How Pooja Agarwal became a world-class parashooter

She says, “It was devastating, and I asked myself constantly, “ab kya hoga” (What will happen now).”

Slowly, Pooja learnt to use her right hand to do small tasks, and her only thought at the time was how to get a job and become financially independent. Her marriage was over, and all she was left with was her determination to not let fate come in the way of her dreams and ambitions. She began studying for competitive exams from the hospital bed and continued to do so even after she was discharged. Soon, her hard work paid off when she joined Bank of Allahabad (now Indian Bank after a merger) at its Gujranwala town branch in June 2014.

Pooja’s journey had just begun. Eight months later, her friend and mentor Pragya suggested she try her hand at sports. She laughed it off saying she couldn’t even work. But when she went to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) and saw people playing basketball from their wheelchairs, her interest was piqued. At one time, Pooja was juggling office, table tennis, and shooting. One day she fainted at the bank and was advised to take up only one sport. She chose shooting and participated in her first competition — the pre-nationals — in 2016. November 8, 2016 — the day she returned after winning the gold — was one she will never forget. Pooja is now an acclaimed para-shooter, winning medals for the country both at national and international levels.

Her goal is to achieve more wins as a para-shooter and bring laurels for Indian Bank and the country. She says “Hum girte bhi hain, hum rukte bhi hain, hum rote bhi hain, hum teherte bhi hain, par hum chalna nahin chodte (We fall, we stop, we cry, we saunter, but we never stop walking.)” Pooja wants to continue “walking” by learning all that the Universe has to offer.

Certificate courses fulfill requirement of upskilling, reskilling

04 March, 2022

Moving beyond the formal course curriculum enables students to acquire industry-ready skills. Apart from various EdTechs  offering unique certification opportunities, higher education institutes (HEIs) are encouraging students to take relevant  courses to become job ready. 

PM e-Vidya: Adding an e to education

o4 March, 2022

If there was any good that came of the global pandemic, the digital turn towards online education would certainly be a contender. And even as the pandemic recedes, the virtue that the necessity bred now seems all set to stay. Even as students across the country return to brick and mortar schools, the classroom’s virtual avatar is not likely to vanish into the ether. Hence the serious consideration of the hybrid model, which offers the best of both the worlds—the socio-emotional bonding of a physical classroom, and broader access to education through the online medium.

UGC to allow institutes to source 40% course content externally for online programmes

02 March, 2022

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released draft guidelines for amendments to the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulation 2020. The proposed amendments are set to promote open and distance learning (ODL) through reputable higher educational institutions across India.

Music Education

Music brings out the best in you Music is a part of everyday life for most of us, ranging from passive listening to active music-making. While a select few pursue music professionally to build highly rewarding careers, the majority simply continues to enjoy the social, cognitive, and therapeutic benefits of music. Studies have shown that individuals with consistent involvement in instrumental music demonstrate significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency (U.S. DoE NELLS88 DB).

    Nilesh Thomas

Dean, True School of Music

Vijaybhoomi University

Ayush Kumar, 1st year B.Tech

1. The program fee is based on a per credit pricing.
2. Every course is assigned certain number of credits. Every professional degree stipulates the number of credits that a student has to successfully acquire from respective course baskets. 
3. The tuition fee of the program is determined by the number of credits a student takes in a given term multiplied by the price per credit summed up across all terms.