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Indian donors in Georgia back NFIA student scholarship
Dr. Manjit Singh and Lata Chinnan will support one student through four years of higher education under the National Federation of Indian Americans scholarship program.
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Ankita Baidya - Tue, 16, Jun 2026
- 03:05 EDT
- 50
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Dr. Manjit Singh and Lata Chinnan have pledged US$8,000 to the NFIA Scholarship Program, funding one student's education over four years. / Unsplash
The National Federation of Indian Americans (NFIA) Scholarship Program has received a new donor commitment from Georgia-based philanthropists Dr. Manjit Singh and Lata Chinnan, who have pledged US$8,000 to support a student over four years.
According to NFIA's Scholarship Committee, the couple will fund one scholarship recipient at US$2,000 annually for four years, helping a student pursue higher education through the organization's scholarship initiative.
Also Read: Indian-origin student wins Hofstra Inaba Scholarship
NFIA leaders welcomed the contribution, describing it as an investment in educational opportunity and youth development within the community.
Dr. Manjit Singh, a professor emeritus of food engineering at the University of Georgia, spent 38 years at the institution before retiring in 2016. During his academic career, he gained international recognition for research in food processing and edible and biodegradable food packaging. He has published more than 550 articles, secured approximately US$12 million in research funding, and advised 50 graduate students. In 2020, he was named a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science.
Lata Chinnan is a former international field hockey player who represented India at the first Women's Hockey World Cup in France in 1974. She later served as an associate envoy for the Indian Olympic contingent during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In recognition of her sporting achievements, her alma mater in India named a sports pavilion in her honor in 2018.
A retired business owner, Chinnan was recognized as Small Business of the Year by the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. She also received a citation from former President Barack Obama in 2014 for community service and currently serves on the Clayton State University Trustees Foundation.
The couple has a long history of philanthropic support for education and athletics. They have established endowments at Punjab Agricultural University in India, the University of Georgia, and Clayton State University in Georgia.
NFIA Scholarship Committee members Subash Razdan and Raj Razdan thanked the couple for joining the organization's growing network of scholarship donors, noting that their contribution will help expand educational opportunities for students pursuing academic goals.
The NFIA Scholarship Program supports students through financial assistance and community-backed educational initiatives, with contributions from donors helping fund future scholarship recipients.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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