‘Going Abroad New Disease,’ Says Veep Dhankhar; Internet Points To Daughter’s Foreign Education
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar sparked controversy on Saturday by describing studying abroad as a “new disease” afflicting children in India. Speaking at a private educational event in Sikar, Rajasthan, Dhankhar lamented that the trend of going abroad for education was leading to both a “forex drain and brain drain” that could harm the nation’s future.
“There is another new disease among children – that of going abroad. They dream of studying abroad without evaluating the institutions or countries they are headed to,” Dhankhar remarked. He expressed concerns about the impact of commercialisation on education quality and estimated that 13 lakh students would have gone abroad by the end of 2024. “People are beginning to realise how bright their future could have been had they stayed back and studied here,” he added.
However, the Vice President’s comments quickly attracted online scrutiny as users dug into the academic history of his daughter, Kamna. Reports revealed that Kamna completed her higher education at Beever College (now Arcadia University) in the United States, with additional summer courses in the UK, Italy, and Australia.
Kamna’s education also included learning Italian at the Italian Embassy in New Delhi and at an institute in Rome. She even pursued studies at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Dhankar Ji sent his daughter to the US for studies, so she 'does not get infected' by the new Indian disease. Clever dad! https://t.co/zJg51RfyDL pic.twitter.com/kygbzpW8d4
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) October 20, 2024
Kamna is married to Kartikeya Vajpayee, a lawyer at the Supreme Court and son of late Shri Vijay Shankar Vajpayee and Smt. Abha Vajpayee. Kartikeya, an MBA graduate, previously worked with ITC before shifting to the legal profession.
