Sumi Naga scholar wins prestigious Taiwan scholarship

Kohima: Livino K, a Mandarin language student from Nagaland has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, earning an opportunity to pursue six months of language studies and cultural immersion in Taiwan.

According to a release, Livino, who hails from Yemishe village in Zunheboto district began to learn Mandarin in 2025 when she came across an online language programme offered by the Taiwan Education Center at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU). Drawn by the quality of instruction and the opportunity to take internationally recognised proficiency examinations, she enrolled in the course.

What started as curiosity soon evolved into a serious pursuit. Over the following months, Livino mastered the fundamentals of Mandarin, including tones, pinyin, character writing and everyday vocabulary. In March 2026, she successfully cleared the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL), earning a Novice-level certificate that qualified her to apply for the highly competitive scholarship.

The road to success, however, was not without challenges. Living in a remote village, Livino had to contend with frequent power outages and unstable internet connectivity while attending online classes.

Her Mandarin instructor, Kueimi Li, praised her determination and commitment.

“Livino proved herself to be a remarkably sincere student from day one. I was deeply touched by her dedication and willingness to attend classes despite the challenges posed by frequent power cuts and unreliable internet connectivity in her remote location,” Li said.

Encouraged by her teacher, Livino applied for the Huayu Scholarship and was delighted when she learned of her selection.

“I know seats for this scholarship are highly limited, so being selected made me feel that my efforts and aspirations were truly valued,” Livino was quoted.

She added that the scholarship would be life-changing, as it covers tuition fees, accommodation and provides a monthly stipend, allowing recipients to focus entirely on their studies.

“It will strengthen my bilingual abilities and open up greater opportunities for my future career,” Livino said.

During her stay in Taiwan, Livino hopes to immerse herself in a Mandarin-speaking environment to achieve greater language proficiency. She is also eager to experience Taiwanese culture firsthand, including traditional festivals and local work culture.

In the short term, she aims to clear the TOCFL A2 or B1 proficiency levels. In the long run, she hopes to use her language skills to strengthen educational and cultural ties between India and Taiwan.

Encouraging students from Northeast India to explore similar opportunities, Livino said learning Mandarin offers more than linguistic skills.

“Mandarin is not just a language. Because of its tones and characters, it trains your brain to think differently. For students from the Northeast, where opportunities to study abroad can sometimes be limited, this scholarship offers an incredible gateway to global exposure and a valuable skill set,” she said.

According to Li, the Taiwan government awards the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship annually to international learners, providing a monthly stipend of 28,000 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately Rs 80,000).

She noted that under her guidance, around 20 students from Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh enrolled in the ADBU Mandarin programme have secured various scholarships, with several alumni now working in Taiwanese companies operating in India.

“The scholarship aims to equip learners with valuable language skills, deepen their understanding of Taiwanese culture and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between India and Taiwan,” Li said.

She expressed hope that Livino’s success story would inspire more students from Northeast India to pursue similar opportunities in Taiwan.

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