Nepal’s first ACCA member, Ummed Jain FCCA, passed away in December 2020 at the age of 72. He had travelled to the UK in 1970 under a scholarship from the British Council to study for the ACCA qualification, and after many years of inspiring future members into the profession, in 2006 he was the first recipient of the ACCA Achievement Award in recognition of his work to promote ACCA in Nepal.
‘Ummed Jain was an outstanding ambassador not only for ACCA but for the entire profession and the value it contributes to society,’ says ACCA chief executive Helen Brand. ‘His influence on the accountancy profession’s development is enormous.’
Rabin Katwal, head of ACCA Nepal, adds: ‘Ummed’s passion and contribution to accountancy and accountancy education during the early days in Nepal will always be remembered.’
Continuing to inspire the next generation
Ummed was a passionate ACCA member, as are his three surviving children who are all FCCAs. His legacy lives on to inspire and support the next generation of finance professionals with the introduction of a scholarship fund set up by his family.
The scholarship, awarded to a deserving woman ACCA student in Nepal, covers the costs of exams, tuition and annual subscription fees for a year from the date the scholarship is awarded. A new winner will be selected annually.
Ummed’s son Abhijay Jain says: ‘Dad was always a champion of women’s education and we are delighted that his legacy lives on via this scholarship. We are grateful for the support given by ACCA in the UK and in Nepal to launch this initiative and we look forward to supporting the next generation of ACCA students in the years to come.’
Applications for the first scholarship received 65 submissions. Each applicant shared their passions, dreams and aspirations for the future in a short essay detailing how the scholarship would make a positive contribution to their career, community, and the overall accountancy profession.
An exceptional award, for an exceptional student
Dikshya has completed seven of her ACCA exams to date. In her essay submission, she likens her education journey to coffee: both are essential in her life, bittersweet at times, but with a rewarding feeling after.
The passion Dikshya has for her career and education shone through her essay submission, but what made her stand out to the judges from other applicants was her dedication and long-term view of how being ACCA-qualified allows her to go on to support her community.
In her essay submission, she wrote: ‘ACCA has long adhered to the notion that with great power comes significant responsibilities; one most important responsibility is to commit to serving the community. I have always been taught to give back to the community. Using the knowledge and perspective I have gained from ACCA, I have been volunteering to help the underprivileged prepare their tax returns.
‘As an ACCA student, I have an essential role in imparting the knowledge, skills and ethical underpinnings of my profession to the community. I have realised that helping the community does not necessarily have to be glamorous. Often, the community is helped by students studying hard and giving back later on, which might be by becoming anything they want and paying tax or helping the community in whichever way they prefer.’
Katwal says: ‘We congratulate Dikshya on being the first recipient of the Ummed Jain Scholarship, and we look forward to the opportunities this new scholarship will give our students in the years to come.’
Since she was awarded the scholarship, Dikshya has become a credit analyst with Alaya, in Nepal.
