Dexterity she said, “It not only enabled me to dream big but also equipped me with the right resources to turn those dreams into reality. For the last two years, Dexterity has been my home and my greatest hope.”

UChicago

University of Chicago (UChicago) was established in 1980 in the United States of America. It is ranked among the top 10 universities in the world.  Past and current faculty at UChicago include former US President Barack Obama and several other renowned scholars and Nobel laureates.