Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 5 (IANS) An Oman-based Keralite businessman will offer scholarship for rural students from across the country to do a post-graduate course in management at the Asian School of Business (ASB) here.


George M. Thomas incidentally is the patron of the ASB and is doing this to give a boost to the industry’s rural thrust.

The annual intake would be 240 seats and the fees for the two-year programme is Rs 6.50 lakh.

"Besides free laptops, we will give 50 percent scholarship to one student each from Indian states who has completed his/her schooling in rural schools. Four students will be offered 25 percent scholarship and ten students 10 percent in a bid to discover and nurture rural talent. These scholarships are being offered by George M. Thomas Foundation," Thomas told reporters here Friday.

ASB director S.Rajeev, who has mentored Indian and Silicon Valley start-ups, is overseeing the initiative to develop management graduates who can drive the marketing thrust of Indian and multinational companies eyeing the booming rural market.

"Students with rural upbringing are better positioned to feel the pulse of the rural consumer. Our training will make them effective marketers who can relate to the rural ambience and this emerging economic segment more effectively," said Rajeev.

The ASB has now moved to its own swanky 16-acre full-fledged eco-friendly residential campus designed by a Singapore architectural firm, located near the state’s premier IT destination, the Technopark campus.