SSP felicitates Punjab's lone selection of Ferozepur student among 11 Indians for Japan's Asia Kakeshahi Project
Ferozepur, June 8, 2026: In a remarkable achievement, Tarinderpal Singh, a Grade XII student of Vivekananda World School, has been selected for the prestigious Asia Kakehashi Project 2026, becoming the only student from Punjab among 11 students chosen from across India.
The Asia Kakehashi Project, organized by AFS India in collaboration with Japan and sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), is a fully funded international student exchange programme. It covers tuition, travel and living expenses, providing selected students an opportunity to study in Japan while living with host families or in student dormitories.
Dr. S.N. Rudra, Director VWS said Tarinderpal earned his place after an extremely competitive selection process in which more than 7,500 students from across the country applied. Only 11 students were selected nationwide.
As part of the four-month programme, scheduled from August 19 to December 15, 2026, Tarinderpal will live with a Japanese host family and attend a local high school. The programme aims to enhance students’ language skills, cultural understanding, leadership qualities and global outlook.
Expressing his happiness, Tarinderpal said it was both an honour and a responsibility to represent Punjab on an international platform. He shared that the selection process involved several rounds of interviews designed to assess communication, critical thinking and decision-making abilities.
Speaking about one of the interview discussions, Tarinderpal said he highlighted “Scribble Day,” a popular school tradition that celebrates friendships and memories among students. He added that the interviews encouraged creative thinking and thoughtful responses to real-life situations, making the experience both challenging and rewarding.