Over a week after a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar hailing from Odisha threatened to commit suicide over his research grant not getting extended, the university on Friday announced that the matter has been “resolved amicably”.

 “The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has spoken to the student, Madan Meher, and resolved the issue in view of the financial difficulties faced by the student and an unfortunate death in his family. His fellowship has been released after adjusting the amount that he had taken as advance for a field trip to Brussels but spent on his grandmother’s medical treatment,” a university statement said.

The university would ensure that Meher faces no difficulty in submission of his PhD thesis, it said.

Meher, a researcher with the International Organisation Division of the Centre for International Politics Organisation and Disarmament in the School of International Studies, had written a letter to then Vice-Chancellor SK Sopory on Thursday last, threatening to commit suicide if his research grant was not extended for a year within a week.

Earlier, the office of the Controller of Examinations had said Meher’s grant was not extended because he had not cleared his finances with the university. He was granted Rs 66,000 for his field trip to Brussels. He was awarded a five-year fellowship in 2011 to complete his PhD.

Meher was quoted as saying, “I belong to a very poor family. Till date, my grandfather polishes shoes to feed the family. The university should be more considerate and flexible towards such students who come from economically weaker background.”