Insan Hamesha Lyndem from the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills has received the 2025 Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and will go to Taiwan for a study trip of six months.
Lyndem started her Mandarin learning journey in 2022 at the Taiwan Education Centre at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU). In 2023, she sat a standardised Mandarin proficiency test – TOCFL (Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language) – and received her certificate from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, which made her qualified applicant for the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship.
To encourage Indian students to learn Taiwan’s official language and understand its culture and to boost mutual understanding and bilateral exchanges, the Taiwan government provides the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship, among others, to Indian learners every year. The scholarship awardees will receive a monthly stipend of New Taiwan dollars 25,000 (approximately Rs 65,447) for their stay in Taiwan. With the recommendation of her Mandarin teacher Kuei-Mi Li, Lyndem along with three Assam and Manipur classmates from ADBU’s Mandarin classes all received this scholarship.
Lyndem said that she wanted to learn Mandarin because she realised that the language “is not just a language, it’s a gateway. From tech companies and international trade to pop culture, it plays a big role. I wanted to comprehend that world, not simply read about it.”
And thanks to the opportunities offered by ADBU and Taiwan government, Lyndem was able to learn Mandarin and eventually earned this scholarship to further her language study in Taiwan. In the Mandarin classes, in addition to speaking, listening, and writing, she has “learnt to be patient, realized how essential tone and context are in communication, and to appreciate other cultures, and respect cultural differences. Mandarin is not just about words but it also helped me to focus, slow down and observe. I have also grown confidence in simple talks which felt impossible at the start.”
With her own successful experience, Lyndem also encourages the others to join her for learning Mandarin and applying for Taiwan scholarships, because “with remote work, cross-continental networking, and online education, our generation is living in a globalised age. Knowing Mandarin gives you an edge in business, diplomacy, technology and culture. Getting the scholarship makes you not just learning the language but living it.”
The Mandarin classes at ADBU’s Taiwan Education Centre are open to all North Easterners. More information can be sought by calling +91 9365096013.
