Australian former Cricketer Adam Gilchrist

The University of Wollongong (UoW) have announced the first winner of the inaugural Bradman Scholarship for a talented Indian cricketer to study at the university.

Former international cricket champion Adam Gilchrist launched the annual scholarship program in India last year, in his role as UoW’s Brand Ambassador for India.

The winner is Mohammed Shuja Ahmed Khan, from Hyderabad, who will start a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) at UOW in February 2014. Shuja is an outstanding scholar as well as an accomplished cricketer who works hard to promote participation in the game among children in his home city.Shuja participated in Cricket coaching camps conducted by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and due to his skills and dedication in cricket he was selected for the Inter‐zone championship Mayor Trophy and All Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation tournaments in 2011‐2013. Shuja also volunteered with his team at the local cricket clubs to encourage younger children to join sports and coached them in cricket.

The scholarship, named in honour of the world’s cricketing-great, Sir Donald Bradman, is for an Indian student to study in Australia at UOW. The University has combined with the Bradman Foundation, a charitable trust established in 1987 with the blessing of Sir Donald Bradman to promote cricket as a cultural and sporting force, to offer its first international scholarship for undergraduate study at one of Australia’s leading universities.

(L-R) Adam Gilchrist, scholarship winner Mohammed Shuja Ahmed Khan, UoW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings

The University of Wollongong scholarship was established to be awarded to an Indian student – male or female - who has completed secondary school and who demonstrates a combination of academic, sporting, personal and social skills, as well as strong participation in cricket.

Gilchrist, the former wicket-keeper batsman, who captained Australia to a 2-1 Test series win over India in 2004, was inducted into the Sport Australia’s Hall of Fame in October 2012.

Gilchrist said he was delighted to have such a worthy first recipient of the Bradman Scholarship, who displayed all the characteristics that the organisers were looking for when they established it in Sir Donald’s name.

Further information about the UOW Bradman Foundation Scholarship Scheme can be found here.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG: UOW is one of Australia’s leading universities, recognised in the top two percent of the world’s universities in the two main rankings (QS and The Times Higher Education). Its main campus and its Innovation Campus research and development precinct are located in the coastal city of Wollongong, one hour south of Sydney in the State of New South Wales. Visit www.uow.edu.au for more details.

ABOUT THE BRADMAN FOUNDATION: The Bradman Foundation is based in Bowral, in New South Wales, Australia. It owns and operates the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame and manages Bradman Oval where the young Don Bradman first learned to play the game. The Bradman Foundation, a non-profit charitable trust, was established in 1987 with the full support of Sir Donald Bradman AC to promote cricket as a valuable cultural and sporting force within the community. Each year the Foundation honours leading cricketers by the naming of Bradman Honourees. Previous Bradman Honourees have included Indian batsman Rahul Dravid and Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath. Visit www.bradman.com.au for more details.

Champion Cricketer Adam Gilchrist talks UoW Scholarship

Tags: Cricket, Scholarship, University of Wollongong