The Hindu : Front Page : The Hindu, Hitachi lauded for scholarship programme

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Sunday, Apr 12, 2009
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The Hindu, Hitachi lauded for scholarship programme

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A host of speakers at a function here on Saturday commended The Hindu and Hitachi, a Japanese conglomerate, for instituting the Hindu-Hitachi Scholarship programme.

Referring to the historical setting when the programme was launched in 1960, M. Mizukami, Minister in the Embassy of Japan, said India was then a newly born country, having attained its freedom 13 years earlier while Japan was emerging out of the shadows of the World War II and trying to rebuild itself. At that time, no one imagined how both Hitachi and India would rise to their present high stature. “It can thus be termed as a ‘miracle collaboration’ for The Hindu and Hitachi to get into their partnership during such a period to commence the scholarship programme.”

He noted that in the past 50 years, Hitachi had received around 120 young Indian engineers as trainees. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, praised the vision of those who were responsible for instituting the scholarship.

A. Asrani, the former Ambassador to Japan, said the programme was one of the best examples of corporate social responsibility. It enabled the development of Indian technical manpower with Japanese work ethics and the manpower would be highly useful for the growing industrial collaboration. The scholarship also enhanced people-to-people contact.

Describing the programme as purely merit-based, N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu, said it had no commercial consideration or commercial dimension to both parties — The Hindu and Hitachi. Tracing the development of the programme, he said initially two engineering and technical graduates were chosen every year and later, this was increased to three. The idea was to provide hands-on training in one of the facilities of Hitachi with not just on manufacturing aspects but also on work ethics, discipline and teamwork.

Mr. Murali suggested that the scope of the scholarship be expanded to cover low-carbon energy-saving technologies. K. Furukawa, vice-chairman and executive officer of Hitachi Limited, said some alumni of the scholarship scheme continued to maintain their links with Japan. Talking of his company’s commitment to protect the environment, he said the long term plan, Environmental Vision 2025, was unveiled last year under which the company would contribute to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with its products by 100 million tonnes by 2025.

K. Kaneko, president of the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship, said the association’s mission was to promote international economic and technical cooperation and enhance mutual economic development through friendly relations between developing countries and Japan. It contributed to human resources development in the developing countries.

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