ITANAGAR : The Reading Promotion Endowment Trust for Arunachal (RPETA), a public charitable trust founded in Delhi to promote reading and educational advancement among reading-deprived youth of Arunachal Pradesh, has announced two fellowships for 2026-27.

The third “Mandakini Khandekar Memorial Fellowship for Educational and Professional Advancement” 2026 has been awarded to wildlife student-artist Behelti Ama of Wakro, who is also a senior youth library volunteer.

The fellowship carries financial assistance of Rs 35,000 to support her advanced professional training in digital art during 2026-27.

Late Mandakini Khandekar, who passed away in Pune in March 2023 at the age of 94, was a committed patron of RPETA and actively supported reading promotion activities and the youth library movement in Arunachal Pradesh. She had expressed her wish that her contributions to RPETA be utilised for the educational advancement of deserving youth from the state.

The second “Capt KK Venkatraman Memorial Fellowship for Professional Enhancement” has been awarded to Ashapmai Dellang, lead member of the Carnatic music group Wakro Sisters.

The fellowship, carrying Rs 30,000, will enable her to attend advanced training workshops in Carnatic music during 2026-27.

Late Capt KK Venkatraman, who passed away on May 27, 2024, was a pioneer educational administrator of the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas (VKVs) in Arunachal Pradesh and a dedicated patron of RPETA.

In a statement, RPETA president Dr Ngilang Taley expressed gratitude and respect to late Mandakini Khandekar and late Capt KK Venkatraman for their generous patronage and commitment towards the advancement of Arunachal youth.