Scholarship
OUR IMMEDIATE GOAL:
- Establish opportunities, in partnership with a number of universities and military training establishments, to develop the Scholarship and Awards critieria.
- We plan to fund a number of Burma Star Scholarships in perpetuity through a permanently endowed programme.
THE PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITY:
- We are looking for a philanthropic partner for each of our Scholarships.
- Co-branding of the Burma Star Scholarships is available to our partners.
Applying for a Burma Star Scholarship
Applications for the Burma Star Scholarship and Awards 2024 are now closed. Next year's application process will open in June 2025 and must be made through the Burma Star Memorial Fund Director. The application form will appear here. Please check back next year.
Who can apply
Anyone may apply using the above form for any academic study, whether BA, MA or PhD. Candidates that have accepted and met the conditions of an offer of admission to study at UCL and meet the above eligibility criteria will be invited to apply for the scholarship through UCL.
The application will take the form of a personal statement by the applicants explaining why they are applying for the scholarship, their interest in their chosen subject, their knowledge of the Burma Campaign and what qualities they will bring to the programme if selected.
All shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, either in person or via telephone or video call, with the Selection Panel.
The award is solely for the academic years for which the student has applied for. If the student decides to defer when they begin their programme, the award cannot be transferred or delayed to a subsequent academic year and will be awarded to another eligible candidate.
How do I apply
All applications for the Burma Star scholarship, apart from those through UCL, must be made via the Burma Star Memorial Fund Director. Applications for the Burma Star Scholarship and Awards 2024 are now closed. Next year's application process will open in June 2025. The application form will appear here. Please check back next year.
Our Scholars
The Burma Star Scholarship was launched in 2019 and we awarded our first scholarship in June of that year. Read more about our scholars below.
Akaraseth Puranasamriddhi
Our first Burma Star Scholar is Akaraseth Puranasamriddhi. A Canadian resident, Akaraseth completed his MSc in Engineering for International Development at UCL in 2020.
Akaraseth is currently a DPhil Candidate in climate risks and fiscal resilience at the University of Oxford. Alongside his DPhil, he is a Research Affiliate at the University of Cambridge and UCL. He is also a Trustee at Engineers Without Borders UK and a member of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Environment Programme (UNEP), Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Human Rights (UN OHCHR) Youth Advisory Group on Climate Justice in the Asia-Pacific.
Akaraseth is grateful for the support of the Burma Star Memorial Fund as without it, many of these opportunities would not be possible.
Kushma Thapa
Kushma Thapa is our second Burma Star Scholar and is from Nepal.
Kushma was delighted when she was offered a Burma Star Scholarship and joined UCL’s MSc in Engineering for International Development in September 2020. Since graduating she has been working as a Senior Sustainability Designer at Foster and Partners where she contributes to diverse projects in different geographic locations. Her role involves supporting F+P with sustainable design strategies for both buildings and masterplans. In this role, she is dedicated to ensuring that the projects they design are human centric, inclusive, meaningful and have minimum impact on the environment. Notably, Kushma recently co-authored a report on sanitation and wastewater management in cities and human settlements, which was published by UN Habitat. She has also been part of academia as a guest lecturer at the University of Nottingham, where she shares insights on urban design and sustainability.
Lotenna Olisaeloka
2021 Scholar, Lotenna Olisaeloka, studied at the Institute of Global Health, UCL, for an MSc in Global Health and Development.
Luke Usher
The James and Deirdre Dyson Scholar 2022, Luke is studying for a PhD at Northumbria University in the social history aspects of the Burma Campaign.
Luke graduated from The Open University with a bachelor’s degree in History (BA) which he obtained alongside work, including roles in the museum and charity sector. He went on to complete a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) at The University of Northumbria (Newcastle) and after a period in the teaching profession decided to go back into academia, completing his master’s degree (MA) in 2020.
Luke was offered a Burma Star Scholarship to fund his PhD History research at The University of Northumbria in 2022. His thesis is a perfect fit for the scholarship as it examines the oral personal testimonies of British veterans who fought in the Burma campaign. The project takes a thematic approach to analysis and seeks to place focus on the war experience of servicemen; it aims to bring together the academic disciplines of oral history, military history, memory studies and the cultural history of war. Luke hopes that his research will help the voices of this extraordinary group of veterans continue to be remembered and commemorated by future generations.
Nitya Pun
Nitya is currrently studying Law LLB at Queen Mary’s University having started there in September 2023.
Nitya Pun was born into a military family. Many of her family members have served in the military – both of her great-grandfathers were WWII Veterans.
Whilst her maternal great-grandfather, Captain Pomras Pun, fought in Europe, her paternal great-grandfather, Subedar Gan Bahadur Pun, fought in Burma.
Following in their footsteps, her father also joined the British Army in the Brigade of Gurkhas. Daughter of a Gurkha soldier, growing up in a military family around various Army camps has significantly emphasised Nitya’s sense of belonging, community spirit and instilled in her the importance of remembering those Veterans who gave their lives selflessly for the future generation’s better future.
Nitya is overjoyed to have been offered the 2023 Burma Star scholarship alongside Dr Kareen Rana and hopes to be an astute ambassador for the Burma Star Association.
Dr Kareen Rana
Burma Star Scholar Dr Karen Rana is currently studying for her Masters in Advanced Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry at University of Portsmouth.
Dr Kareen Rana, the granddaughter on both sides of her family of Gurkha Burma Veterans, is a passionate dentist from Nepal. Her great-grandfather was Rifleman Meharsing Ale 8th GR; her grandfather Jemadar Jaibahadur Rana served 1939 to 1945 with 2/8 GR; her great uncle, Jemadar Jitbahadur Ale, was awarded the MC in March 1945 with 4/8th GR; and two other great uncles also served – Hav Mandhoj Ale 6th GR and Rifleman Manbahadur Ale 4/8GR.
Kareen’s journey to becoming a dental professional began at the esteemed Kist Medical College at the Tribhuwan University of Nepal. Over the course of four impactful years, she has served patients, witnessing first-hand the transformative power of oral healthcare.
Beyond the clinic, she has taken her commitment to oral health to another level by actively participating in various organistaions dedicated to raising awareness about dental hygiene - empowering individuals and allowing her to contribute to the larger goal of a healthier society.