ITANAGAR, 19 May: The Reading Promotion Endowment Trust for Arunachal (RPETA) – a public charitable trust founded in Delhi by well-wishers to promote reading and educational advancement of reading-deprived youths of Arunachal Pradesh – has announced the 3rd Mandakini Khandekar Memorial Fellowship for Educational & Professional Advancement for wildlife student-artist Behelti Ama of Wakro, a senior youth library volunteer.

The fellowship of Rs 35,000 will support her in pursuing advanced professional training in digital art during 2026-27.

Late Mandakini Khandekar, who passed away in Pune in March 2023 at the age of 94, was an enthusiastic patron of the RPETA Trust and generously supported the reading promotion activities and youth library movement in Arunachal. She had expressly requested to utilise her contributions to the RPETA for educational advancement of bright deserving Arunachal youths.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Capt KK Venkatraman Memorial Fellowship for Professional Enhancement went to Ashapmai Dellang, lead member of the Carnatic music singers Wakro Sisters. The fellowship of Rs 30,000 would enable her to attend advanced training workshops in Carnatic music during 2026-27.

Late Capt Venkatraman, who passed away on 27 May, 2024, was a pioneer educational administrator of VKVs in Arunachal, and a dedicated patron of the RPETA Trust.