Ravneet Kaur was born in Jalandhar, Punjab in 2004. She grew up in an economically-challenged family in Panchhat, near Phagwara, Punjab. From a young age, she was taught the common Sikh values of respecting her elders, behaving with humility, sacrificing for and serving others as well as viewing everyone as equals.
Unbeknownst to her at the time, these values eventually aligned with her chosen career in nursing.
In 2023, Ravneet began her studies at Guru Nanak College of Nursing in Dhahan-Kaleran.
“Becoming a doctor was my first choice. But when I entered nursing, I realized it’s the best choice. It’s when the patients respect their nurses as they take care of them – that’s the best reason to study nursing,” she describes.
Although her marks may have qualified her to enter medical school, tuition fees were out of the question for her mother – the sole breadwinner of the family.
Scholarships are scarce in India. Part-time work is rarely available for teenagers. It’s also not easy to qualify for a loan to pay for schooling. Like many in India, Ravneet had to settle for education that her family could afford.
Learning to rely on family and hard work
Ravneet lost her father, a factory worker, at the age of 7. Since then, her mother and grandparents bore the burden of raising her and her brother. They’ve lived under the same roof since her childhood.
Ravneet’s mother is a teacher. Because of her profession, Ravneet and her brother were able to attend a quality, primary and secondary school for low fees at Shri Guru Hargobind Sikh Missionary Public School in Panchhat.
Ravneet’s diligence with schoolwork qualified her for a scholarship. Thanks to the added financial support, she was able to complete grade 11 and 12 at Sant Hari Singh Memorial Senior Secondary School in Chela, Punjab.
Her mother was able to pay for her brother to complete grade 12. However, she could only afford post-secondary tuition for one of her two children.
Raveneet’s brother decided he would enter the workforce immediately after high school, making way for his sister to study nursing. He now works in an AC repair shop.
Encouraged by female role models
Following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, Ravneet is ready to sacrifice for her brother.
“When I talk to him, I tell him I want him to study. But we know our family doesn’t have the finances for both of us to study properly at the same time,” she explains. “So, when I am finished with my studies, I will be able to help him do something else.”
Her mother and grandmother were also an encouragement to her, especially when she faced the reality that she could not attend medical school. It was her grandmother, a retired teacher, who first suggested nursing. Her mother cheered on the idea.
“My mother never told me, but when she was in grade 8 or 9, she saw nurses in uniform going to the hospital in Delhi and she dreamed of becoming a nurse,” recalls Ravneet. “She became a teacher, but when my grandmother advised me to be a nurse, she fantasized that I would become a nurse too!”
Helped by bursary giving through Canadian donors
In 2023, members of Canada India Education Society (CIES) were inspired by the transformative stories of Meenu, and Reena. The organization began fundraising to create bursaries and scholarships for nursing students at Guru Nanak College of Nursing.
The realization was that more hard-working women could uplift their situation, if only given the opportunity to be trained in a post-secondary institution. Their education, in turn, could change their families for generations.
A total of 14, ₹30,000 (i.e. $500 CAD) bursaries were made available to those who could demonstrate financial need. To be eligible, recipients could not qualify for government assistance to pay tuition fees (a common concession made available to lower castes and tribes in India).
Ravneet was the recipient of one of the bursaries, which covered about 30% of her year’s tuition (for the bachelor of science in nursing program).
“It helped quite a lot to pay the fees,” says Ravneet.
“These bursaries and scholarships were set up to encourage support, without taking away the incentive of hard work,” says Barj S. Dhahan, co-founder and executive director of CIES.
“Many of these families just need a small lift in order to get some relief. The awards may not seem like a lot to Canadians, but they come to about a three month’s salary for the average worker in the region,” he continues.
Looking forward to a career of helping others
Ravneet is on a trajectory to graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing in 2026. Her hope is to become a clinical nurse, where she can interact with patients directly.
“Really, honestly, I love seeing the appreciation of the patients, especially when they ask questions about health. I’ve seen an incident when a patient came in, and he was in pain. The nurse treated him and he was very happy. When you get that appreciation from patients, it’s the best part of nursing,” she says.