Australia Awards South and West Asia

Ram Pukar Mahara is studying a Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability at Flinders University in South Australia, with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.

In the following video, Ram Pukar discusses his experiences as an Australia Awards scholar in Australia.

Ram Pukar is a member of the Dalit community in Nepal. It had long been his dream to study abroad, but pursuing this ambition had always been a challenge because he is from a marginalised community. Now that his Australia Awards Scholarship has made this a reality he says, “I hope my journey of being a scholar will inspire people from my community.” He plans to apply the knowledge that he gains in Australia to advocate for the rights of his people to contribute to decisions on environmental management and promote sustainable practices that benefit marginalised groups. He hopes that his example will help other members of the Dalit community to aim high and pursue their own dreams.

The topic of his master’s degree has special relevance not only to his community but to Nepal more broadly. “Learning about the environmental management is very important because Nepal is very vulnerable in [the] context of climate change,” he says. Ram Pukar has seen this firsthand through his work in the local community within the development sector and as a lecturer.

Having long aspired to study at an international university, Ram Pukar has found that the experience in Australia has lived up to his expectations. “The technology and the way that we interact in the classroom is very exciting,” he says. The university library facilities, which are available 24/7, have particularly impressed him. “You have the computer access, internet access, also […] lots of books,” he says. “You can even book the space and you can study alone—or if you want to study in a group, you can.” The multicultural backgrounds of his fellow students are also a cause for note: “My colleagues are from different countries, so I can learn about different perspectives around the world, which is very amazing,” he says.

Ram Pukar (middle) featured with other scholars at Australia Awards End Celebration in November 2024 in Adelaide.

That said, he is also learning a lot about Australia and especially Adelaide, which he describes as “very clean” and “very energetic”. He praises the transport systems and the friendly people, and mentions having been to the museum and the botanic gardens. “Adelaide,” he says, “has been called the most beautiful city in the world, so I feel I am at the right place to learn about how the people are managing the environment here and how they are protecting the native plants.”

Similarly, Ram Pukar perceives a difference between Australia and his home country in the treatment of marginalised communities, such as First Nations people. “I was very much excited to learn about the Indigenous people here,” he says. “While studying Indigenous Studies, I found the peoples here from the Indigenous community are empowered and they are respected. Most of the people are aware about the inclusions and how we respect the dignity of the Indigenous people.” He now aims to learn how the Australian Government and the Australian people have acknowledged the rights of First Nations people.

Australia Awards provides many opportunities for scholars. Ram Pukar speaks about examples such as various conferences and visits, including a recent cultural visit to national parks where he learnt more about First Nations people, as well as about local vegetation and Australian history.

He also notes that Australia Awards offered a number of professional development opportunities. For example, in November 2024 Ram Pukar attended the 2024 Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia Scholars Forum in Canberra which enabled him and other participants to hear from Australian experts on the theme “Working Together for a Gender-Equal World”. “There are lots of unique opportunities through […] Australia Awards,” he says. “They support you in every way,” he adds.

With this perspective, Ram Pukar has simple advice for prospective Australia Awards applicants: “Don’t worry much, just apply for it.” He points out that there are a lot of people available to help, both in Nepal and in Australia. “You can ask them any time; they are very friendly, they are very kind,” he says. “I found the application process is very easy and it is very easy to fill out the form […] you can follow the guidelines [on] how to apply, how to lodge the applications.”

Ram Pukar (right) with other Nepali scholars in Canberra at the Scholars Forum.

It’s not just easy to apply; it’s also very worthwhile. “You don’t have to worry about the finance, because everything is covered by the Australia Awards Scholarship,” Ram Pukar says. “The best part” of the Scholarship, he says, “is that you can come with your family”. He believes that the benefits of this are two-fold: You don’t have to worry about your family’s wellbeing, because they will be in Australia with you; in addition, your family will be there to support you during assignments and late-night study sessions. “I feel very happy that I have my wife with me, who’s very supportive,” Ram Pukar adds. “I would like to thank her.”