Eleven engineering students from across the country flash the V-sign after bagging an annual scholarship from Tata Steel in Jamshedpur on Tuesday.

The steel major introduced its Women of Mettle scholarship programme in February this year to promote participation of the fair sex in the manufacturing sector. Meritorious students will receive a prize money of Rs 1 lakh a year along with preference in pre-placement offers in their final year.

Tuesday's certificate ceremony at a Bistupur hotel was attended by Suresh Dutt Tripathi, vice-president (HR) of Tata Steel, as the chief guest. "Women of Mettle is meant to break myths about the manufacturing sector," he said to underscore that women are as competent as men in the steel business.

Sources said the scholarship programme received 400 entries from IITs, NITs, BIT-Mesra, BIT-Sindri and other cradles from across India. Of these students who hailed from diverse branches of engineering such as electrical, metallurgy, chemical, civil and production, 68 were short-listed on the basis of academics, statement of purpose and psychosomatic analysis.

Later, 30 were chosen for the final presentation of their projects in Jamshedpur and 11 won the scholarship. However, all the 30 finalists will be offered an internship with Tata Steel.

"Participating in the competition was an enriching experience. The programme motivated me to take interest in iron and steel business. It was all about gender equality," said Ragini Sreenath, a second-year chemical engineering student from IIT-Madras.

Saloni Ranjan, s student of BIT-Mesra, said those who believed in themselves bagged the scholarship. "I feel good to be among them." Picture by Bhola Prasad