Aaghaz Foundation,  has constituted a scholarship program in the memory of  8-year-old rape and murder victim in Kathua. The scholarship has been named as ASIFA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP.

The scholarship carries a cash amount of Rs 50,000 which will be given to two underprivileged minor Indian girls annually to help them complete their studies.

The applicant must be an Indian girl below 18 years of age who is meritorious and from an underprivileged background, preferably from the minority community.

“At Aaghaz, we reckon this is the best way to cherish her memory,” said an Aaghaz spokesperson. “Priority will be given to orphans, girls from Kashmir and those from distressed families,” he added.

Interested female students are required to email their educational certificates along with income proof and other details to aaghaz.foundation@gmail.com before June 10, 2018.

In 2016, Aaghaz announced the Rs 50,000 Rohith Vemula Memorial Scholarship in memory of the deceased Hyderabad Central University Student. The inaugural Rohith Vemula Memorial scholarship was given to  Dalit student Chandan Kumar Ram who was pursuing Law from Samastipur, Bihar. Chandan’s father works as a labourer.

A zero-expense literacy initiative for underprivileged Indian students, Aaghaz Foundation is headquartered in Lucknow and has given financial assistance to over 12,000 students across various schools and colleges over the past 13 years.