Bengaluru: Srikar Gollapalli, the Bengaluru boy who has made an impact with his role in the Swachh Bharat initiative, has received offers from 6 US universities. He chose Princeton to do his Masters in Public Administration (MPA).
Two of the six varsities - Princeton, Harvard, Maxwell Institute (Syracuse University), Duke, Georgetown and Carnegie Mellon - even offered to waive his tuition fee and provide aid. In September, the Colgate University graduate will join Princeton University, which also offered a stipend to meet his daily expenses.
Working at Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC), New Delhi, as a research fellow, Srikar has done a comparative study on 'Politics of Performance' under the guidance of Vinay Sahasrabudde, director, PPRC. The study paper was released by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Srikar is helping the Union government formulate the policy for public sanitation as part of the Swacch Bharat Mission.
Srikar was motivated to study public administration to fight powerlessness. "There is a need for institutional restructuring in civic agencies to enhance the quality of life of the common citizen, who lacks power. I'm working on eradicating open defecation in India through the Swacch Bharat Mission. India still battles diarrhoea, anaemia and hepatitis - results of open defecation and unhygienic surroundings," Srikar said.
"We have always supported his varied interests as his ideas were not run-of-the-mill. He wants to return and work for India after his masters. There are enough opportunities in every field if a person excels," said Ramakrishna Gollapalli, Srikar's father.
