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March until the following January while in A-level is a time to think about taking standardized exams in BNKS. Depending upon ones goals people take SAT and TOEFL exams at various times. Standardized tests and college application process can certainly be tedious if one doesn’t plan well. I was certainly clueless about the things that would pile up my way. I had no idea about when and how to register for the SAT and the TOEFL, how to prepare for them and how to proceed to other aspects of the lengthy “college-hunt” process.

Time was running out for the SAT registration and I was overwhelmed about it. Some of my friends were too! But, my friends and I had at least a few SEBSers around who could help us out. Dilip dai (308B) and Bisundev dai (707B) were helping us sort out the most suitable colleges and giving us all the tips and advice. Filling out forms, NO PROBLEM but coming up with a lump sum money to pay in US Dollars for SAT and TOEFL for scholarship students and to those in need can sometimes offer a daunting challenge.

We spoke with Dilip dai and told him about our financial problems. I did not have money with me and even if I had called my parents back home, they would not have been able to generate it overnight or in a few days. My friends were in a similar position. Dilip dai kindly listened to us and said he would try and help us out.

The next day, we were informed that Kiran Sitoula (268B) was willing to help us out- thanks to quick e-mail exchanges between Dilip dai and Kiran dai. Here were his terms. We would have to pay the interest-free amount within 2 years. If we scored 1300 or better in SAT I, that fee would be waived to recognize our talent. That allayed all our worries and we were soon able to register for the tests and begin preparing for them. We were very grateful to both Dilip dai and Kiran dai. Sometimes even a small help like this has a multiplying effect in life.

Now, I am a freshman at Connecticut College. With the earnings from my first semester in college, I wrote a check for $ 138.50 and mailed it to Kiran dai last week. Likewise I know a friend who goes to Swarthmore was similarly helped and he too repaid the loan back as soon as he earned his pay check. There is yet another dai whom Kiran dai helped pay for his admission fee at St. Lawrence University. There were at least 4 more others who have been helped privately.

Though I have repaid the money, I still feel indebted to them (Kiran dai and Dilip dai). This is about brothers helping their brothers. After all we are Budhanilkantha alumni. Their support only makes us stronger and gives us strength to help others when they need help.

I would urge the excomm to recognize that there are members who need help in school as well. It would be an excellent idea to set aside some money for loan program every year so that such needy students upon the recommendation from housemaster can borrow money for such standardized tests (which can be as much as Rs 10,000). It does not have to be grant but simply a revolving fund where the pot would be repaid and filled within 2 years. Future SEBSers would thus be helped and would have reason to support SEBS. In the true spirit of friendship, “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.