Dear FOSS United Review Committee,
Please find my responses below for the IndiaFOSS 2026 Diversity Scholarship application. I am a first-year B.Tech AIML student at the Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences, Jabalpur, MP:
- Motivation to Attend and Key Takeaways: As a first-year engineering student, I am completely open to absorbing new technologies, embracing new ways of learning, and stepping outside my comfort zone to gain a broader perspective. I want to attend IndiaFOSS 2026 to engage directly with the maintainers of the Indian open-source ecosystem, particularly to understand how open-source principles intersect with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Coming from Jabalpur, I face structural geographical boundaries that isolate me from mainstream technology hubs like Bengaluru. This conference offers the perfect ecosystem to satisfy my drive for deeper technical knowledge and real-world experience, which I fully intend to bring back and share with my academic peers.
- Open-Source and Community Contributions: My commitment to community execution and public interest is demonstrated through a solid track record of action. Following my schooling at St. Joseph, I have actively built my engineering and leadership capabilities through my work and position within our campus IEEE Student Branch. Beyond this technical role, I have completed two focused internships at NGOs, volunteered as a hands-on organizer during local FOSS hackathons, and recently spearheaded the coordination of a new technical event on my campus. I am always ready to try something new, and these experiences have taught me how to manage collaborative environments, proving that impactful open-source participation begins with strong, localized community management.
- Justification for the Diversity Scholarship: I am applying for this scholarship because traveling from Madhya Pradesh to Bengaluru involves significant financial and logistical hurdles on a first-year student budget. Because I am early in my engineering journey and do not have institutional or corporate travel funding, covering out-of-state train travel, ticketing, and accommodation independently is difficult. Receiving this aid will eliminate these financial barriers, allowing me to fully leverage this immersive experience to scale my skill set and establish a rigorous, active FOSS culture back home in Jabalpur.
Addendum - Regarding Video Submission:
Please note that I am sharing my responses via text rather than a recorded video because I received the details of this scholarship application at the absolute last minute from my college senior this evening (August 7th), and I have my second-semester university examination tomorrow morning. Due to the immediate need to focus on my exam preparation tonight, I am unable to record a video but wanted to ensure my application was submitted comprehensively within the deadline.
Thank you for your time, understanding, and consideration.
Sincerely,
Rupal Kushwaha
B.Tech (AI & ML), 1st Year
Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences, Jabalpur, MP
9109951701