Gadchiroli: A tribal youth from a remote village in Gadchiroli, who could not have even imagined studying abroad, has recently returned from Australia after completing his Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Curtin University in Perth. He has now begun his professional career in the district.Ignasiyus Prakash Bada, from Bande village near the Surjagarh iron ore mine, is the first graduate of Lloyds Infinite Foundation’s Curtin University Sponsorship Programme, which supported his tuition, accommodation, travel and living expenses, enabling him to pursue higher education in Australia. He has joined Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited as a management trainee.It is a dream come true for Bada, who comes from a family of seven. His father Prakash is a farmer and mother Sarita an Anganwadi helper. “The opportunity to study in Australia and experience a completely different educational and cultural environment has changed my perspective, confidence and aspirations. Returning home and beginning my career here makes this journey even more meaningful,” Bada said.Lloyds Infinite Foundation, the CSR arm of Lloyds Metals and Energy, launched the programme with the aim of creating opportunities for promising students from the region to pursue higher education and gain global exposure.The initiative was part of a commitment made by Lloyds Metals managing director B Prabhakaran in 2023 to provide local youth with access to global educational opportunities and encourage them to contribute to the development of their home region.“This is a proud moment for all of us. We made a promise to create global opportunities for our local youth and encourage them to return and contribute to Gadchiroli. Ignasiyus has shown that this promise can become a reality,” Prabhakaran said.
