Tribal student makes it to London for study

Thiruvananthapuram: Bineesh Balan, a  tribal student from a hamlet of Kanhangad in Kasargod district, is on the way to achieving his life’s ambition. He landed in  London on Saturday to study in the   London School of Economics after passing several hurdles back in his home state. Earlier, though SC/ST Welfare Minister A.K. Balan had sanctioned Rs 27 lakh for his study, the officials  created legal hurdles and did not give him the money. Following this, the minister sanctioned Rs 1.5 lakh to meet the immediate needs of the course.  He took a loan of Rs 5 lakh and his friends and well-wishers raised the rest of the money.

A bank employee from Wayanad sponsored the flight ticket to London, said Mr C.V. Shibu,  one of those who had been campaigning for the cause of Bineesh. Earlier, Bineesh had  become the first person from the primitive Mavilan tribal community  in  the state to gain admission in a foreign university. He had missed two opportunities due to official apathy though he was one of those who cleared the union government’s national overseas scholarship programme, Mr Shibu said.

In 2014, Bineesh had secured admission to  the University Of Sussex. Though the then Tribal Affairs Minister P.K. Jayalakshmi had  allotted him  Rs 27 lakh, the officials denied him the money. In 2016, he was selected to study in the  London School of Economics.  But then also, official apathy blocked his way.   After  the LDF came to power,  Bineesh met  minister  Balan and sought his help.  That proved a turning point in his life.